Introduction to Operating System

A key tool that you will use to manage system processes and applications is Task Manager. You can access
Task Manager using any of the following methods:

• Press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC

• Press CTRL+ALT+DEL and then select the Task Manager prompt

• Type taskmgr into the Run utility or the command prompt.

• Right-click the taskbar and select task manager from the menu

Familiarize yourself with the different tabs of the Task Manager.

Exercise #1

1. Start two separate instances of the notepad application using the Run utility. Confirm that the Task
Manager Window shows both applications running.
2. Select one of the notepad applications andthen click the ‘Switch to’ button. Describe whathappens.
3. Then click the ‘End Task’ button and describe whathappens.
4. Finally start an instance of WordPad using the‘New Task’ button.

Exercise #2

1. Select the processes tab.

2. Identify the process that isusing most of the CPU time.
3. Comment on what this may be the case.

Exercise #3

1. Write, compile and run a simple c program with aninfinite loop while it performs some simple math
calculation (a runaway process).
2. While it is running, check the Processes tab of theTask Manager and identify your runaway processand
write down the percentage of CPU time it’susing. Discuss the result.
3. Finally select the runaway process and right clickand navigate to the Set Priority menu option and
setthe priority to ‘low’. Discuss the result.

Exercise #4:

1. Select the Performance Tab. Double click on thegraph to enlarge as required. Select the menu
item‘View’|‘Show Kernel Times’ to add an additionalkernel related red line to the graph.
2. Click and hold the left mouse button over the Task Manager Window title. Move the windowrapidly
over around the screen and watch theCPU usage graph change. Discuss why this maybe happening.
3. Also note the Physical memory and kernelmemory reported. Calculate the percentage oftotal memory
used by the Kernel. Start 10instances of Wordpad and describe and discuss what happens to kernel
level memory.
4. Beneath the graphs you'll find several lists of statistics. These statistics provide thefollowing
information:

• Totals

Provides information on CPU usage. Handles shows the numberinput/output 0/0) handles in
use. Threads show the number of threads use. Processes show the number of processes in use.

• Physical Memory

Provides information on the total RAM on the system Total shows theamount of physical RAM.
Available shows the RAM not currently being used and available for use. System Cache shows the
amount memory used for system caching.

• Commit Charge
 Provides information on the total memory used by the operating system.Total lists all physical
and virtual memory currently in use. Limit lists the total physical and virtual memory available. Peak
lists the maximum memory used by the system since bootup.

• Kernel Memory

Provides information on the memory used by the operating system kernel.Critical portions of
kernel memory must operate in RAM and can't be paged to virtual memory. This type of kernel
memory is list as Nonpaged. The rest of kernel memory can be paged to virtual memory and is listed
as Paged. The total amount of memory used by the kernel is listed under Total.

Why/How is the value of Limit in Current Charge greater than Total Physical Memory?

Will the amount of paged memory always be greater than Nonpaged memory?