SysInternals Suite Archives

Winsage

April 30, 2025

5 alternatives to the Windows Task Manager that you should be using

Windows Task Manager has been enhanced in Windows 11, featuring a streamlined interface and improved functionality. Alternatives to Task Manager include: - System Informer: A free, open-source tool that monitors system resources with real-time performance graphs and detailed process information. It displays CPU, memory, and disk usage, tracks file access, and offers advanced features like call stack traces. - System Explorer: Integrates system monitoring with security features, providing a clean interface for exploring processes, modules, and network connections. It includes a built-in file database and VirusTotal integration for security assessments. - Process Lasso: Extends Task Manager capabilities by allowing users to adjust CPU priority and core affinities. Features include ProBalance for automatic CPU adjustments, performance mode for optimizing CPU usage, IdleSaver for power management, and SmartTrim for memory optimization. - Process Explorer: A Sysinternals tool that offers a detailed view of running processes in a hierarchical tree format, showing user, PID, and resource usage. It includes a search capability for identifying resource usage and integrates with VirusTotal for security checks. - Task Manager DeLuxe (TMX): A portable task management tool that consolidates system stats across multiple tabs, providing quick access to CPU and memory usage, along with graphical representations of network and disk activity. It allows filtering and searching for processes and can be run from a USB drive.

Winsage

March 3, 2025

5 reasons to use Process Explorer instead of the default Task Manager on Windows

Process Explorer is a tool from the Sysinternals Suite that serves as an alternative to the Windows Task Manager, providing advanced system monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities. It offers detailed information about processes, including paths and descriptions, and allows users to inspect or delete files. The tool integrates with VirusTotal to scan running processes for malware, provides real-time monitoring of CPU, GPU, RAM, and I/O activity with precise graphs, and enables users to forcefully kill stubborn processes or terminate entire process trees. Additionally, it helps users identify which processes are using locked files, facilitating better file management.

Winsage

February 20, 2025

5 most useful SysInternals tools for optimizing your Windows PC

SysInternals is a suite of 74 utilities from Microsoft designed to enhance the performance and reliability of Windows PCs. Users can download the entire suite or select individual tools from the Microsoft SysInternals Learn page. 1. AutoRuns: Identifies unnecessary background processes and obsolete registry entries, providing detailed information about each entry. It allows users to review installed drivers and spot potentially harmful entries. Launched via Start menu or by typing Autoruns.exe in the Run dialog. 2. TCPView: Monitors all TCP and UDP connections in real-time, categorizing them by version and displaying ports and connection timestamps. It helps identify bandwidth-hogging processes. Launched via Start menu or by typing tcpview.exe in the Run dialog. 3. RamMap: Provides an in-depth analysis of memory consumption across processes, helping identify memory-hogging applications and diagnose memory leaks. It offers options to clear memory, including emptying working sets, standby lists, and modified lists. Launched via Start menu or by typing rammap.exe in the Run dialog. 4. DiskView: Offers detailed insights into hard drive usage with a color-coded map of disk sectors, helping users identify fragmentation and unused space. Launched via Start menu or by typing diskview.exe in the Run dialog. 5. CacheSet: Optimizes the Windows file system cache by allowing users to adjust cached data management settings and clear the cache with a single click. Launched by typing cacheset.exe in the Run dialog. The SysInternals Suite is cost-free, effective, and compatible with Windows Recovery mode, making it a practical choice for users looking to enhance their PC's performance.