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May 6th, 2008

Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools

Posted by Ed Bott @ 11:19 pm

Categories: Tips, Windows Vista

Tags: Performance, PC, Driver, Microsoft Windows Vista, CPU, Tool, Dialog Box, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Performance Management, Microsoft Windows

Get the most out of Task Manager

Task Manager is a quick and dirty tool, useful for getting a quick snapshot of performance and system activity. Although it’s been around for ages, the Vista version has some noteworthy improvements. Here’s how you can put it to best use.

First, learn how to open it up: The old shortcut was Ctrl+Alt+Delete. You can get to Task Manager one click faster if you learn the direct shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+Esc. You’ll also want to click the Show processes from all users button in the bottom left corner to see system-owned processes as well:

Use this Task Manager option to see all processes in Vista

(If you prefer to go straight to the elevated version of Task Manager, without any annoying User Account Control dialog boxes, use the shortcut method I describe on page 4 of the previous installment of this series, Fixing Windows Vista, Part 2: Taming UAC. That lets you set up a scheduled task you can run any time, with UAC automatically approved.)

In the screenshot gallery, I explain how to make the following tweaks to Task Manager:

  • On the Processes tab, click the CPU heading, which sorts the display of running processes so you can see those that are putting most demand on your processor.
  • Customize the display of columns to show the Process Identifier (PID) of each one. That can come in handy when using other tools.
  • Sort the Services tab by PID to see which services are grouped under a single instance of Svchost.exe. If that service group is hogging CPU resources, you can narrow down the list of potential offenders here.
  • Finally, click the Performance tab to see rough graphs that show CPU and memory usage.

Task Manager's Performance tab

But for anything more than rough snapshots, click the Resource Monitor button at the bottom of the Task Manager Performance tab to open the amazing Resource Monitor program, which I describe on the last page.

Next –>

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5

Ed BottEd Bott is an award-winning technology writer with more than two decades' experience writing for mainstream media outlets and online publications. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.

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  • Talkback
  • Most Recent of 281 Talkback(s)
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools
My XPpro machine died recently. While shopping for a new PC,the availability of 64bit Vista surprised me. I settled on an HP Verde with 64bit Vista. I use Lightroom and Photoshop and thought an OS t... (Read the rest)
Posted by: alohatim Posted on: 12/30/08 You are currently: a Guest | | Terms of Use
Very Informative  silent.griffin | 05/06/08
To Much Work, Vista Deserves It's Bad Reputation  chessmen | 05/08/08
Of two minds  John L. Ries | 05/08/08
Too much work, Vista deserves it's bad reputation...  quark@... | 05/08/08
Broken when new  silver_images@... | 05/16/08
mac perfect?  billw1234 | 05/20/08
1 question: My machine performs fine  marks055@... | 05/07/08
Still now i get BSOD  timiteh | 05/07/08
Not Possible  mikeholli | 05/08/08
WRONG! I have gotten several BSODs  dunn@... | 05/08/08
They are blue  timiteh | 05/08/08
I'm of that opinion as well  ye | 05/07/08
In general, yes  Ed BottZDNet Moderator | 05/07/08
Which fits nicely with what I said previously:  ye | 05/07/08
I flash upgrade every sys I tool on  klumper | 05/07/08
BIOS updates and Vista  rickhal | 05/08/08
Performance Great . . . but Loses Apps  johnugotmail@... | 05/07/08
Wrong  Spiritusindomit@... | 05/07/08
Have a Wonderful Day  johnugotmail@... | 05/07/08
Unfortunately, John  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 05/07/08
I certainly don't deny some people have  marks055@... | 05/07/08
Correct  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 05/07/08
@b8375629': You need help  ye | 05/07/08
Yeah  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 05/08/08
Sherlock Holmes is that you?  starcannon99022@... | 05/14/08
acer's bloatware causes a lot of problems  qmlscycrajg | 05/07/08
Welcome to computing 101  Spiritusindomit@... | 05/07/08
I hope that Microsoft learn the lesson  timiteh | 05/07/08
Slightly wrong Tree you're barking at  cgdams | 05/07/08
Yet OS creators are partially responsible for the spreading of DRM  timiteh | 05/07/08
Hmmm  cgdams | 05/07/08
Re:Hmmm  timiteh | 05/07/08
Agreed...  cgdams | 05/07/08
Hmmm...  cgdams | 05/07/08
Sorry for double posting..  cgdams | 05/07/08
You are obviously on crack  ibarskiy@... | 05/07/08
Dude, please...  cgdams | 05/07/08
I do agree with you, but...  ibarskiy@... | 05/07/08
Yeah, Gutman, right...  cgdams | 05/07/08
If i am on crack then you should be on LSD  timiteh | 05/07/08
Again, wrong  ibarskiy@... | 05/07/08
Message has been deleted.  Spiritusindomit@... | 05/07/08
Use the Tools they provide!!  Stan57 | 05/07/08
I *did* use the tool....  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
The problems with your line of reasoning...  Wolfie2K3 | 05/07/08
Don't think so wink  timiteh | 05/08/08
Did I miss something?....  tsb278 | 05/07/08
Performance issues with Vista are exaggerated.  ye | 05/07/08
I agree but my 5 personal performance experiences are with  socialism=nowhere | 05/07/08
Love your handle happy  ye | 05/07/08
Vista runs fine  sancretor@... | 05/07/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  null | 05/07/08
Why is that a problem?  Ed BottZDNet Moderator | 05/07/08
It is a problem because...  Jeremy W | 05/07/08
That's a problem with Microsoft's marketing. It is not a problem...  ye | 05/07/08
thanks that you only WOULD say grin  llval@... | 05/10/08
All these sourpusses  CharlesEtheridge@... | 05/08/08
Congratulations!  John L. Ries | 05/08/08
Re:Why is that a problem?  timiteh | 05/07/08
Specifically what issues are you experiencing?  ye | 05/07/08
The X2 system  soonerproud | 05/07/08
timiteh  timiteh | 05/07/08
Try purging the driver  soonerproud | 05/07/08
Another thing  soonerproud | 05/07/08
Re:Another thing  timiteh | 05/08/08
Have you followed any of the advice Ed outlined?  ye | 05/07/08
No, it is not the problem....  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
When you boil the status of Vista down to thick gravy...  Michael Of Atlanta | 05/07/08
It doesn't take that much....  cgdams | 05/07/08
Hello, Ed. The above post is the problem  Jeremy W | 05/07/08
Jeeeeez...  cgdams | 05/07/08
filter  do it yourself IT | 05/07/08
oh well...  cgdams | 05/07/08
Because he tells the truth?  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 05/07/08
Time to hold Dell, HP, Lenovo and other accountable  soonerproud | 05/07/08
That would be true if...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 05/07/08
That is because  soonerproud | 05/07/08
They're both to blame  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 05/07/08
I agree with your premise  marks055@... | 05/07/08
Should people have to pay and pay after they've already paid for new?  Jeremy W | 05/07/08
Nope. They sure don't.  ye | 05/07/08
Get a life man  soonerproud | 05/07/08
Sounds like he did  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 05/07/08
lol  soonerproud | 05/09/08
Oh really?  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 05/09/08
really.  rtk | 05/10/08
Just so you know...  itpro_z | 05/07/08
Vista Wants hardware  ronstancil@... | 05/07/08
Vista hummed on my...  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
More information  Michael Of Atlanta | 05/08/08
found an issue, no what?  chips@... | 05/07/08
Need more details to answer  Ed BottZDNet Moderator | 05/07/08
details on the reported problems  chips@... | 05/07/08
nVidia drivers are the worst Vista problem...  Narg | 05/07/08
Those issues are old  soonerproud | 05/07/08
RE: Those issues are old  Narg | 05/07/08
I have a all Nvidia system  soonerproud | 05/07/08
I just built my machine....  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
MS Not Supporting Their Own HW is Sad....  dunn@... | 05/08/08
Sadly, SP1 does nothing...  johnlgalt@... | 05/08/08
Go back to XP, don't dump Nvidia  starcannon99022@... | 05/14/08
Bah, dump nVidia, and Creative along with it.  rtk | 05/14/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  bobkatgifts | 05/07/08
I noticed that too...  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
What are those buttons?  CreepinJesus | 05/07/08
provided by Ultramon  rtk | 05/07/08
Newbies don't trouble shoot  misceng | 05/07/08
Newbies don't trouble shoot  morph000 | 05/07/08
Do you work on your car?  ronstancil@... | 05/07/08
don't expect to drive straight from the dealer's lot  tzcannon | 05/07/08
Shouldn't have to  Ed BottZDNet Moderator | 05/07/08
Because they're exaggerating.  ye | 05/07/08
No exaggeration necessary  Get-Smart | 05/08/08
So let me see if I understand this.  ye | 05/08/08
Not exaggerating - the hate took a lot of litte steps to grow  tzcannon | 05/08/08
Because when you return it multiple times  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 05/07/08
Then how do you explain it working fine for othes?  ye | 05/07/08
We don't know that, ye  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 05/07/08
re: We don't know that, ye  rtk | 05/07/08
Now why would I believe a shill like you... (rhetorical question)  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 05/07/08
@b8375629': Tell us. What did Microsoft do to you to...  ye | 05/07/08
No you still don't know it, ye  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 05/07/08
@b8375629': Oh but I do know.  ye | 05/07/08
Speak for yourself  Hemlock Stones | 05/07/08
@Hemlock Stones: I am speaking for myself.  ye | 05/08/08
@b8375629': You may not know it but I do.  ye | 05/07/08
I want my money back, ye  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 05/07/08
Message has been deleted.  rtk | 05/07/08
@b8375629': How did such a "smart" person as you get taken for...  ye | 05/07/08
re: What is it about a fool and his money  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 05/08/08
Unfortunately ye  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 05/08/08
Then what's the point of this series, if  tzcannon | 05/08/08
Or you could do some basic research before buying.  ye | 05/08/08
It is an HP. Basic research should be mean which "model" works  tzcannon | 05/08/08
Then what's the point of this series.....  tzcannon | 05/08/08
You're making the same mistake...  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
Exactly, and Endusers don't do OS installs  starcannon99022@... | 05/14/08
For an excellent Vista experience...  bricar2 | 05/07/08
If you need help  CreepinJesus | 05/07/08
Ed, your right! But the well has been poisined  SteveMak | 05/07/08
Ugh!  orchard17@... | 05/07/08
Amen!  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
And of course....  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
Picking nits  SteveMak | 05/07/08
Spell checker also won't pick up...  msalzberg | 05/09/08
You're points are well taken....  smoring | 05/07/08
No it's not  ibarskiy@... | 05/07/08
You are correct, but....  SteveMak | 05/07/08
Older non-Vista applications?  jshifflet@... | 05/07/08
Older non-Vista apps vs drivers  SteveMak | 05/07/08
The sad truth is....  smoring | 05/07/08
There is something definitely wrong with this mindset  Jeremy W | 05/07/08
Please think before you post.  ibarskiy@... | 05/07/08
you, too, should think  brendan@... | 05/07/08
what are You talking about?  ibarskiy@... | 05/07/08
Jeremy is Right.  joe.smetona@... | 05/07/08
Again, what are you talking about?!  ibarskiy@... | 05/07/08
Too much proof ( $44B).  joe.smetona@... | 05/07/08
Get real  itpro_z | 05/07/08
The problem with your analysis...  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
Same as it always was  Hemlock Stones | 05/07/08
So, by this you mean...  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
I have an answer.  joe.smetona@... | 05/08/08
Other OSes out of the box have had troubles too.  DevGuy_z | 06/06/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  toddah | 05/07/08
Here is as good a place as any...  soapymac@... | 05/07/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  brs9000@... | 05/07/08
Nag Screen?  toddah | 05/07/08
Dont do Ubuntu then  soonerproud | 05/07/08
You need to read the previous article...  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  toddah | 05/07/08
GO 64-BIT!!!!!!  Narg | 05/07/08
Agreed  Ed BottZDNet Moderator | 05/07/08
Remember the move to 32-bit?  Narg | 05/07/08
I agree with all three of you...  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
LOL I'm even older  BillDem | 05/07/08
DOS extenders - DOS/4G  CobraA1 | 05/09/08
Double post Sorry  toddah | 05/07/08
This is wrong  Spiritusindomit@... | 05/07/08
RE: This is wrong  Narg | 05/07/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista: thanks but really..  dotkayk@... | 05/07/08
Message has been deleted.  Jeremy W | 05/07/08
How does she handle XP now?  Ed BottZDNet Moderator | 05/07/08
Problem is user not OS...  Narg | 05/07/08
I don't think Vista introduces any problems that are more difficult than XP  Jeremy W | 05/08/08
I've worked with Vista, XP, OSX and Linux...  DevGuy_z | 06/06/08
Good Move  Harry Bardal | 05/07/08
And where have we heard that before?  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  ibarskiy@... | 05/07/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  puppadave | 05/07/08
Persoanlly, I lay a lot of it at the vendors feet.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 05/07/08
RE: Persoanlly, I lay a lot of it at the vendors feet.  Narg | 05/07/08
I hear ya! I once made the mistake  No_Ax_to_Grind | 05/07/08
Yes! Someone has seen the light!  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  didier.m.rousseau@... | 05/07/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  gazette49@... | 05/07/08
Better check your premises...  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  gazette49@... | 05/07/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  gazette49@... | 05/07/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  zzbo50@... | 05/07/08
Happy for ya.  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  spyder3010 | 05/07/08
No, you're wrong -- VISTA does suck.  JPSeabury | 05/07/08
No, *you're* wrong.  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
Amen to that!  ThePrairiePrankster | 05/07/08
By that I mean...  ThePrairiePrankster | 05/07/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  GTWilson | 05/07/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  rickc1954 | 05/07/08
Wrong.  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
Good article Ed  jorjitop | 05/07/08
Wait a minute...wait a minute...  mikifinaz1@... | 05/07/08
Slow down, cowboy  Ed BottZDNet Moderator | 05/07/08
I don't know if it's possible  ibarskiy@... | 05/07/08
I'd agree, but consider a broken vacuum  beoz | 05/07/08
No editing, boo  beoz | 05/07/08
Hardware vendor's not to blame.  joe.smetona@... | 05/08/08
Hence the poit of this article...  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
It can't be hardware's fault.  joe.smetona@... | 05/08/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  dgarts@... | 05/07/08
No, you need to read that article again...  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
vista sucks and its windows explorer is broken period  llval@... | 05/10/08
Drivel I amy be spewing...  johnlgalt@... | 05/12/08
I can't "silence" anyone  Ed BottZDNet Moderator | 05/13/08
Message has been deleted.  rtk | 05/07/08
Humor?  Cardinal_Bill | 05/07/08
ROTF  johnlgalt@... | 05/07/08
Question for Vista  consoleclassix | 05/08/08
Excellent Question...  dunn@... | 05/08/08
Define older games - how old?  johnlgalt@... | 05/08/08
Ed's fantasy world  martin23 | 05/08/08
My Major Complaint Is that MS oversold Vista  dunn@... | 05/08/08
On this point I can agree...  johnlgalt@... | 05/12/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  morph000 | 05/08/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  L8erG8er | 05/08/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  icg1032@... | 05/08/08
Lipstick on a pig  Chad_z | 05/08/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  gregzdnet | 05/08/08
The french fry principal. -it works!  joe.smetona@... | 05/08/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  ajlv | 05/08/08
I applaud your expertise and diligence.  joe.smetona@... | 05/08/08
Coming home from work  stevey_d | 05/08/08
Some addional points.  joe.smetona@... | 05/08/08
Ctrl Alt Esc for opening Task Manager: Wrong shortcut!  thor774@... | 05/08/08
Sorry, it freezes with Ctrl+Alt+Esc  thor774@... | 05/08/08
Fixed, thanks!  Ed BottZDNet Moderator | 05/09/08
It appears to be a bug on IE  thor774@... | 05/09/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  cgdams | 05/09/08
The average user.  joe.smetona@... | 05/09/08
Huh?  Ed BottZDNet Moderator | 05/09/08
Some additional Info.  joe.smetona@... | 05/09/08
Nonsense  Ed BottZDNet Moderator | 05/09/08
***AND***  johnlgalt@... | 05/12/08
But isn't that the case always?  johnlgalt@... | 05/12/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  Chiatzu | 05/09/08
View and print details - VISTA BUG?  doctuh@... | 05/09/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  gdobbie@... | 05/09/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  ronson4@... | 05/09/08
Great Analogy  El Condor | 05/09/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  El Condor | 05/09/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  Ross Snowden | 05/10/08
Now install it on an eee 2G Surf  symbolset | 05/11/08
OTOH...  johnlgalt@... | 05/12/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  johnandjulie13 | 05/12/08
You just don't get it  cigar444 | 05/12/08
And you mean to tell me...  johnlgalt@... | 05/12/08
I hope this is a 6 "Part" series.  james_p | 05/13/08
doubtful  rtk | 05/13/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  VAR1016@... | 05/13/08
Agree! Must work properly out of box.  laman | 05/14/08
couple of points  rtk | 05/14/08
Do you think Windows Vista is slow, crash-prone, or unreliable? No  mvstxusa | 05/14/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  starcannon99022@... | 05/14/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  ramnet@... | 05/14/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  bunzel | 05/14/08
undefendable? how about incomprehensible  rtk | 05/15/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  rickhtoo@... | 05/14/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  dkfelter | 05/24/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  kentech50 | 06/06/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  KarnageTyme | 06/07/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  rtirman37@... | 06/12/08
RE: Fixing Windows Vista, Part 3: Top Troubleshooting Tools  alohatim | 12/30/08

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