Open Task Manager (using combination keys Ctrl + Alt + Del) click on Processes tab.
Shows all the applications (mainly .exe type files) running on your PC & the amount of CPU & Memory usage.
As explained previously, Anti-Virus (& graphics) applications can soak up memory & CPU.
Most video (graphics handling) cards now have there own memory (recommended minimum is 128MB) & graphics processor thereby reducing PC RAM & CPU workload.
Just a summary, but Commit Memory is allocated to programs & the system.
Because of virtual memory, the Commit Peak memory value may exceed the maximum physical memory.
Note that virtual memory is temporary storage on the hard drive (pagefile), used to run programs that need more memory than physically installed (RAM) on the computer, therefore requires more HD space.
For example programs could have access to 4 GB of virtual memory on the hard drive, even if the computer only has 32 MB of RAM (not recommended).
Program data that does not currently fit in computers RAM is saved into paging files.
If you require further explanation, click on the Help menu & select the Task Manager Help Topics
Also see this useful Denny Denham link, (the section on How do I monitor resources on my XP system?)
BELL BOY
1.1K Posts
0
March 23rd, 2007 14:00
Open Task Manager (using combination keys Ctrl + Alt + Del) click on Processes tab.
Shows all the applications (mainly .exe type files) running on your PC & the amount of CPU & Memory usage.
As explained previously, Anti-Virus (& graphics) applications can soak up memory & CPU.
Most video (graphics handling) cards now have there own memory (recommended minimum is 128MB) & graphics processor thereby reducing PC RAM & CPU workload.
Just a summary, but Commit Memory is allocated to programs & the system.
Because of virtual memory, the Commit Peak memory value may exceed the maximum physical memory.
Note that virtual memory is temporary storage on the hard drive (pagefile), used to run programs that need more memory than physically installed (RAM) on the computer, therefore requires more HD space.
For example programs could have access to 4 GB of virtual memory on the hard drive, even if the computer only has 32 MB of RAM (not recommended).
Program data that does not currently fit in computers RAM is saved into paging files.
If you require further explanation, click on the Help menu & select the Task Manager Help Topics
Also see this useful Denny Denham link, (the section on How do I monitor resources on my XP system?)
Message Edited by BELL BOY on 03-23-2007 10:41 AM