How to view Processes on your computer

A process is an executable set of instructions like a small program, which is run on your computer to perform a type of service. These services can range from any type of Windows services such as a process which enables you to access the Internet, and communicate with other machines in the background, to other processes which are used by propriety software applications such as, for example, spreadsheet application processes. Processes run on random access memory, and are scheduled, operated, and assigned time slices directly by the scheduler of the operating system. A process is usually made up of many threads which are the smallest unit a piece of code can actually be. Threads run simultaneously (concurrently) with each other. This is called multitasking. Many threads working together form a process and one or more processes together may form a program/application.

On any computer with a Windows Operating System the procedure to view the processes running on your computer is still the same. Follow these steps to view the processes currently running on your computer:

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Del on your keyboard at the same time


2. Press on the Task Manager Button


3. Click on the processes tab

Viola! You have the list of process. Now what?

Another way to directly access the processes faster on a Windows platform is to press:

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

By pressing just 3 buttons simultaneously you can take a look at what's running in the background on your PC. Most of these processes run in the background and are not visible to the user unless you check what's currently running. Processes run in the memory, thus eating away at your available physical memory space. Not all processes take the same amount of space. Some are load-heavy, whilst other services are negligible.

Since you've been reading up to this point I want to reward you with a cool application just for the purposes mentioned above. ProcessScanner takes the headache out of researching the processes running on your PC one at a time. ProcessScanner not only generates a detailed lists of the items already running on your PC, it then goes on to give you valuable information as to the programs these are associated with. Furthermore ProcessScanner will generate a report with valuable information about what each process does and the level of risk associated with it. ProcessScanner is an invaluable tool to help remove the fog that obscures the inner workings of your computer and, what's more, it's FREE!