Process Explorer

{{Infobox software

| screenshot = Process Explorer Screenshot.png

| caption = Process Explorer v16.02 running on Windows 7

| name = Process Explorer

| author = Winternals Software

| developer = Microsoft

| latest_release_version = v17.06

| latest_release_date = {{release date and age|2024|5|28}}

| operating_system = Windows 8.1 / Windows Server 2012 and later

| genre = Task manager and system monitor

| license = Freeware

| website = {{URL|https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer}}

}}

Process Explorer is a freeware task manager and system monitor for Microsoft Windows created by SysInternals, which has been acquired by Microsoft and re-branded as Windows Sysinternals. It provides the functionality of Windows Task Manager along with a rich set of features for collecting information about processes running on the user's system.[https://www.pcworld.com/article/3181348/how-to-use-process-explorer-microsofts-free-supercharged-task-manager-alternative.html How to use Process Explorer, Microsoft's free, supercharged Task Manager alternative] It can be used as the first step in debugging software or system problems.

Process Explorer can be used to track down problems. For example, it provides a means to list or search for named resources that are held by a process or all processes. This can be used to track down what is holding a file open and preventing its use by another program. As another example, it can show the command lines used to start a program, allowing otherwise identical processes to be distinguished. Like Task Manager, it can show a process that is maxing out the CPU, but unlike Task Manager it can show which thread (with the callstack) is using the CPU – information that is not even available under a debugger.[https://www.cnet.com/news/process-explorer-part-2/ Process Explorer, Part 2]

History

Process Explorer began in the early Sysinternals days as two separate utilities, HandleEx and DLLView, which were merged in 2001.[https://archive.today/20120707170259/http://blogs.msdn.com/b/microsoft_press/archive/2011/06/14/rtm-d-today-windows-sysinternals-administrator-s-reference.aspx RTM’d today: Windows Sysinternals Administrator's Reference] Until 2008, Process Explorer worked on Windows 9x, Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000. Versions of Process Explorer up to 12.04 work on Windows 2000; versions 14.0 and higher do not require {{mono|credui.dll}} (which is only available since Windows XP/2003). Windows XP is supported up to version 16.05, Windows Vista until version 16.42,{{Cite web |title=Process Explorer - Windows Sysinternals |url=https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151211071738/https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653 |archive-date=11 December 2015 |access-date=26 January 2021}}{{Cite web |title=Process Explorer - Windows Sysinternals {{!}} Microsoft Docs |url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725093514/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer |archive-date=25 July 2021 |access-date=30 June 2024}} Windows 8.1 and Server 2012 until 17.05.{{Cite web |title=Process Explorer - Sysinternals {{!}} Microsoft Learn |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240528055401/https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer |archive-date=28 May 2024 |access-date=22 August 2024}} The current version runs on Windows 10 and upwards. The open source software "Process Hacker" has been developed with the aim to replicate its functionality.{{cite web |last1=Arntz |first1=Pieter |title=Advanced tools: Process Hacker |url=https://blog.malwarebytes.com/101/how-tos/2018/11/advanced-tools-process-hacker/ |website=Malwarebytes Labs |access-date=22 January 2022 |date=9 November 2018}}

Features

Hierarchical view of processes
Ability to display an icon and company name next to each process
Live CPU activity graph in the task bar
Ability to suspend selected process
Ability to raise the window attached to a process, thus "unhiding" it
Complete process tree can be killed
Interactively alter a service process's access security
Interactively set the priority of a process
Disambiguates service executables which perform multiple service functions. For example, when the pointer is placed over a {{mono|svchost.exe}}, it will tell if it is the one performing automatic updates/secondary logon/etc., or the one providing RPC, or the one performing terminal services, and so on
There is an option (in a process's context menu) to verify a process in VirusTotal
There is an option to display DLLs loaded by process (View → Lower Pane View → DLLs); an option Show Lower Pane has to be switched on
There is an option to display processes' handles which includes named mutants, events, sockets, files, registry keys etc. (View → Lower Pane View → Handles); an option Show Lower Pane has to be switched on
In properties of a process a user can view the process's threads and threads' stack traces
There is a command to create a process dump (mini or full) (Process → Create Dump)
There is a Find command which allows for searching a handle or DLL which can be used to identify the process(es) holding a file lock
There is an option (in handle context menu) to close a selected handle
Version 15 added GPU monitoring

References

External links

[https://technet.microsoft.com/sysinternals/bb896653 Process Explorer Official Webpage] Microsoft Retrieved on December 29, 2008
[https://web.archive.org/web/20080217173733/http://blogs.cnet.com/8301-13554_1-9867426-33.html Using Process Explorer to tame svchost.exe - Advanced topics] February 9, 2008
[https://archive.today/20130102053450/http://blogs.cnet.com/8301-13554_1-9868661-33.html Process Explorer Part 2] February 10, 2008
[http://forum.sysinternals.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10998 Process Explorer Guide for Newbies] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100318020447/http://forum.sysinternals.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10998 |date=2010-03-18 }} February 27, 2009
[https://technet.microsoft.com/sysinternals/bb842062 Sysinternals Suite at Microsoft Technet] Updated continuously as of August 2009

Category:Utilities for Windows

Category:2001 software

Category:Microsoft software

Process Explorer

History

Features

See also

References

External links