Windows Tips: Take Charge of Windows Audio Controls

Task Manager in a Flash

Windows' Task Manager lets you easily shut down hidden or troubled apps, check which programs are hogging RAM, and analyze CPU usage. You may be a Task Manager aficionado, but you may not know the fastest ways to reach the utility.

In Windows 2000, you can launch Task Manager by pressing Ctrl- Alt- Delete to display the Windows Security dialog box, and then clicking the Task Manager button.

In Windows XP, Ctrl- Alt- Delete brings up the Task Manager immediately without any intervening dialog box. Another fast way to get to Task Manager--without using the three-finger salute: Simply right-click an empty spot on the taskbar and choose Task Manager.

And here's a trick to make Task Manager even handier: Reader Timothy J. Luoma of Gainesville, Florida, points out that when Task Manager is running, it displays a tiny animated CPU-usage icon in the system tray (located in the lower-right corner of the screen). You can also hold your pointer over the icon for a moment to see the CPU-usage percentage displayed in a tool tip. If you like this feature, why not make Task Manager run all the time by placing a shortcut to it in your Startup folder?

Right-click the Start button and choose Open. Double-click Programs, then double-click Startup. Choose Start, Search, For Files or Folder, type taskmgr.exe in the top box, enter your start-up drive in the 'Look in' box (for most people it will be c:\), and click Search Now. When you see the Task Manager program file listed in the Search Results window, right-drag it to your open Startup folder. When you release the mouse button, choose Create Shortcut(s) Here. Now right-click the new shortcut and choose Properties. Select the Shortcut tab and choose Minimized from the Run drop-down list. Click OK. To keep Task Manager out of your way when you don't need it, double-click the shortcut to launch it, and in the menu bar at the top of the Task Manager window, choose Options, Hide When Minimized.

Task Manager will now start invisibly, but you'll be able to open its window anytime by double-clicking the CPU-usage icon in the system tray.