Task Manager PID's and what they're good for.....

[iwannaplayaz]

The problem I'm having is a little bit dumb.. My system
run's exceptionally slow sometimes, and I think I have
identified the culprit. Using the Processes tab in task
manager, I have identified the consistently repeated
process that is causing the problem. it is identified as
PID 856

When this process is running, my CPU usage chart on the
performance tab run's at nearly 100% usage ALL THE TIME,
with kernal times running just a a little bit lower.

If I end the PID 856, instantly my CPU usage rate drops
right back to where it should be.

I need help figuring out how to tell exactly WHAT PID 856
is, WHERE PID 856 originates, and if possible WHY it
would be causing the above described effects on my system.

The only thing I can tell for sure that is affected by
enting the process tree of PID 856 is the Windows no
longer correctly recognizes my sound/multimedia devices.
Some of the sounds still play mysteriously though Windows
says there are no active multimedia devices in the system.
I haven't noticed yet any other overt consequences to
ending the PID 856.

Please help, and thank you all.

(e-mail address removed)

 

[Guest]

It may be worth checking to see if you have DMA (Direct Memory Access) switched on as this has been known to cause different problems both on and off!

If not perhaps it is MDM (Microsoft Disk Management) and what a useless resource chewing load of crap that was

If not again have a look through your registry to see what is starting with windows, I recommend TweakXP for this as I got it free off a magazine, there are other free/buyable alternitives of course.

 

[Guest]

Sorry mate, but a proccess name would help (i dont have a PID 856 in my system)
As you describe it, a sound card add on program might be the reason (do you hav
XP (and not win2K or earlier) drivers on your system - check vendors site for updates)
Anyway try proccess explorer (www.sysinternals.com) to describe procceses as i
provides more information

hope this helps
aagis.