Replacement for Active Processes in Task Manager?

[Marts]

In Task Manager you can view active processes. Some are obvious by their names.
Others are not so obvious.

I was wondering if there is somethin that can either interpret what i am seeing
and to point to whatever program that is actually running with a description.
Also, is there any way of checking how much resources that a program is using?

Often I watch my network activity LEDs on the modem router and sometimes my PC's
connection is highly active, yet there are no internet programs running, that I
know of.

I'd like to be able to check what is running, what it is doing and if it is the
culprit. ie. is it a virus, trojan horse, spyware, etc..

I know that one way of doing is is to install something like Zone Alarm Pro, but
it is getting to be bloatware, I'm told. Maybe activate Windows Firewall? If so,
would it tell me what traffic is occuring, what's accessing the 'net, etc.? Or
tell whether the traffic activity LED is indicating incoming or outbound traffic
by what the firewall software is displaying.

..

 

[Steve Winograd]

On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 06:52:34 +1100, Marts <marts_57@yahoo.com.au>
wrote:

>In Task Manager you can view active processes. Some are obvious by their names.
>Others are not so obvious.
>
>I was wondering if there is somethin that can either interpret what i am seeing
>and to point to whatever program that is actually running with a description.
>Also, is there any way of checking how much resources that a program is using?
>
>Often I watch my network activity LEDs on the modem router and sometimes my PC's
>connection is highly active, yet there are no internet programs running, that I
>know of.
>
>I'd like to be able to check what is running, what it is doing and if it is the
>culprit. ie. is it a virus, trojan horse, spyware, etc..
>
>I know that one way of doing is is to install something like Zone Alarm Pro, but
>it is getting to be bloatware, I'm told. Maybe activate Windows Firewall? If so,
>would it tell me what traffic is occuring, what's accessing the 'net, etc.? Or
>tell whether the traffic activity LED is indicating incoming or outbound traffic
>by what the firewall software is displaying.

Get Process Explorer, free from Microsoft:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/Processesandthreadsutilities.mspx?wt.svl=featured
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[GnarlyCar]

Process Explorer is a very nice utility, and I used it for a long time. I've
since converted to WhatsRunning, as it provides even more information on
running processes, as well as tools for editing your startup objects, and
monitoring IP Connections, Drivers, Services, and Modules.

Download is free (and adware/spyware free) for non-commercial use at:
http://www.whatsrunning.net/whatsrunning/download.aspx

--
Matt the Helpdesk Guy



"Steve Winograd" wrote:

> On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 06:52:34 +1100, Marts <marts_57@yahoo.com.au>
> wrote:
>
> >In Task Manager you can view active processes. Some are obvious by their names.
> >Others are not so obvious.
> >
> >I was wondering if there is somethin that can either interpret what i am seeing
> >and to point to whatever program that is actually running with a description.
> >Also, is there any way of checking how much resources that a program is using?
> >
> >Often I watch my network activity LEDs on the modem router and sometimes my PC's
> >connection is highly active, yet there are no internet programs running, that I
> >know of.
> >
> >I'd like to be able to check what is running, what it is doing and if it is the
> >culprit. ie. is it a virus, trojan horse, spyware, etc..
> >
> >I know that one way of doing is is to install something like Zone Alarm Pro, but
> >it is getting to be bloatware, I'm told. Maybe activate Windows Firewall? If so,
> >would it tell me what traffic is occuring, what's accessing the 'net, etc.? Or
> >tell whether the traffic activity LED is indicating incoming or outbound traffic
> >by what the firewall software is displaying.
>
> Get Process Explorer, free from Microsoft:
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/Processesandthreadsutilities.mspx?wt.svl=featured
> --
> Best Wishes,
> Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)
>
> Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
> for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
> addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.
>
> Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
>