Summary: Task Manager is a great tool to use when trying to find out what programs are hogging your machine's CPU.
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What is the best way to stop and locate a program that is running in the background of my system that is always causing everything to stop while it does its thing. Usually last for 30 to 60 seconds then everything is back to normal? |
You've seen it: your system comes to a grinding halt as some program seems to hog or monopolize all of your CPU's resources.
Sometimes it seems like so much of what we do is really detective work. And like any good detective, the right tools make a world of difference.
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Assuming it really is a processor usage problem, I typically run Task Manager (right click on the clock in the task bar, and select Task Manager), or procexp from SysInternals.com. I keep it running with its display sorted by CPU usage. Then when the problem happens, I quickly switch to that running tool to see who might be sucking up the CPU - they'll be at the top of the list.
Related:
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Ask Leo! - How can I tell what's running on my machine?
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Ask Leo! - What's this program running on my machine?
Article C2214 - November 3, 2004
Actually you can right-click in any part of the taskbar that doesn't have a task's button on it to bring up the task manager, you don't just have to click on the clock.
Posted by: Larry Osterman at November 4, 2004 6:50 AMI use "Whats Running" and find it very good and it's free.
It's available at www.Whatsrunning.net
http://www.domdedomdom.com/
Posted by: Dominick at November 3, 2007 1:50 PMIf the hog program slows the computer down so much that nothing will respond, that really helps.
Posted by: Fred at November 3, 2007 3:42 PMRun Process Tamer from Donation Coder (donationware)
Keeps some part of the CPU free.