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Since Windows 95, Microsoft has included the Windows Task Manager in all of their operating systems to help users troubleshoot problems or just see how much of their precious memory is being used. Easily opened by a combination of hot keys (ctrl+shift+esc, or ctrl+alt+delete), this small tool isn't good for much other than killing processes. It is because of this that many developers started creating their own versions of this utility, many of which added new features or refined the features Microsoft had already set as standard.
For many years the Windows Sysinternals crew has offered the best product in this category, but the last couple of years has brought some great free and open source projects that are very deserving contenders for the top spot.
Discussion
System Explorer was referred by a site visitor and was new to me, although it has been around a couple of years. It did not take me long to appreciate all that this program has to offer, and I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to use.
This application has some truly useful features available, such as the ability to take and compare snapshots of your files and registry, to upload files to Virustotal, and to perform an online look up of files or processes straight from the GUI. This handy process viewer also gives you mouse over information on known files, as well as many options to further manipulate processes, files, and services. Everything you need to get to is organized in a left-hand column and you can view everything from your services and processes, Internet Explorer Add-ons, to protocol filters and handlers for Windows Explorer.
I admit a lot of this stuff you might not use very much and some software can get kind of bloated when there are this many features but it is no problem here, and everything fits together very nicely. In my opinion, System Explorer is absolutely the best free process viewer available even if it is missing a few of the more advanced features.
Process Hacker and Process Explorer share a very similar interface, the only difference being the drop down information bar in Process Explorer. However, this is the only feature that the SysInternal's crew wins at. Process Hacker is a feature rich application with the ability to terminate those pesky processes that you are not allowed to kill in the Windows Task Manager and even Process Explorer. It can also sniff out some hidden processes, allowing you to find some basic rootkits if you are infected. This tool offers loads more features than I have mentioned, and contains almost everything you will ever need in a process viewer.
I had a hard time moving Process Explorer from its top spot, and what it finally came down too was the lack of features. I'm sure some average users who just want to tame a process, kill a hanging program, or check on memory consumption will appreciate the lesser amount of features. The bottom line is that while this application did fall a few spots, it will remain one of the best and most solid choices for anyone who is looking for a little more than the Windows Task Manager offers.
Another tool that has been around for a long time is the AnVir Task Manager Free, which offers a ton of features. Unfortunately, by forcing all of these components into one unorganized interface it was very hard to figure out where everything was and I found it a little difficult to use. However, if somehow you can find a way to get familiar with everything and get past the clutter then you will soon realize the enormous amount of power, and possibilities that this tool has to offer.
Alternatively there is another choice for users who are just looking for a simple replacements to the Windows Task Manager. Auslogics Task Manager has all the basic attributes of a task manager plus it adds another column to the GUI that tells you if known processes are trustworthy or not. This program also has a component that gives a list of all open files and tells you if the open file is locked and which process or service has it locked, and it offers the ability to unlock the file. This application is good at what it does, which isn't much, but users looking for something simple and intuitive may appreciate this software.
Gizmo's Freeware award as the best product in its class!
Runs as a stand-alone program on a user's computer
Upload files to VirusTotal from GUI. Detailed information about files and processes. Take and compare system snapshots. Logs action history for monitoring processes activities.
A portable version of this product is available from the developer.
Windows 7/Vista/XP
Warning: Downloads from Cnet (Download.com) now require the use of a proprietary installer.
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Tags
Process viewer, process manager, task manager, process monitor, task manager replacement
by tonyh (not verified) on 24. August 2010 - 8:24(56619)
Ah, now I get it.
I was not concentrating last night. In fact the download links ARE there on the download page , it's just that they're not wonderfully clear and they are completely dwarfed by large buttons redirecting you to other sites.
I always regard this kind of site as suspect and wonder how many people are misdirected to download something they don't want. I tend to avoid them.
I downloaded ProcessHacker instead.
[Moderator's Note : Mention of redirected site removed, as the site name is unnecessary.]
I just downloaded this new version of System Explorer released Sept. 16th by using the Product Homepage option in the Help menu of SE and this loaded systemexplorer.net, where I only saw SE and nothing about other applications. So it seems that only the systemexplorer.mistergroup site is not only for SE.
If mostly all Process Priority provides for functionality is being able to view active processes or processes loaded in memory and their priority, then System Explorer provides a LOT more functionality and is to be able to see what priority each selected process has. A user of SE simply needs to click on a process in the System | Processes view to select the process, right-click, and then select the Process Priority option, which opens a list of priority levels, including which priority is assigned to the selected process.
It's not a thorough review and is for SE v2.2.5.3087, while v2.3.6 was released Sept. 16th, two days ago. It's a fair enough review, but SE provides considerably more than covered in the above review.
There might be a lacking or limited feature or two, but SE provides plenty. One feature I'd like the app. to provide is the ability for a user to add more virus checking websites to the list of those that come with SE, which uses VirusTotal and Jotti; unless that's changed with SE v2.3.x. I'd like to add virscan.org, f.e.
Another feature that might be good is to permit users to set delays for Windows start-ups, instead of only being able to view and disable, as well as delete, them. SE provides the latter functionality, but apparently not the ability to set start-up delays.
That's not a problem, for I use WinPatrol and it permits setting start-up delays of 10, 20, and 30 seconds; and I'd continue to use WinPatrol anyway. But all apps or tools that permit managing Windows start-ups should also include the ability to set delays on individual or selected start-ups.
Sort of like SE permits uploading a process shown in SE's process viewer(s) (for Tasks, Processes, Modules (DLLs), Services, Drivers, Connections, Windows, Opened Files, Startups, MS IE add-ons, et cetera) to VirusTotal and Jotti, a user who wants to know what a particular process, .exe or .dll, f.e., is can use SE's File Info look-up feature. SE permits checking at SystemExplorer.com, ProcessLibrary.com, and to do a Google search. The File Info look-up option is in the right-click menu when a user right-clicks on a process or file.
But there's still a lot more that SE provides for functionality. A person really needs to install and run it, and then go through all of the menus and their options to be able to see for themselves everything SE provides.
Process Hacker has gone through some changes since its review here. It's quicker and lighter than before, it does not require the .NET framework, and wj32 is expanding the features of Process Hacker by means of plugins. One such plugin adds the ability to upload files to Virustotal. If you download the latest version (2.6 as of this writing) and look at the changelog, you can see all the fixes and additions (and plugins) that have been made since the 1.x branch.
The one downside that I see is that there is no installer, so there is a little bit of manual copy/paste needed to set up the program folder.
No argument with your comments on System Explorer, but their website is very frustrating. The last two updates I literally have not been able to figure out where to download the updates. There are "Download," "Download Here" and download Now" buttons. 3 and 4 to a page in red, blue and green. Trouble is none of them all of them are for downloading some other software.
Tried both System Explorer and Process Hacker. Found both of them unique in certain aspects.
But if only Process managing is considered, I find Process Hacker as the superior. I think it is also open source and so it will develop a lot in future.
by Anom (not verified) on 21. June 2011 - 18:51(74111)
It confounds me how high System Explorer is on the list! ...Sure has a lot of functions built into it, but most of it is unrelated to actual 'Process management'.
Real men use Process Explorer/Process Hacker. (period)
by Rocky (not verified) on 29. August 2011 - 12:27(78555)
I have tested all the above top 3 applications. The System Explorer as the name suggest is more about more information from the system apart from the Processes. I really found tough fight between the Process Explorer and Process Hacker. I often used process hacker as it claimed to detect the Hidden process, i was not able to find any Hidden process using the process explorer, the GMER/Tizer was able find the hidden processes for me. I have again switched back to latest version of Process Explorer, but since Process Hacker is a Open source, i am expecting much better imporvements in it, hopefully when it adds the rootkit detection technology, the Process Hacker will be THE BEST!
Somewhere around version 3, System Explorer has become bloated and uses more memory (around 20MB, with VM size up to 60MB). As I'm on an old laptop with just 512MB RAM, that's unacceptable. Rolling back to an old version in the mean time.
by Australia (not verified) on 26. December 2011 - 1:21(85987)
Downloaded System Explorer ...
Nice program without too much colour and information overload on-screen - which I prefer
Note - this program, even the portable version, connects to the internet to complete 'an installation' without any prior warning. A little creepy :(
But I chose and like the program for its simplicity, a few useful extra features over Task Manager - including File information and scanning Registry snapshots.
But I would prefer if this program didnt "phone home", why on earth does the program need to connect to the internet to install if it is portable !!!!
by Dragaan (not verified) on 13. January 2012 - 19:47(87137)
I have to agree... Process Explorer has always been the first program I install on Windows when I build a computer, re-install the OS, or fix a computer. Well, that is until I discovered Process Hacker. My #1 free program. The only program that I will always allow to run each time I log in to windows.
by FWHunter (not verified) on 22. February 2012 - 0:36(89214)
Still love the good old autoruns. Despite a bit cluttered tabbed interface for me the most comprehensive.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902
by Rocky (not verified) on 30. May 2012 - 14:35(94188)
Guys, we still have the old 3 stuff listed in here, Has anyone tried the Kill Switch from Comodo Cleaning Essentials, This can be a great pack for Security purpose from the process viewers point of view.
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Comments
Ah, now I get it.
I was not concentrating last night. In fact the download links ARE there on the download page , it's just that they're not wonderfully clear and they are completely dwarfed by large buttons redirecting you to other sites.
I always regard this kind of site as suspect and wonder how many people are misdirected to download something they don't want. I tend to avoid them.
I downloaded ProcessHacker instead.
[Moderator's Note : Mention of redirected site removed, as the site name is unnecessary.]
SE 2.3.6 is available, btw.
I just downloaded this new version of System Explorer released Sept. 16th by using the Product Homepage option in the Help menu of SE and this loaded systemexplorer.net, where I only saw SE and nothing about other applications. So it seems that only the systemexplorer.mistergroup site is not only for SE.
If mostly all Process Priority provides for functionality is being able to view active processes or processes loaded in memory and their priority, then System Explorer provides a LOT more functionality and is to be able to see what priority each selected process has. A user of SE simply needs to click on a process in the System | Processes view to select the process, right-click, and then select the Process Priority option, which opens a list of priority levels, including which priority is assigned to the selected process.
Here's review on System Explorer and it includes images of SE in use.
"Monitor What’s Really Going On With Your PC With System Explorer"
by Ryan Dube, Aug. 13th, 2010
www.makeuseof.com/tag/monitor-pc-system-explorer
It's not a thorough review and is for SE v2.2.5.3087, while v2.3.6 was released Sept. 16th, two days ago. It's a fair enough review, but SE provides considerably more than covered in the above review.
There might be a lacking or limited feature or two, but SE provides plenty. One feature I'd like the app. to provide is the ability for a user to add more virus checking websites to the list of those that come with SE, which uses VirusTotal and Jotti; unless that's changed with SE v2.3.x. I'd like to add virscan.org, f.e.
Another feature that might be good is to permit users to set delays for Windows start-ups, instead of only being able to view and disable, as well as delete, them. SE provides the latter functionality, but apparently not the ability to set start-up delays.
That's not a problem, for I use WinPatrol and it permits setting start-up delays of 10, 20, and 30 seconds; and I'd continue to use WinPatrol anyway. But all apps or tools that permit managing Windows start-ups should also include the ability to set delays on individual or selected start-ups.
Sort of like SE permits uploading a process shown in SE's process viewer(s) (for Tasks, Processes, Modules (DLLs), Services, Drivers, Connections, Windows, Opened Files, Startups, MS IE add-ons, et cetera) to VirusTotal and Jotti, a user who wants to know what a particular process, .exe or .dll, f.e., is can use SE's File Info look-up feature. SE permits checking at SystemExplorer.com, ProcessLibrary.com, and to do a Google search. The File Info look-up option is in the right-click menu when a user right-clicks on a process or file.
But there's still a lot more that SE provides for functionality. A person really needs to install and run it, and then go through all of the menus and their options to be able to see for themselves everything SE provides.
Process Hacker has gone through some changes since its review here. It's quicker and lighter than before, it does not require the .NET framework, and wj32 is expanding the features of Process Hacker by means of plugins. One such plugin adds the ability to upload files to Virustotal. If you download the latest version (2.6 as of this writing) and look at the changelog, you can see all the fixes and additions (and plugins) that have been made since the 1.x branch.
The one downside that I see is that there is no installer, so there is a little bit of manual copy/paste needed to set up the program folder.
I love Process Hacker but I am confused as to why you have put that is needs the .NET framework?
If you go to the site it says:
".NET Framework is NOT required."
I run windows xp and do not have .NET framework installed and it works perfectly!
Thanks for the list though, I come here regularly for recommendations. Maybe I should join!
Thanks for pointing this out TwistydMorticia. It's now updated. You're welcome to join us and give us more feedback :)
No argument with your comments on System Explorer, but their website is very frustrating. The last two updates I literally have not been able to figure out where to download the updates. There are "Download," "Download Here" and download Now" buttons. 3 and 4 to a page in red, blue and green. Trouble is none of them all of them are for downloading some other software.
Process Explorer is not for average users lol. They don't even understand task manager.
The no updates for a year part is also false. The last update was in March 15, 2011.
Tried both System Explorer and Process Hacker. Found both of them unique in certain aspects.
But if only Process managing is considered, I find Process Hacker as the superior. I think it is also open source and so it will develop a lot in future.
btw, I clicked the Process Hacker download link and it doesn't seem to give the portable version. This link gives access to portable, install and also source code versions - http://sourceforge.net/projects/processhacker/files/processhacker2/
How about this one?
http://yaprocmon.sourceforge.net/
Nothing new in the of way development though since 2009. A real pity.
It confounds me how high System Explorer is on the list! ...Sure has a lot of functions built into it, but most of it is unrelated to actual 'Process management'.
Real men use Process Explorer/Process Hacker. (period)
... and what would you recommend for ladies?
what a great comeback !
... and what about us men that the ladies consider unreal!
SysInternals Process monitor http://download.cnet.com/Process-Monitor/3000-2094_4-10603966.html
I have tested all the above top 3 applications. The System Explorer as the name suggest is more about more information from the system apart from the Processes. I really found tough fight between the Process Explorer and Process Hacker. I often used process hacker as it claimed to detect the Hidden process, i was not able to find any Hidden process using the process explorer, the GMER/Tizer was able find the hidden processes for me. I have again switched back to latest version of Process Explorer, but since Process Hacker is a Open source, i am expecting much better imporvements in it, hopefully when it adds the rootkit detection technology, the Process Hacker will be THE BEST!
Somewhere around version 3, System Explorer has become bloated and uses more memory (around 20MB, with VM size up to 60MB). As I'm on an old laptop with just 512MB RAM, that's unacceptable. Rolling back to an old version in the mean time.
Process explorer and Process hacker are the best.
your first choice have nothing compare to them.
no threads no ... no ....
very bad article.
Downloaded System Explorer ...
Nice program without too much colour and information overload on-screen - which I prefer
Note - this program, even the portable version, connects to the internet to complete 'an installation' without any prior warning. A little creepy :(
But I chose and like the program for its simplicity, a few useful extra features over Task Manager - including File information and scanning Registry snapshots.
But I would prefer if this program didnt "phone home", why on earth does the program need to connect to the internet to install if it is portable !!!!
I have to agree... Process Explorer has always been the first program I install on Windows when I build a computer, re-install the OS, or fix a computer. Well, that is until I discovered Process Hacker. My #1 free program. The only program that I will always allow to run each time I log in to windows.
It could have something to do with uploading files to VirusTotal, as the author states in the review.
Still love the good old autoruns. Despite a bit cluttered tabbed interface for me the most comprehensive.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902
Guys, we still have the old 3 stuff listed in here, Has anyone tried the Kill Switch from Comodo Cleaning Essentials, This can be a great pack for Security purpose from the process viewers point of view.
Just an update for the top pick (System Explorer) seems to have moved to http://systemexplorer.net/ the above links no longer work. ;-)
Thanks a lot :)... now corrected.