The relationship between computer performance and resources:- Computer performance and related resources. Resources include processing power, storage, and other hardware capabilities. The amount of performance you squeeze out of your computer is directly related to the available resources.
You may not be able to switch hardware, but you can do whatever it takes to get the best possible performance out of the hardware your PC currently has.
The tools that Windows offers to monitor performance and resources are:
>> Performance Monitor
>> Performance tab in Task Manager window
>> Resource Monitor
The relationship between computer performance and resources
These tools demonstrate that Microsoft has an uncanny knack for not assigning unique, descriptive names to tools. All of these utilities basically do the same thing: present charts and graphs that show how the resources inside the computer are being used. Each has different degrees of complexity, and some are better suited to specific tasks.
>>> Of all the tools, Performance Monitor is the oldest, which was introduced for Windows NT in the 90s. It is also the most complex of the trio.
>>> Resource Monitor was introduced with Windows Vista. It is the most useful tool, especially for tracking issues with certain software.
>>> Task Manager Performance tab was in System Configuration Utility (MSCONFIG) window. It’s a little more friendly than the Performance Monitor—plus, it’s easy to access.
>>> Yes, there is an overlap between the three tools. You don’t have to use them all.
>>> Performance and resources play a role in software troubleshooting. For example, an error may cause a program to consume more and more resources over time. Known as a memory leak, it’s easy to identify such a program based on how it uses resources and how your computer’s performance deteriorates over time.
To measure the performance of a computer, or how well it is using the available resources, you can call up a tool called Performance Monitor. You can also check your computer’s performance from Task Manager, although Performance Monitor is more comprehensive in its presentation.
Performance Monitor
The Performance Monitor console is the most complex of the Windows resource graphing tools. It’s also the most difficult to use, perhaps due to its origin as a Windows NT program.
To bring up the Performance Monitor console window, use the following steps:
>> Press the Windows key on your keyboard.
>> Type performance.
>> Choose Performance Monitoring Application from the list of search results. Performance Monitor appears in the console window.
> From the left side of the console window, choose Performance Monitor. This item is located in the Monitor Tools folder, as shown here.
The Performance Monitor window is rather barren at first; you need to add items to the monitor to view the graph, especially one as detailed as the one shown.
To add an item, click the Add (green plus) button. In the Add Counters dialog box, click to select a counter and then click the Add>> button. Click OK to view the results.
The relationship between computer performance and resources
The display in the Performance Monitor can get rather hectic, which makes it my least favorite monitoring tool. Still, it offers plenty of details. If you need to get specific in monitoring an activity, this is the tool to use.
For example, to monitor network traffic, add the Network Adapter counter to the display. Choose a specific counter to monitor by unchecking the other counters. For example, uncheck everything but Bytes Received to check on incoming network traffic.
>> To clean up the display, select a counter and click the X (Cancel) button. You can Shift+click to select multiple counters and remove them all at once.
>> The difference between removing a counter and unchecking it is that you can more easily recheck a counter to again review its status.
The Performance tab
<>The easiest monitoring tool to use is found in the Task Manager window. To view this item, follow these steps:
<> Press Ctrl+Esc to bring up the Task Manager window.
Click the Performance tab. The Performance tab is illustrated here.
The Performance tab lists key resources as thumbnails on the left side of the window. In the preceding figure, you see entries for the CPU, memory, mass storage devices, the network, and the graphics processing unit (GPU) with more items in a scrolling list.
To view a different category’s performance graph, choose its thumbnail from the left side of the window. The graph changes over time, scrolling from right to left. The higher the line on the graph, the more the chosen resource is in use or being consumed.
The CPU meter tells you how much processing horsepower is in use. In the preceding figure, the values are low until a spike happens. The low values indicate that Windows isn’t doing much; the spike occurred when I opened another program. If the figure were high, or suddenly spiked, that means more activity is taking place, such as a background task or service.
The relationship between computer performance and resources
The Memory meter tracks how much memory is in use. This item fluctuates as you use programs. For example, running a photo editor may consume a huge amount of memory, but the Performance tab would show that amount of memory freed after you exit the program.
Disk items show storage activity. Ethernet shows network activity. If a Bluetooth adapter is available, you may see an entry for it as well.
For further details, use the Resource Monitor. As a shortcut, click the Open Resource Monitor link, located at the bottom of the Task Manager window’s Performance tab.
System resources
To monitor specific programs or activities, the best tool to use is the Resource Monitor. It’s far less complicated than Performance Monitor, and it offers more information and control than the Performance tab in Task Manager.
To open the Resource Monitor, follow these directions:
Tap the Windows key.
>>Type resource.
>>Choose the Resource Monitor app from the search results. The Resource Monitor window appears, illustrated here
The Overview tab in Resource Monitor, shown, shows the big picture of system resources: CPU (Processor), Memory, Disk, Network, along with graphs for each.
The various tabs show more details and more charts.
The interesting thing about Resource Monitor is that you can examine the effects of certain programs on resources. For example, in the previous figure, the SearchApp.exe service was selected. Its effect on resources is shown in each category (click the chevron to expand a category) as well as highlighted in each of the graphs. When you choose a program in this way, you can spy on its effects on all the resources.Use screens as troubleshooting tools
Performance monitoring tools and resources all provide good feedback, but the details are trivial. Activity is always buzzing inside the computer. The concern is whether this activity is causing the system to slow down.
When the computer starts to run slowly, the task manager pops up and click on the Processes tab. Click the CPU column header to sort the list of running programs by processor usage. (If necessary, click the title twice until the programs that use the most CPU appear at the top of the list.) The program that uses the most CPU time is probably the program that is slowing down your computer.
You can also click the Performance tab in Task Manager to check memory and other resources. But to make sure that the individual program consumes a lot of resources, use the Resource Manager: in the Resource Manager window, choose the suspected program from the list on the Overview tab. Then select all resources.The relationship between computer performance and resources
What you are looking for is an increase in resource consumption over time. In some cases, the program may engage itself for a short time, and then resume regular activity. When a program continues to consume resources, you might consider quitting it to see if your computer’s performance improves.
If one software is to blame, consider getting a software update.
If the program is a background task that is consuming a lot of resources, consider rescheduling the task at a time when you are not using your computer.A program that continues to use resources after its termination, especially memory, has a memory leak. You should stop using the software and see if an update or alternative is available.
Some webpage plug-ins may cause problems. These plugins may appear as problems with the web browser software itself, but they are not. The way to fix this problem is to check your web browser settings or preferences and disable the plugin.Malware also consumes resources at a frantic pace. You can try to stop the driver, but it is better to perform a scan and remove it from Windows Defender.
