I would be nice if one could swap columns in the task manager - and keep it so

I find some columns info difficult to view - eg the program path in the Task Manager - so let me suggest that one could right click a line to view the information in tabular layout

It would also be nice the StartUp Manager had an option for delayed start up - but maybe that's a bit out of scope ?

The 'Extras' is a nice feature :-)

# 34 Tom Tac
Why on Earth do you want the PID and PPID sorted numerically ?
These are just random numbers - meaningless to us - and will change the next time
new services and programmes are added or deleted

More logical and makes it easier to overview them when they are alphabetically as now

"Launcher Error: Cannot open archive"
Not sure what archive your VISTA is talking about
Happily I stick to my XP Pro SP3 so I avoid all that VISTA and Win7 janx like UAC, DEP etc

#44 Stephen Cohen (and 8, 10, 15, 23, 40)
Those poorly designed programmes you are talking about are mostly coming from
Microsoft, and their documentation are of course always either missing, poorly written,
or outright un-understandable

XP does not clean up either; that´s why we need SysResourcesManager
Don´t listen to the Microsoft-programmer (# 40) and other quarreling people

I have used version 10.3 since GOTH offered it, and I don´t care whether it is called
defragging or memory cleaning

When my memory was down to 25-30 MB SRM has often raised that to fex. 140-170 MB
Maybe all of you seeing performance worse than that should have kept to XP !

Tobiasson, Oslo, Norway, Europa

Key is "giveawayoftheday" and so is reg. name.

"Defragging RAM" makes no sense to me. However, it is possible for a poorly designed program to leave part of itself in RAM after you close it. Win XP was supposed to be able to clean up after such, but I don't know if it always does. Thus a memory CLEANER, may be useful, particularly for pre-XP systems.

18-23.
One odd thing – when it starts it always says “CPU usage query failed!”

Please check the troubleshooting tab on fotis.com


33.
WARNING TO EVERYBODY DO NOT USE “LOCK”
it locks the computer and asks for password.computer will not unlock


Pressing enter unlocks the computer again (if you didn't enter a password)

The link to the game giveaway seems to have disappeared again. This happened last week as well. There is a game giveaway today folks and there will be one tomorrow as well.

regards

Whiterabbit.

I installed the program OK, but it wants a registration key which I cannot find anywhere, even in the readme file. Where can I find the required keys?

Here's how you can be certain that "defragging your RAM" is worthless: Microsoft spends millions of dollars every new release of Windows measuring and tweaking to make it faster, because they know for many people it's the #1 requirement. You might think they don't do a good job, but I guarantee that if "defragging your RAM" was part of the answer, they would be doing it. This concept has been around for years, I remember utilities that claimed to do it for Windows 95.

For the software engineer above -- yes, you can have a heap (internal memory datastructure) that gets so fragmented that your application can't make an allocation, and fails. But heap technology is pretty advanced these days: most heaps are tuned to not be prone to fragmentation. A well written application that tends to allocate in a pattern that will hit this will allocate from its own buffer up front. I'm also very sceptical that they could pull off defragmenting a heap, since programs have pointers directly to the memory, and you can't reliably determine which those are in order to fix them up.

Bottom line - bogus. Yes, I'm a software developer that works for a certain huge software company, and I know a little about this. Don't waste your time. For the other features -- visit sysinternals.com (run by Microsoft) and start with process monitor.

Joe

Comment to Robin des Bois #36:

If you go to the Fotis Software site and scroll down a bit you will see a link to the Changelog listing.

I have tried many programes that does almost the same as this one does, but this one does it far better and more efficiently !
This programe is a credit to the progamers and indeed the best I have ever tried.

I don't know why others are bothered about skins as with other programes you don't have a choice, with this one you do, so I am thankful for what I got, skins are not important it is what the programe does and this one is the best.

I am thankful to Giveawayoftheday to be given the privilage of having this for free, it would be still excellent value for money if I had to buy it.

Thankyou to all

So far I really like it!!! I'll be playing with it for a while to make it do its thing, but I've already taken "Process Lasso" out of the start up list and may eliminate it altogether (didn't use it much anyway!!)
Thanks to the GOTD team -- this one sure looks like a winner to me!!!
cheers
doc

What's the diference between the 10.3 version and the 11?
Thanks for the response?
Robin des Bois

Instead, Russian interface - Greek characters?
OS - Windows 7.
Conclusion: the terrible support of localization and/or encodings. Unfortunately, the product with bugs unworthy of price

(Suggestion to Fotis: Please sort the PID and PPID columns numerically.)

(Before I say anything else, installation quirk on Vista - when I took Setup.exe and did "Run as Administrator", it would always crash with "Launcher Error: Cannot open archive". Instead, I ran it as a normal user, and let UAC ask for the rights when it needed them, and that installed fine.)

Really glad to see this product again, maturing the way it has. It has good documentation and good features. Hats off to Fotis.

Tell me, this thing's Task Manager exports the process list to a text file. I have not seen the Windows task manager do that; anyone know if it does? I love the way this displays a lot of stuff about the process at the bottom of the screen, and in other columns hidden off to the right -- I was able to trace the parentage of several processes pretty quickly with the PID and PPID columns.

(Suggestion to Fotis: Please sort the PID and PPID columns numerically.)

Good value.

WARNING TO EVERYBODY DO NOT USE "LOCK"
it locks the computer and asks for password
computer will not unlock

Jibaro - You can easily turn OFF the option to play music when program is defragging RAM - choose Options in the left panel, then Options-2 tab in the window. Not only can you turn music OFF, you can also select what music file to play when it is turned ON.

As cctudy pointed out, it DOES have skins to choose from AND allows you to create your own skin(s) - click on Options in the left panel, then in the Options-1 panel, it's the last line. Click on the far right icon to create your own skin(s). [As an aside: I'm comfortable in my own skin, but find this option included to be a nice one for those who are not!]

I found registering the program easy: simply follow the directions given in both the text file included in the ZIP download AND in the window that pops up while you're installing.

To those who have not yet downloaded & installed this program: give it a try and investigate the Options panels as well as the Extras pull-down menu from the main program window. If you do, I think you'll find the COMMENTS here accurately reflect the program, while the RATINGS NUMBERS DO NOT.

Having read the previous 12 comments, all of which were favorable, and seeing the only negatives cited are quite minor, it seems that the user rating at this time - 51% favorable and 49% unfavorable - is not in line with the comments left. And then when I looked at the ratings of the 12 preceeding comments, there is a pattern: those which are favorable are generally rated negative while those which are a bit unfavorable are rated positive. It is thus obvious to me that this program's competition is interferring with the ratings. This is why I never pay any attention to ratings numbers without looking at the comments behind the ratings. To the contrary, that the competition is messing with the ratings numbers leads me to believe they feel quite threatened by this product, meaning this product must be pretty darn good at doing what it claims to do. Cosmetics and such aside, the bottom line is that if a program works, use it!

To #8:

Setting aside the details of "Hyper-V Dynamic Memory"...

"‘Defrag’ of RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY serves no point at all"

Do tell?

What if I suddenly need a 5 meg contiguous block for a buffer, and, because memory is fragmented, it's not available?

Shows what YOU know.

And just what do you think the memory manager in .NET does?

Perhaps you SHOULD have said "Defragging memory serves a different purpose than defragging a drive". THEN you would have been right.

There are so many freeware versions of this same type of program, I would probably add the temperature gauge and a memory optimizer, as well. Besides, if it was PORTABLE, I'd probably buy it. It does nothing more than what AnVir does or Portable Tweakers 2010.11 or Portable AusLogics BoostSpeed and they are all free.

well of course I would be the one to have problems.
It registered ok, ran fine.
I then clicked the drive tab and it stalled.
I waited a minute nothing happened, I closed the program and now when I click the icon it doesn't load.

huh!!!!

@11 Rich:
the key is in the README.txt

Very comprehensive. I've been using AnVir but am switching to this one. Thank you

Installed and registered without a problem. It looks like it has many nice features; it's a keeper. One suggestion, though; support more than 4 cores. Six core chips are readily available and 8 cores are coming soon.

I like it...except for some tiny points...
If you resize the columns they snap back to their default, and you can't move the [order of the] columns by dragging.

One odd thing - when it starts it always says "CPU usage query failed!"

That right-click systray mini menu is WONDERFUL! It's odd that the OPTIONS feature is NOT available from that mini-menu, only the main window.

The cute little close x button in the upper left corner reminds me of my Atari ST ;-)

@4, there is an option for the sound or to turn it off.
@8, @10, you're both right!

It is a little bit disconcerting that all these GAOTD programs phone home every time you use them... some even install a local server (not this program, though)
And I don't understand how to register it, even with GAOTD, since there was nothing in the readme file...

Completely worthless. Installed on XP MCE SP2 with 2GB RAM. When launched, there was no window, no nothing. Task Master showed it was running, but there was no way to register or use this program since there was no window, no icon in the system tray to bring up a window...in short, no way to access it. I tried everything including uninstalling, reinstalling, rebooting, closing everything possible, disabling the antivirus, etc., but nothing worked. Uninstalled.

Number 11, the key is in "Readme.txt" from the downloaded Zip file under the "Registration Key" line. I was looking for it to be on the same line only to find it under it. The layout of the text makes it appear there is nothing following it.

I would like to add this is a great little utility with lots of useful features. Was surprised to see you can even change the look (skins). Thank you GAOTD.

#11 Rich (nice name, by the way)
Look in the readme file. Both the Registration name and code shown in the readme are the same. (hint: not a number)

RichU

Looks GOOD..THS!!

Just a question for you, guys: can this replace Process Lasso?

All the components ran on my Win7 Quad except:

1. CPU usage query failed!

2. Task manager sporadic display :-(

Other than that, cool clean program.

Rich, it's in the readme file.

ashraf, I get this when I click on your full review:
Oops! Internet Explorer could not find dottech.org
Suggestions:
•Search on Google:
Google Toolbar Help - Why am I seeing this page?

©2010 Google - Google Home

I have (for the last few weeks anyway) decided to employ a fresh (for me anyway) tact regarding these giveaways and commenting; if I have nothing constructive to say, say nothing.

With all due respect to GOTD and this software's creators - this product offers nothing new.

Process Explorer and Process Monitor will provide you with the same information, with the added benefit of being created by the same folks who brought you your OS (they might know a thing or two).

Defragging ram? Really? C'mon guys...listen to Peter [#10] on this one.

My gut feeling is that many will install a bunch of these types of applications in an attempt to squeeze every last drop of performance out of their PC (or to try to appear as though they know how to accomplish this) and ironically their system suffers for it.

The fact that it is skin-able reinforces this notion.

Very nice, thanks GAOTD! Clean GUI, very straightforward, which is a must. No troubles at all installing and registering on Win7 X64. Not big on multiple icon displays in taskbar, but for those who are, it's cool.

My personal choice for a task monitor/manager is: System Explorer. Freeware, with a portable version, which is appealing to more people these days. Has some great features, including hovering mouse over tray icon to display memory usage of apps loading and accessing, which is super handy.

Thanks for the opportunity, Fotis software!

http://www.systemexplorer.net/

Nice program. Installed with no problems. Small icons in system tray are very efficient use of space to simply communicate current status of system to user. Could improve startup program monitor to allow temporary removal of suspect programs. Currently, I see programs and would like to delete them, but not sure of impact on my machines startup routine. Also, I only want to delete the program from automatically starting up, not permanantly delete the program.

Overall, usefull program - thanks GAOTD!

Win7Pro

Simple clean interface! does what it is supposed to quickly! Doesn't annoy me with advertising or trick me into downloading "extra" stuff! It HAS a skin maker for those who choose, and 12 skins already! This is a keeper- if I wasn't a dirt poor student I'd even pay for it!

Thank you GAOTD. It downloaded just fine and activated, but I still don't get a key. How do I get a key

I have had bad experiences with memory defragging progs in the past and therefore steer well clear of them.

The cheapest and easiest upgrade you can do to a Computer is buy more RAM, so if you think you need this prog, then you need more RAM

Nice program, have many usefull options, clear and understandble interface

This is a great tool for demonstrating Hyper-V Dynamic Memory....

As soon as memory is defragged inside the VM, Hyper-V detects an increase in memory use and adds some RAM, clearly showing 'defraging' is all about claiming a lot of memory and not about MOVING memoryblocks like defragmenting a disk. Naming it defrag is just misleading.

Defragmenting a rotating drive is good, 'Defrag' of RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY serves no point at all.

But ill keep it, Just as a showcase of the different views people have on good memory management and a nice demonstration of Dynamic Memory adding memory and claiming it back.

...good...very good indeed...thanks

Nice program, have many usefull options, clear and understandble interface, but have problem with tranlations, particulary - with Russian.

Installed problem free on an XP Sp3. Is pretty detailed and has a user-friendly interface. Was a little startled with the sudden music that automatically starts up when defragging the RAM but, no biggy. Looks useful and very promising.

Now that what I like to call , Generous legend of Giveawayoftheday !


Thank you , I was waiting for every for something like that !

It does what it says on the tin. Thumbs up. (Win7 home prem.)

The Good
* Straightforward and easy to use.
* Allows users to monitor many aspects of one's computer including but not limited to CPU usage, RAM usage, hard drive usage, network usage, running processes, etc.
* Can free RAM by defragging it.
* Has the ability to export data into TXT files.
* Allows users to easily search (Google, Altavista, Yahoo, and ProcessLibary) for information.
* Provides quick access to native Windows tools/settings.
* Has a floating widget/window showing CPU usage, RAM usage, hard drive activity, and network usage.

The Bad
* Cannot monitor/show computer temperatures.
* Floating widget/window cannot be locked into place.

Free Alternatives
AnVir Task Manager

For final verdict, recommendations, and full review please click here.