Windows Vista's Task Manager: The harder-to-detect changes

by Greg Shultz | Feb 21, 2007 8:00:00 AM

Takeaway: At first glance, the Task Manager in Windows Vista looks so much like Windows XP's Task Manager that it's very easy to overlook the new features and other changes. Here are some of the features that are harder to see.

When you first access the Windows Vista Task Manager, it looks so much like Windows XP's Task Manager that it's very easy to overlook the new features and other changes. While some of these new features and changes are more obvious once you take a closer look, some are a bit more subtle and require a closer inspection in order to detect them.

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In this edition of the Windows Vista Report, I�ll investigate Windows Vista�s new Task Manager and allow you to quickly reap the benefits of my detective work.

Accessing the Windows Vista Task Manager

You can access the Task Manager in Windows Vista in the same ways you can in Windows XP with a few slight differences. For example, you can right-click on the Taskbar and select Task Manager from the context menu or you can press [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[Esc]. You can also call up Task Manager by launching its executable file; however, rather than having to use the Run dialog box, you can do it from the Start Search box--just access the Start menu, type taskmgr, and press [Enter]. Now, if you press [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[Delete], you�ll see a full screen menu, as shown in Figure A, and can click Start Task Manager.

Figure A

Pressing [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[Delete] will bring up a full screen menu with an option to Start Task Manager.

Applications tab

When you access the Applications tab, as shown in Figure B, you�ll discover that it operates exactly the same in Windows Vista as it does in Windows XP. It allows you to determine the status of a task as well as end, switch, or create a new task.

http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tr/Eve/Figs02162007/FigB.png

The new column header features make it easy to sort the list on Applications tab.

However, you�ll notice the new functionality in the column headers, which you�ll find throughout Windows Vista. Now when you click a particular column header to sort the list, you�ll see a small arrow in the column header that not only alerts you to which column header has the current sort, but also lets you know if the sort is ascending or descending--if the arrow points up is the sort is ascending and if it points down, the sort is descending.

Processes tab

When you�re troubleshooting Windows Vista, you�ll discover that the Processes tab provides you with more detailed information. For example, when you access the Processes tab, shown in Figure C, right off the bat you�ll notice the new Description column which identifies each process.

http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tr/Eve/Figs02162007/FigC.png

The Description column proved very useful information in a troubleshooting situation.

If you need even more information, just pull down the View menu and choose the Select Columns command to reveal the Select Process Page Columns dialog box, as shown in Figure D. You can then get more descriptive detail by selecting the Image Path Name or Command Line check boxes. The Image Path Name setting shows the full path to the file behind the running process while the Command Line setting shows the full command line, including the parameters or switches used to launch the process.

Figure D

You can get even more descriptive information by adding the Image Path Name and Command Line headers to the Processes tab.

You can glean other useful information about a particular process by right-clicking on it and selecting the Open File Location or Properties command, as shown in Figure E. When you select the Open File Location, Windows Explorer opens the folder containing the file. Selecting Properties opens the file's standard Properties dialog box.

Figure E

You can right click on a process and select the Open File Location or Properties commands

Services tab

The Services tab shown in Figure F is completely new to the Task Manager in Windows Vista. This provides you with a convenient way to quickly view the Services that are running while you're troubleshooting.

Figure F

The Services tab is completely new to the Task Manager in Windows Vista.

If you want to investigate whether a running service is tied to a particular process, you can right-click on the service name and select the Go to Process command, as shown in Figure G. When you do, Task Manager will then switch to the Processes tab and highlight the associated process.

Figure G

Using the Go to Process tab makes it easy to identify services running as processes.

Keep in mind that If you click Go to Process and no process is highlighted in the Processes tab, the process is not running under your user account. To view all processes you�ll need to click Show processes from all users button and go through the UAC.

Performance tab

The most changed tab in Windows Vista�s Tack Manager is the Performance tab, shown in Figure H. While at a quick glance it may appear to be the same, upon closer inspection you�ll see that the bottom graphs and the majority of the statistics now measure actual memory usage rather than page file usage. It also displays system uptime as well as provides a link to the full blown Resource Monitor.

Figure H

The Performance tab now provides information on actual memory usage.

Networking and Users tab

When you access the Networking and Users tabs, shown in Figures I and J, you�ll see that they are essentially the same as in Windows XP. On the Networking tab you can view network status and see how your network is functioning. On the Users tab, you can see who is logged on to the system.

Conclusion

If you�ve become accustomed to using the Task Manager in Windows XP for troubleshooting, then you�re really going to love the new features in Windows Vista�s Task Manager. If you have any information or comments to share about Windows Vista�s Task Manager, please stop by the Discussion area and let us hear from you.

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