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Three keys to controlling your PC
It has served for 24 years as the universal panic button for PC users: Ctrl+Alt+Delete. Originally conceived by an IBM engineer as a way to restart a failed system, this three-key combination today can do more than just shut down your computer.
Hitting Ctrl+Alt+Delete on recent versions of Windows like 2000 and XP brings up a Windows Security box with six buttons: Lock Computer, Log Off, Shut Down, Change Password, Task Manager, and Cancel.
Most of these—Log Off, Shut Down, Change Password, Cancel—are self-explanatory. However, Lock Computer and especially Task Manager offer features that can change the way you use your PC.
Lock Computer protects your PC from anyone who doesn’t know your Windows password. You can start downloading a large file from the Internet, lock your computer, and walk away—the PC is safe from your kids, roommate, or coworker, and the download or any other program will continue in the background while the system is locked.
The Task Manager performs the service traditionally associated with Ctrl+Alt+Delete, escaping from a failed or hung up program, as
well as a few other functions. There are four tabs in the Task Manager—Applications, Processes, Performance, Networking.
Applications shows you all programs and windows you have opened and their status—either “Running” or “Not responding.” When a program gets hung up or locks your system, hit Ctrl+Alt+Delete and check this list. You can terminate “Not responding” programs with
the End Task button.
The Processes tab lists all the programs or “processes,” either started by you or the system itself, currently running on your PC. Some of these are necessary system functions—user name: SYSTEM—while others may be unwanted software you picked up from a Web site or even a virus. If your PC is running slowly, check here to see if any processes can be eliminated. AnswersThatWork.com is a good resource for explaining processes’ functions.
The Performance tab shows how busy your PC is, measured by memory usage. If you feel comfortable tinkering with your system, you can watch in real time how closing some processes affects memory usage and system performance. And, if you are connected to a network, the Networking tab shows how much information you’re sending back and forth.
Photo: Jennifer Idol.
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