A Windows computer that has been running many system processes can never be good for its hardware. This can lead to high CPU usage, processor overheating, and eventually, disruption of your PC and especially, your laptop.
Since this isn’t something ideal for your device’s life, we made a collection of steps and other information to help you. Check this article out to see if there are busy Windows processes on your system and learn what to do with them.
Why does my Windows PC keep running a lot of processes?
When a user notices that their system is not as fast as it usually is, they are inclined to check the Task Manager. With an abnormal amount of processes running, we immediately start to think about the system having a malware infestation. If this is your case, a simple antivirus software scan should be able to weed the viruses out.
It can also be a system bug that can be one of the potential causes of high disk usage. If there are other factors at work, the causes could be complicated but the solutions aren’t; We have to end the processes running on your PC. It is important to filter out the processes that could be causing these issues if they are the causing factors before they are ended.
Even when the RAM isn’t used to the full extent, there is the System Idle Process. You will be able to find this running whenever your device isn’t being used to the maximum CPU cycles.
Checking System Processes on Windows 10
- Launch the Task Manager window on your system. There are three different ways for you to launch it on a Windows PC –
- Right-click on the Start menu and choose Task Manager from Quick Access.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Alt keys together on your keyboard simultaneously.
- Open the Task Termination window (Ctrl + Alt + Del) and choose the Task Manager option.
- Go into the Processes tab. Here, you should be able to check all of the running processes on your system, including third-party ones.
Note: If you are familiar with the executable file of the running processes, you can check the Details tab for more precise information.
How do I know what processes to end?
When you are on the Processes page, you will be able to see several processes running. You might be confused about what to disable and what not to. This is valid because killing the wrong process could make your system or a system service crash.
There is one procedure to determine what the process does and end it if/when needed.
- Open the Task Manager window and move to the Processes tab.
- Now, navigate to the Background Processes section and find the process you want to get information on.
- Right-click on it and choose the Properties option to find your necessary information.
- You can choose the Search Online option from the same context menu if it is insufficient. You will be taken to a browser tab with search results about the process.
What happens when a process is ended in the Task Manager?
Ending a running or idle process on your computer stops the relevant service from running. This can either be helpful in case of high CPU utilization or stop the device from performing its functions.
In worst cases, ending a process or task can bring your system to a standstill. You will most likely lose progress on any function the PC was processing. This is why you should never end a process before understanding what it is in charge of.
Tools that help you end a Process on Windows
Microsoft Windows has three different tools that can be used to check the busy Windows processes and manage them in any way required.
- Windows Task Manager
- Process Explorer
- Process Monitor
Disabling Unwanted Processes on Windows
Task Manager
- Bring the Task Manager window up and go into the Processes tab.
- To filter the highest to lowest usage of the CPU or memory available, click on either column titles once.
- Select the Process and click on the End Task option to kill it. Make sure you select the correct process; clicking End Task will immediately end the process without showing a confirmation prompt.
Note: This procedure may only pause the high disk usage caused by busy Windows processes. When the app you closed gets launched again, you should be able to notice your system slowing down and fans spinning faster than usual again.
Process Explorer
You will find the Process Explorer helpful if you are looking for a more detailed tool that manages the DLL files and other advanced system files along with the system processes. Additionally, you will find this tool useful when working towards fixing DLL-related problems and leaks.
Process Monitor (ProcMon)
The Windows SysInternals site has a tool called Process Monitor that will help you supervise the more intricate parts of the system files and processes. In addition, you will also be able to check the Registry and thread activity on your system. You can get this tool from the Microsoft SysInternals website.
Additional Tips for Handling Busy Windows Processes
- Clear unwanted files from your internal or external drive frequently so the system doesn’t slow down with running processes.
- A lack of RAM can also cause this issue on your system. You must run the process with sufficient RAM for the best performance.
- If this CPU usage causes issues, you can get more information from the event log in the Event Viewer on your PC.
For more information, you can contact the Microsoft support website on browsers. There are also Microsoft communities on the Microsoft websites to get solutions for potentially busy Windows processes issues. Happy Browsing!