How do I find out what program is using all my CPU?

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Speaking of multiple svchost processes...

Is it possible to know which svchost process is handling which services? (This is XP Home, which doesn't have a "tasklist" command.)

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Sure. Download and use Process Explorer as described in the article.

Leo
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D'oh! That's what I get for not reading the article as thoroughly as I should have. I missed the part about "here's how to get the list of services..."

Thanks.

Leo, I've been around the block a time or two and can make absolutely NO sense of this program. Once I click on "CPU" the list keeps jumping around like banshees. I tried to right click on one program but couldn't catch it!!

Quite frankly (and I'm no beginner) I can't figure out what it's supposed to do or how I'm supposed to run it. Any suggestions before it finds the bottom of my recycle bin?

Sometimes when a process begins hogging CPU, it locks the computer and nothing can be done to trace it. There is one solution to this, a free program called Process Tamer http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/proctamer/index.html
It limits CPU usage for individual programs effectively preventing your PC from seizing.
While you're checking it out, check out the rest of Donation Coder, they are a very good group of programmers.

Processing power... Unless I missed something,you've explained how this effects a slowing of PC operation... but how does one cure it....Telling me, by a garage mechanic why my car does what it does is not much help unless someone tells me how to fix it....Most of us are not too interested in "why"... just how can it be remedied?

Re: Posted by: Dell at April 27, 2007 08:46 PM

If you simply left-click on any column heading, OTHER than CPU, the the list will stop jumping around like banshees.
Regards
Bill

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It jumps around because which programs are using the CPU changes. Every second
process explorer updates the list to be in the current most-used CPU usage
order. You can adjust the update speed if you like using the View->Update Speed
menu item. Or you can click on the CPU column again to get things sorted by
name.

Leo
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Joseph: a garage mechanic can't fix a car without seeing it. There are SO many
reasons that a program might suck up all the CPU there is no one, single
solution. All that mechanic-at-a-distance can do is provide you with some tools
to help diagnose the problem yourself.

What this article does is provide a way for you to gather perhaps the most
important clue: to figure out what program is taking all the CPU. That could be
any of 100's programs, and the next steps to fixing the problem will depend on
what program that is.

Leo
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Got that program after reading about on your newsletter and I find it a great boone to getting info on what is going on and where all the named processes are.Thanks for great leads.
Bill

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