Task Manager/Processes (for Dummies)

[Magsmom]

I don't have a problem at this time, but would like to better understand the
task manager:-
On the "Processes" tab of the Task Manager, there is a column headed "CPU",
then a column headed "Mem Usage" and last of all, all column headed "GDI Ob".
1. What is "GDI Ob"?

2. I assume the "CPU" figure indicates the amount of cpu usage being used
by that particular process, at that exact moment. Therefore, if it shows "0"
CPU usage but shows a figure under "Mem Usage" does it mean the process is
not running at that exact time, but if it was running, that figure would be
the amount of memory required to run it?

3. Why would the same process be listed multiple times with different "Mem
Use" numbers?

[Jim[_22_]]

"Magsmom" > wrote in message
...
>I don't have a problem at this time, but would like to better understand
>the
> task manager:-
> On the "Processes" tab of the Task Manager, there is a column headed
> "CPU",
> then a column headed "Mem Usage" and last of all, all column headed "GDI
> Ob".
> 1. What is "GDI Ob"?
>
Graphics Display Objects. The help command for the Task Manager can tell
you more.
> 2. I assume the "CPU" figure indicates the amount of cpu usage being used
> by that particular process, at that exact moment. Therefore, if it shows
> "0"
> CPU usage but shows a figure under "Mem Usage" does it mean the process
> is
> not running at that exact time, but if it was running, that figure would
> be
> the amount of memory required to run it?
A 0 CPU usage means that the process is not running at this instant in time.
The figure in Mem Usage is the amount of memory which is referenced by the
process's memory table. It is unclear
to me as to whether this value is the amount of physical memory or the
amount of virtual memory.
>
> 3. Why would the same process be listed multiple times with different
> "Mem
> Use" numbers?
>
The Task Manager does not list process IDs (a number). Instead it lists the
program that a given process is executing. What you are seeing are program
names not process IDs.
Process Explorer gives both along with quite a few other items of interest.

Jim

[Magsmom]

So to make sure I understand you:
A program may require several processes to be running and each process just
shows the program name, ergo the multiple listings with the same process
name??

"Jim" wrote:

>
> "Magsmom" > wrote in message
> ...
> >I don't have a problem at this time, but would like to better understand
> >the
> > task manager:-
> > On the "Processes" tab of the Task Manager, there is a column headed
> > "CPU",
> > then a column headed "Mem Usage" and last of all, all column headed "GDI
> > Ob".
> > 1. What is "GDI Ob"?
> >
> Graphics Display Objects. The help command for the Task Manager can tell
> you more.
> > 2. I assume the "CPU" figure indicates the amount of cpu usage being used
> > by that particular process, at that exact moment. Therefore, if it shows
> > "0"
> > CPU usage but shows a figure under "Mem Usage" does it mean the process
> > is
> > not running at that exact time, but if it was running, that figure would
> > be
> > the amount of memory required to run it?
> A 0 CPU usage means that the process is not running at this instant in time.
> The figure in Mem Usage is the amount of memory which is referenced by the
> process's memory table. It is unclear
> to me as to whether this value is the amount of physical memory or the
> amount of virtual memory.
> >
> > 3. Why would the same process be listed multiple times with different
> > "Mem
> > Use" numbers?
> >
> The Task Manager does not list process IDs (a number). Instead it lists the
> program that a given process is executing. What you are seeing are program
> names not process IDs.
> Process Explorer gives both along with quite a few other items of interest.
>
> Jim
>
>
>

[Daave]

> "Jim" wrote:

>> The Task Manager does not list process IDs (a number). Instead it
>> lists the program that a given process is executing. What you are
>> seeing are program names not process IDs.
>> Process Explorer gives both along with quite a few other items of
>> interest.

Magsmom wrote:

> So to make sure I understand you:
> A program may require several processes to be running and each
> process just shows the program name, ergo the multiple listings with
> the same process name??

Several services or programs may be calling up the same process (e.g.,
svchost). For more info, please see:

http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/msg/1f9419ba689efdf6

[Jim[_22_]]

"Magsmom" > wrote in message
...
> So to make sure I understand you:
> A program may require several processes to be running and each process
> just
> shows the program name, ergo the multiple listings with the same process
> name??
>
No, that is not correct.
Processes run programs.
Programs do what the process tell them.
I should note that (at least elsewhere) the concept of a sub-process exists.
A program may start another program in a sub-process.
A good example of this is the program services.exe. In addition to the
services which it provides from its own code, it creates sub-processes
to add more services through the use of svchost.exe.
Jim
> "Jim" wrote:
>
>>
>> "Magsmom" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >I don't have a problem at this time, but would like to better understand
>> >the
>> > task manager:-
>> > On the "Processes" tab of the Task Manager, there is a column headed
>> > "CPU",
>> > then a column headed "Mem Usage" and last of all, all column headed
>> > "GDI
>> > Ob".
>> > 1. What is "GDI Ob"?
>> >
>> Graphics Display Objects. The help command for the Task Manager can tell
>> you more.
>> > 2. I assume the "CPU" figure indicates the amount of cpu usage being
>> > used
>> > by that particular process, at that exact moment. Therefore, if it
>> > shows
>> > "0"
>> > CPU usage but shows a figure under "Mem Usage" does it mean the
>> > process
>> > is
>> > not running at that exact time, but if it was running, that figure
>> > would
>> > be
>> > the amount of memory required to run it?
>> A 0 CPU usage means that the process is not running at this instant in
>> time.
>> The figure in Mem Usage is the amount of memory which is referenced by
>> the
>> process's memory table. It is unclear
>> to me as to whether this value is the amount of physical memory or the
>> amount of virtual memory.
>> >
>> > 3. Why would the same process be listed multiple times with different
>> > "Mem
>> > Use" numbers?
>> >
>> The Task Manager does not list process IDs (a number). Instead it lists
>> the
>> program that a given process is executing. What you are seeing are
>> program
>> names not process IDs.
>> Process Explorer gives both along with quite a few other items of
>> interest.
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>
>>