3.3.12 Lab – Windows Task Manager

Objectives In this lab, you will explore Task Manager and manage processes from within Task Manager.

Part 1: Working in the Processes tab

Part 2: Working in the Services tab

Part 3: Working in the Performance tab

Background / Scenario

The Task Manager is a system monitor program that provides information about the processes and programs running on a computer. It also allows the termination of processes and programs and modification of process priority.

Instructions Part 1: Working in the Processes tab

a.the WinClient machine. Unlock the machine by clicking on the drop-down arrow for that specific machine’s tab and select Send Ctrl+Alt+Del.

b.Login as the Cyberopsuser using cyberops as the password.

c.Open a command prompt and the Mozilla Firefox web browser.

d.Right-click the Task bar to open Task Manager. Another way to open the Task Manager is to press CtrlAlt-Delete to access the Windows Security screen and select Task Manager.

Note: When trying to send Ctrl+Alt+Del in NETLAB+, click the drop-down menu option for the virtual machine’s tab and select Send Ctrl+Alt+Del.

e.If not selected, click More details to see all the processes that are listed in the Processes tab.

f.Expand the Windows Command Processor heading.

^Question:What is listed under this heading? Command Prompt

g.There are three categories of processes listed in the Processes tab: Apps, Background processes, and Windows processes.

◦ The Apps are the applications that you have opened, such as Microsoft Edge, Task Manager, and Windows Command Processor, as shown in the figure above. Other applications that areopened by the users, such as web browsers and email clients, will also be listed here.

◦ The Background processes are executed in the background by applications that are currently open.

◦ The Windows processes are not shown in the figure. Scroll down to view them on your Windows PC.Windows processes are Microsoft Windows services that run in the background.

Some of the background processes or Windows processes may be associated with foreground processes. For example, if you open a command prompt window, the Console Window Host process will be started in the Windows process section, as shown below.

h.Right-click Console Window Host and select Properties.

^Question:What is the location of this filename and location of this process? C:\ Windows\System32

Type your answers here.

i.Close the command prompt window.

^Question:What happens to Windows Command Processor and Console Window Host when the command prompt window is closed?

When you close the Command Prompt window, the following happens to the associated processes:

1.Windows Command Processor (cmd.exe):

• The cmd.exe process will terminate because it’s responsible for running the Command Prompt interface.

2.Console Window Host (conhost.exe):

• The conhost.exe process will also terminate. This process handles the graphical interface of the Command Prompt window.

Type your answers here.

j.Click the Memory heading. Click the Memory heading a second time.

................

^Questios^:What affect does this have on the Memory column? When you rightclick the Memory heading and select Resource values > Memory > Percent, it changes the display in the Memory column from showing the absolute value of memory usage in megabytes (MB) to showing the percentage of total memory each process is using. This helps you see at a glance which processes are consuming the largest portion of your system’s memory relative to your total available memory.

l.........

m.Expand the Firefox entry and double-click the Mozilla Firefox Start Page entry.

^Question:What happens? When you expand the Firefox entry and doubleclick the Mozilla Firefox Start Page entry in Task Manager, it will bring the specific Firefox process or tab into focus. Essentially, it will make that Firefox window or tab the active one, bringing it to the front of your screen.This can be useful for quickly navigating to a specific page or tab that’s consuming resources or for troubleshooting specific browser issues.here.

n.Return to Task Manager. Right-click Firefox and select End task.

^Question:What happens to the web browser windows?

When you right-click Firefox in Task Manager and select End task, all of the Firefox web browser windows and tabs will be closed immediately. This terminates the Firefox process, effectively shutting down the entire browser and any associated processes.

Part 2: Working in the Services tab

In the Task Manager window, click the Services tab. Use the scroll bar on the right side of the Services window to view all the services listed.

^Question:What statuses are listed?

• Running: Indicates that the service is currently active and running.

• Stopped: Means that the service is not currently running.

• Paused: Shows that the service has been temporarily paused and can be resumed.

• Starting: Indicates that the service is in the process of starting up.

• Stopping: Means that the service is in the process of stopping.

Type your answers here.

Part 3: Working in the Performance tab

a.In the Task Manager window, click the Performance tab.

^Questions:How many threads are running? 509.

How many processes are running? 42

Type your answers here.

c.Click the Memory in the left panel of the Performance tab.

^Question:What is the total physical memory (MB)?

4096 MB which is 4GB

What is the available physical memory (MB)?

3174 MB which is 3.1 GB

How much physical memory (MB) is being used by the computer?

938 MB

Type your answers here.

d.Click the Ethernet Chart in the left panel of the Performance tab.

^Questions:What is the link speed? 100 Kbps

What is the IPv4 address of the PC? 192.168.0.10.

e.Click Open Resource Monitor to open the Resource Monitor utility from the Performance tab in Task Manager. Review the information that is made available in the Resource Monitor and compare it to the Task Manager.

Reflection Question

Why is it important for an administrator to understand how to work within the Task Manager?

Knowing how to work within Task Manager is crucial for an administrator. It allows them to

monitor system performance, manage processes, analyze service status, identify resource-intensive applications, troubleshoot issues, and improve security. This knowledge helps maintain and optimize the system’s health and performance, ensuring everything runs smoothly and

efficiently.