# Program to check what is running? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 11, 2001, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-check-what-is-running/49581 "2001-01-11T21:05:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Doubleclick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Doubleclick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doubleclick)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2001, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-check-what-is-running/49581/1 "2001-01-11T21:05:14Z")
Is there a program that can be used to show you everything that is running on your PC? IE: Program name and location of the program etc. I’m running MemTurbo here at work at it shows my CPU usage at around the 50% to 70% most of the time…and nothing is running. (Nothing that I have told to run.) So I hvae hte feeling there is something going on that I don’t know about. Any one have any ideas??? ---
**Author:** ![jmullaney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@jmullaney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmullaney)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2001, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-check-what-is-running/49581/2 "2001-01-11T21:36:02Z")
What OS are you running? In Windows NT/9x ctrl-alt-del will bring up a task manager. Some of these are system processes, but you might be able to find out what the problem is with a little trial and error. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2001, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-check-what-is-running/49581/3 "2001-01-11T21:36:02Z")
Win95 here. Control-Alt-Delete brings up the “Close Program” window, what I call the “End Task” list. It shows everything I have running: Straight Dope Message Board Explorer Rnaapp Juno Gold Loadwc Realplay Fmremind Systray Printray Aoltray Is that what you mean? ---
**Author:** ![Doubleclick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Doubleclick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doubleclick)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2001, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-check-what-is-running/49581/4 "2001-01-11T21:42:12Z")
Sorry…running Win98SE I know of the C-A-D trick…but thats not any good. I know of some programs that do not show up in there. I’m looking for some external program. Somethin NOT writen by Microsoft. = ) ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet37](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/57b2e6/32.png) [@Hamlet37](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet37)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2001, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-check-what-is-running/49581/5 "2001-01-11T23:31:17Z")
On Windows 9x/Me, the Close Program dialog only lists the display name of programs that do not hide themselves. A process viewer, on the other hand, provides details on all of the running processes. Check out this [Microsoft web page](http://www.microsoft.com/smsmgmt/downloads/sp2_tools_help.asp#2_6) for more information about their tool, PView95.exe. A quick search on [Google.com](http://www.google.com) turned up the file at the [Modular Software File Download Archive](http://modsoft.com/ftp.htm), check it out: [PView95.exe](http://www2.modsoft.com/dl03/pview95.exe). **Note: I am not familiar with Microsoft’s licensing policies regarding PView95.exe, and I don’t know if Modular Software is authorized to distribute this file. It is up to the reader to insure that they are operating legally.** I know that many people have authored their own, so you might decide to go that route. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2001, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-check-what-is-running/49581/6 "2001-01-11T23:50:58Z")
Start\>\>Accessories\>\>System tools\>\>System Information + software enviroment + running tasks? ---
**Author:** ![Blackclaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e68b1a/32.png) [@Blackclaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackclaw)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2001, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-check-what-is-running/49581/7 "2001-01-12T01:40:51Z")
There’s a free utility called EndItAll that when run will show all of the processes running on your computer. The beautiful thing is it can then ben used to end all non-essential processes. It can be found at the link below: [http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/stories/info/0,,0011NB,.html](http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/stories/info/0,,0011NB,.html) ---
**Author:** ![Blackclaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e68b1a/32.png) [@Blackclaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackclaw)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2001, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-check-what-is-running/49581/8 "2001-01-12T01:42:41Z")
For some reason that url gets cut off as a link. Sorry, you’ll have to cut and paste it in. ---
**Author:** ![unnameable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ad7895/32.png) [@unnameable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unnameable)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2001, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-check-what-is-running/49581/9 "2001-01-12T01:53:53Z")
For the purpose you mention I have used: cctask atm (aka Another Task Manager) showin appswat General classification: task managers, or process managers All of them worked fine for me in Windows 98SE with varying degrees of complexity. “atm” is the most comprehensive and impressive. Seek on your favourite shareware site. If you have problems finding them, ask again and I’ll dig out each one’s homepage url. unnameable (Alan actually but don’t tell anyone) .