Task Manager

The easiest way to open Task Manager from Windows XP Home Edition, is to press the Ctrl + Alt + Del keys which will open the Windows Security window. Select Task manager and a window opens showing Windows Task Manager. Depending on the operating system you are using, you will see folder tabs that will show Applications, Processes, and Performance. On my system it also shows a tab for Networking and Users.
Starting with the first tab, Applications, you will see any programs that you have selected to run from you windows desktop. This screen is useful when you have launched a program and it seems to be stalled. You can open the Task Manager Applications tab and see if the program is actually running or shows "not responding". If the program is locked up, you can select the End Task option and Windows will close the program and return you to the desktop. You can also see the some additional information at the bottom of the window showing Processes currently running, percentage of CPU usage, and Commit Charge which shows the virtual memory size and the Peak amount of virtual memory you are using.
The Processes tab shows the complete list of processes that are running on your system. This is useful if you suspect a virus or other unwanted programs may be running on you system.
The third tab is Performance. This is a technicians best friend as far as live system feedback. This will display a running graphical image of the system. You can also select from the View option, the Show Kernel Times and this will be added in red to the graph of CUP usage. The lower graph shows the Page File Usage History and at the bottom there are summaries of the different Handles, Threads, and processes as they run. There are also statistics on the memory and cache totals and availability of each type. This information can be particularly useful if you're running at maximum capacities in any of these areas. You may want to make changes or add memory based on how much you're using.
The next tab is Networking. This shows the network utilization in percentages on the graph. If the Options are set with a check next to Always on Top, you can log on to the TMCC website and view your network usage. This is not as useful a tool for a single user but if you're a network administrator with several workstations accessing the Internet through a server, it can become a useful screen for checking access peaks. It can show if your system is responding slowly or if the Internet service provider is returning data slowly.
The last tab is Users. This screen shows who is currently logged onto the system. This is also useful is you are running a system backup and one of your employees has forgotten to log off before going home. You can disconnect this user and continue with system maintenance. This has happened several times to me and I do enjoy disconnecting people