Author Topic: Free Task Manager total resources for multiple instances? (Read 12808 times)

MilesAhead · « **on:** June 12, 2015, 07:55 AM »

I'm looking for a free Task Manager replacement in Windows 8 that will display total resource usage for multiple instances of a process. As example google chrome. If I use Windows Task Manager or the one built into chrome it still makes me do the math for total memory usage etc.. I am on a computer. It should be able to sum that stuff up for me.

Anyone know a good freebie with the feature?

kunkel321 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 12, 2015, 09:52 AM »

I'd be surprised if good old Process Explorer from
http://www.sysinternals.com/
can't do it...

Shades · « **Reply #2 on:** June 12, 2015, 01:03 PM »

To my knowledge Process Explorer only shows the usage of resources per process. It doesn't sum the resource usage of linked processes. At least I didn't see such an option in version 15.22 (or previous ones) of Process Explorer.

Process Hacker is an excellent alternative to Process Explorer, but it doesn't sum resource usage of linked processes either.

NirSoft also doesn't appear to have a tool that sums up resource usage.

All your other requests are managed very well by either Process Explorer or Process Hacker.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #3 on:** June 12, 2015, 02:14 PM »

(Never mind. I thought SystemExplorer did it. But I think it was just that the memory used by the parent process looked close to the total for the child processes. Still no joy.)

4wd · « **Reply #4 on:** June 12, 2015, 10:54 PM »

What if you show the Process Memory->Virtual Size column in Process Explorer?

eg.

Free Task Manager total resources for multiple instances?

Actually, while that figure for Dragon seemed reasonable, some of the figures reported by other processes are a bit large.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #5 on:** June 13, 2015, 07:23 AM »

What if you show the Process Memory->Virtual Size column in Process Explorer?

eg.
(see attachment in previous post)
Actually, while that figure for Dragon seemed reasonable, some of the figures reported by other processes are a bit large.
-4wd (June 12, 2015, 10:54 PM)

With chrome the parent process virtual memory is less than even the largest single child, not to mention the sum of the children. I guess nobody feels a need for it. Or multi-instance is new enough it hasn't trickled into features. I guess right now mostly browsers are doing it. But I think soon many programs will run multiple instances. At least for desktop programs.

DK2IT · « **Reply #6 on:** June 30, 2015, 02:19 PM »

To get the total memory of a multi-process you can use a little PowerShell script (taken from here)

[Select]

$chrome = get-process chrome -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($chrome -ne $null)
{
$m = ps chrome | measure PM -Sum ; ("chrome Physical Memory {0:N2}MB " -f ($m.sum / 1mb))
$m = ps chrome | measure WS -Sum ; ("chrome Working Set {0:N0}MB " -f ($m.sum / 1mb))
}

I've found that Working Set seem to give a better indication of real memory occupation.
Of course you can change process name and obtain memory usage for others multi-process applications, like opera, iexplore etc.
(with this system you can also sum several process like Firefox + plugin-container + FlashPlayerPlugin)

Or, you can use Process Hacker, the latest release (v2.36) include a tray popup window (can be sticky) that show the memory / cpu usage of most active processes,
and for multi-process app show the sum of all process (also for cpu!).

MilesAhead · « **Reply #7 on:** June 30, 2015, 02:34 PM »

To get the total memory of a multi-process you can use a little PowerShell script

-DK2IT (June 30, 2015, 02:19 PM)

Thanks for the script and the tip.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #8 on:** June 30, 2015, 03:33 PM »

I could write a program by the time I can figure out how to turn this thing on. I guess that's why I've never used Powershell. The enable command line never does.

Edit: got it to stop giving an error. But when I run the script it just comes back to the prompt. No busy cursor, no output no nothing.

AbteriX · « **Reply #9 on:** July 01, 2015, 02:49 AM »

But when I run the script it just comes back to the prompt. No busy cursor, no output no nothing.
-MilesAhead (June 30, 2015, 03:33 PM)

Works for me (execution and a kind of result).

Just copy the whole code into a PoSh console and press enter twice.

Or, if the code is in a *.ps1 text file, add a PoSh-kind of PAUSE statement, one way is this:

Code: C++ [Select]

$myProcess = "TOTALCMD"
$ProcessData = get-process $myProcess -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($ProcessData -ne $null)
{
        $m = ps $myProcess | measure PM -Sum ; ("$myProcess Physical Memory {0:N2}MB " -f ($m.sum / 1mb))
        $m = ps $myProcess | measure WS -Sum ; ("$myProcess Working Set {0:N0}MB " -f ($m.sum / 1mb))
}
read-host Done! Press Enter to exit...

TOTALCMD Physical Memory 16,13MB
TOTALCMD Working Set 30MB
Done! Press Enter to exit...:
-Result

Or is it smtg other?

4wd · « **Reply #10 on:** July 01, 2015, 03:31 AM »

Edit: got it to stop giving an error. But when I run the script it just comes back to the prompt. No busy cursor, no output no nothing.
-MilesAhead (June 30, 2015, 03:33 PM)

Given what @Cocoa has just gone through with my Powershell script here, it may pay to check what version you're running and update if necessary.

To check the version, open a Powershell and enter: $PSVersionTable.PSVersion

You should get 4.0 if you're running the latest.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #11 on:** July 01, 2015, 05:41 AM »

Edit: got it to stop giving an error. But when I run the script it just comes back to the prompt. No busy cursor, no output no nothing.
-MilesAhead (June 30, 2015, 03:33 PM)

Given what @Cocoa has just gone through with my Powershell script here, it may pay to check what version you're running and update if necessary.

To check the version, open a Powershell and enter: $PSVersionTable.PSVersion

You should get 4.0 if you're running the latest.
-4wd (July 01, 2015, 03:31 AM)

I get 3.0.-1.-1

First time I ever saw negative build numbers?

MilesAhead · « **Reply #12 on:** July 01, 2015, 05:45 AM »

It says on Technet I have to get W 8.1 to install PS 4.0

This Laptop often will not complete a restore point. Never mind doing updates. I'll use some other method. I never like PS anyway.

4wd · « **Reply #13 on:** July 01, 2015, 06:17 AM »

It says on Technet I have to get W 8.1 to install PS 4.0
-MilesAhead (July 01, 2015, 05:45 AM)

Not according to this Technet page.

Windows PowerShell 4.0 runs on the following versions of Windows.
Windows 8.1, installed by default
Windows Server 2012 R2, installed by default
Windows® 7 with Service Pack 1, install Windows Management Framework 4.0 to run Windows PowerShell 4.0
Windows Server® 2008 R2 with Service Pack 1, install Windows Management Framework 4.0 to run Windows PowerShell 4.0

I never like PS anyway.

That's just the age old fear of the new and unknown talking

MilesAhead · « **Reply #14 on:** July 01, 2015, 06:51 AM »

It says on Technet I have to get W 8.1 to install PS 4.0
-MilesAhead (July 01, 2015, 05:45 AM)

Not according to this Technet page.

Windows PowerShell 4.0 runs on the following versions of Windows.
Windows 8.1, installed by default
Windows Server 2012 R2, installed by default
Windows® 7 with Service Pack 1, install Windows Management Framework 4.0 to run Windows PowerShell 4.0
Windows Server® 2008 R2 with Service Pack 1, install Windows Management Framework 4.0 to run Windows PowerShell 4.0
-4wd (July 01, 2015, 06:17 AM)

Nowhere in the list do I see Windows 8.0

I never like PS anyway.

That's just the age old fear of the new and unknown talking

I don't think so. I did bash sh and zsh scripting on Linux where there was some rhyme and reason involved.

AbteriX · « **Reply #15 on:** July 01, 2015, 07:03 AM »

But no need for PSv4, the above script even works in PSv2 and v3

One can test in launching PS as: powershell -version 2.0

And you can force a script to run a specific PS version

(Both above mentioned ways if required PS and .NET version is installed)

Code: C++ [Select]

#Requires -version 2.0
$host.version 
$myProcess = "TOTALCMD"
$ProcessData = get-process $myProcess -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($ProcessData -ne $null)
{
        $m = ps $myProcess | measure PM -Sum ; ("$myProcess Physical Memory {0:N2}MB " -f ($m.sum / 1mb))
        $m = ps $myProcess | measure WS -Sum ; ("$myProcess Working Set {0:N0}MB " -f ($m.sum / 1mb))
}
read-host Done! Press Enter to exit...

Major Minor Build Revision
----- ----- ----- --------
4 0 -1 -1
TOTALCMD Physical Memory 20,09MB
TOTALCMD Working Set 37MB
Done! Press Enter to exit...:

Major Minor Build Revision
----- ----- ----- --------
2 0 -1 -1
TOTALCMD Physical Memory 20,15MB
TOTALCMD Working Set 37MB
Done! Press Enter to exit...:
-Output

MilesAhead · « **Reply #16 on:** July 01, 2015, 07:32 AM »

And how are you running this script? I don't think I've seen a powershell I've tried that ran as advertised. There's always some gotcha'

But no need for PSv4, the above script even works in PSv2 and v3

One can test in launching PS as: powershell -version 2.0

And you can force a script to run a specific PS version

(Both above mentioned ways if required PS and .NET version is installed)

Code: C++ [Select]
#Requires -version 2.0
$host.version
$myProcess = "TOTALCMD"
$ProcessData = get-process $myProcess -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($ProcessData -ne $null)
{
$m = ps $myProcess | measure PM -Sum ; ("$myProcess Physical Memory {0:N2}MB " -f ($m.sum / 1mb))
$m = ps $myProcess | measure WS -Sum ; ("$myProcess Working Set {0:N0}MB " -f ($m.sum / 1mb))
}
read-host Done! Press Enter to exit...

Major Minor Build Revision
----- ----- ----- --------
4 0 -1 -1
TOTALCMD Physical Memory 20,09MB
TOTALCMD Working Set 37MB
Done! Press Enter to exit...:

Major Minor Build Revision
----- ----- ----- --------
2 0 -1 -1
TOTALCMD Physical Memory 20,15MB
TOTALCMD Working Set 37MB
Done! Press Enter to exit...:
-Output

-AbteriX (July 01, 2015, 07:03 AM)

DK2IT · « **Reply #17 on:** July 01, 2015, 08:38 AM »

First time also I have got several error with PowerShell and this script

If I remember well, you must enable some authorization, and when you launch by commandline you must enter the FULL path of the script.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #18 on:** July 01, 2015, 08:55 AM »

First time also I have got several error with PowerShell and this script
If I remember well, you must enable some authorization, and when you launch by commandline you must enter the FULL path of the script.
-DK2IT (July 01, 2015, 08:38 AM)

I changed the setting to unrestricted. But as I mentioned before, running the script the cursor just goes back to the prompt. No error no nothing. I have no intention of doing stuff with Powershell so it is not really worth delving into it. In fact I should probably change the setting back to block scripts.

I am just surprised no task manager clone I tried does this. I wonder if Linux top command does. Most likely it did a decade ago.

DK2IT · « **Reply #19 on:** July 01, 2015, 09:01 AM »

Well, you can try to get something similar with tasklist and an AWK for windows or similar (like advanced calculation using FOR command).
For task manager, try Process Hacker, work quite well.

AbteriX · « **Reply #20 on:** July 01, 2015, 09:05 AM »

If you get an error from running a posh script, just read the given message to solved that issue.
If you ask for help, give details what and how you do things and which error you get, best, copy there & paste here.
I just found my crystal bowl broken, sorry

MilesAhead · « **Reply #21 on:** July 01, 2015, 09:07 AM »

Well, you can try to get something similar with tasklist and an AWK for windows or similar (like advanced calculation using FOR command).
For task manager, try Process Hacker, work quite well.
-DK2IT (July 01, 2015, 09:01 AM)

I have the latest process hacker. I don't see any utility to total the memory usage for process instances.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #22 on:** July 01, 2015, 09:09 AM »

If you get an error from running a posh script, just read the given message to solved that issue.
If you ask for help, give details what and how you do things and which error you get, best, copy there & paste here.
I just found my crystal bowl broken, sorry

-AbteriX (July 01, 2015, 09:05 AM)

I already mentioned twice there was no error message. This is not worth spending more time on. Thanks for the input.

DK2IT · « **Reply #23 on:** July 01, 2015, 09:23 AM »

Here a quick normal windows script

[Select]

@echo off
set /a total=0
for /f "tokens=5 delims=," %%a in ('tasklist /FI "IMAGENAME eq chrome*" /FO CSV /NH') do set /a total+=%%a
echo %total%MB
set total=

Of course instead a fix name like "chrome" you can use %1 to use argument on commandline.

For Process Hacker, you must hover the mouse pointer on the systray icon of the program for some seconds, and that's show up the window, unfortunately only in this windows the process are grouped.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #24 on:** July 01, 2015, 09:30 AM »

For Process Hacker, you must hover the mouse pointer on the systray icon of the program for some seconds, and that's show up the window, unfortunately only in this windows the process are grouped.
-DK2IT (July 01, 2015, 09:23 AM)

Thanks. I see it now.

Edit: btw your script works.

[Select]

@echo off
set /a total=0
for /f "tokens=5 delims=," %%a in ('tasklist /FI "IMAGENAME eq %1*" /FO CSV /NH') do set /a total+=%%a
echo %total%MB
set total=