Process Explorer

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Process Explorer
Process Explorer v10.21 running in Windows XP
Developed by	Sysinternals, Microsoft
Latest release	11.20 / May 28, 2008 (2008-05-28); 11 days ago
OS	Windows 9x, ME, NT4, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista and x64 versions
License	Proprietary
Website	Process Explorer Homepage

Process Explorer is a freeware computer program for Microsoft Windows created by Sysinternals, which was acquired by Microsoft Corporation.

Process Explorer is a system monitoring and examination utility and can be used as the first step in debugging software or system problems when in the hands of an experienced person.

Process Explorer provides features that can be used to empower the user of the product 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. Or as another example, it can show the command lines used to start a program, allowing otherwise identical processes to be distinguished. Or 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.

Process Explorer works on Windows 9x/Me, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista. It also works on 64-bit versions of Windows.

[edit] Versions

11.20 - May 28, 2008
11.13 - April 15, 2008
11.12 - Apr 7 2008
11.11 - Feb 27 2008
11.10 - Feb 26 2008
11.0.4 - Nov 05 2007
11.0 - Sep 04 2007 - Various changes, search uses system default engine instead of MSN
10.21 - Nov 01 2006 - Removed ability to search for processes using Google - now uses MSN search engine only. License changed to prohibit certain uses (e.g. commercial use).
10.2 - Jul 14 2006 - Final version prior to acquisition by Microsoft. Added Vista integrity level and virtualized columns and process properties, signed driver for 64-bit Vista for x64 processors
10.1 - May 11 2006 - Added ability to display I/O graph within the notification area, vista process cycle counters in process properties and as column, service permissions viewing and editing, workaround for .NET runtime handle leak, many new I/O columns and process properties, system and per-process I/O bytes history graphs, memory commit history minigraph, windows 64-bit for Itanium support
10.06 - Feb 23 2006
10.03 - Feb 09 2006
9.25 - Aug 23 2005
9.0 - Feb 09 2005
8.61 - Dec 22 2004
8.0 - Oct 25 2003 -
- .NET tab for .NET processes that shows AppDomains and .NET performance counters.
- Option to only show your own processes. System Information dialog showing the same memory counters as Task Manager (when symbols are configured, also shows maximum paged and Non-paged pool values).
- Better symbol configuration guidance. Difference highlight duration is configurable.
- Notification icon for CPU usage that s yellow when usage is > 70% and red when > 90%.
- Minimize to notification area option. Highlight color configuration dialog. Context switch and context-switch delta columns.
- Run processes using the system Run dialog from the File menu.
- Replace task manager option so that when you run Task Manager Process Explorer runs instead.
- Only non-zero CPU usage, .NET counters and context-switch values are displayed to clearly highlight process activity.
- Search for DLLs or handles regardless of what mode the lower pane is in.
- Correct icons for MMC windows.
- Mouse hover over process names and DLL names shows full path of executable or DLL.
7.02 - Sep 14 2003