Comments on: An introduction to the Windows XP Task Manager: Processes, Programs, and Performance – Part 3

By: Iglablues

Iglablues — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:00:37 +0000

I have a question regarding the meaning of the Physical Memory section. I just read something at Tech Republic that essentially says the exact opposite of what you’ve said, and I’m a little confused as to who’s right. The article in question is http://articles.techrepublic.c.....71997.html, and in it they say that the Available memory amount is actually the amount of memory Windows is making available to applications before it starts paging. Your explanation, if I understand it correctly, is saying that this is actually the amount of memory still available to applications after what is already being used (if you do the math and subtract available from total).

Your article also then says that the Commit Charge is total page file in use+total physical RAM in use. The other article says the commit charge is actually page file+Available. Obviously this results in two totally different interpretations of what paging a system is doing because if I apply both articles to my current Exchange server, your article tells me I am using 1.7GB of a 4GB page file, and the other article tells me I’m using 3.5GB of a 4GB page file.

Can you clarify? Thanks!

By: mr. E

mr. E — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:42:10 +0000

reza, realtime is just another priority higher then high so windows will process realtime processes before high. but i recommend you dont use realtime because windows gets glitchy with it sometimes

By: reza

reza — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:07:39 +0000

hi all. i have question about task manager , in process tab when you right click on one of the tasks and go to the set periority there is A option that named realtime , i want to now what is it?

By: mr. E

mr. E — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 14:44:31 +0000

Bruce: the commit charge is the page file + RAM that is what is displayed in the graph, also BIOS uses about 100mb of ram constantly and that 100mb is not even recognized by task manager.

Thiru, that is normal for some programs to not use a lot of cpu, when you start a program it will take more then when it it open and sitting in memory.

By: bruce

bruce — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 02:21:32 +0000

Thanks for the info, but they don’t seem to add up on my task manager like they do on yours. On mine, the total physical minus avail is about 400000, and when you add the kernel, that would come to 458000. But, my page file usage graph says 351 MB. So, the computation that you gave does not add up on my computer. I don’t really know if that means your description of what the graph means is wrong, or my computer is doing something funny. Maybe you could help.

By: Thiru

Thiru — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 14:17:22 +0000

Hi,

I would much appreciate if you can help me to understand this – Windows/XP CPU Usage. When I start an application (say X), I know there are many other applications running in the back ground. I do not start these background applications. These background applications are automatically started by windows and some of them are non essential and can be stopped if I wish to. After stopping all these non essential applications, why X is not taking higher percentage of CPU. Does it mean the other h/w (memory, hard disk, etc. ) is not allowing the cpu to work faster. I bought my computer specially for home video editing with the specification recommended by the sales person. Technical support is not giving any satisfactory answer.

Regards

Thiru

By: MeiaterTek

MeiaterTek — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 18:10:38 +0000

Thanks man now I know what commit charge means!