Resmon 2

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You can access Resource Monitor from Task Manager or by running the perfmon /res command at a command prompt. Similar to Task Manager, the primary goal of Resource Monitor is to monitor system performance and utilization of CPU, disk, network, and memory resources. However, you also can use it to help you to identify reliability problems, such as excessive use of system resources or unresponsive apps.

Resource Monitor provides a snapshot of system performance, including a summary and tab with detailed information for the four key system components: processor, memory, disk, and network. If a Windows computer runs slowly, you can use Resource Monitor to view current activity in each of the four component areas, and determine which is causing a performance bottleneck. However, Resource Monitor can show only resource utilization for the local computer, not remote or virtual computers.

 From <https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/modules/explore-support-diagnostic-tools/3-examine-resource-monitor>

1️⃣ What Resource Monitor really is (and why ITs love it)

Resource Monitor (resmon.exe) is a real-time diagnostic tool built into Windows.
Think of it as Task Manager’s forensic microscope.

• Task Manager → Who is using resources?
• Resource Monitor → Exactly which process, file, port, and thread is responsible — and why.

IT use cases:
⭐ Performance troubleshooting
⭐ Application freezes
⭐ High CPU / RAM / Disk / Network usage
⭐ Malware or suspicious activity detection
⭐ Correlating user complaints with real system behavior

2️⃣ How to open Resource Monitor (fast)

⭐ Keyboard shortcuts:
1️⃣ Win + R → resmon → Enter
2️⃣ Task Manager → Performance tab → Open Resource Monitor

Automation tip:
⭐ Create a shortcut to
C:\Windows\System32\resmon.exe
Useful for helpdesk jump boxes & VM templates.

3️⃣ CPU tab – Finding what’s actually slowing the system

What to watch

⭐ Processes
⭐ Services
⭐ Threads
⭐ Associated Handles

Key metrics

• CPU % → actual processing usage
• Average CPU → more accurate than spikes
• Threads → misbehaving apps often spawn hundreds

Real IT example

User says:

“My PC is slow even when nothing is open.”

Steps:
1️⃣ Open CPU tab
2️⃣ Sort by Average CPU
3️⃣ Expand the process

You notice:
⭐ antimalware service executable stuck at 30%
➡ Likely real-time scan loop or corrupted signature
➡ Action: update Defender, schedule scan off-hours

4️⃣ Memory tab – Diagnosing “Not enough RAM” complaints

Key concepts (very important)

⭐ In Use = actively used RAM
⭐ Standby = cached, reusable (NOT a problem)
⭐ Hard Faults/sec = memory pages pulled from disk (bad if constant)

Real IT example

User says:

“Teams freezes when I switch apps.”

You see:
⭐ Hard Faults/sec constantly above 100
⭐ Chrome + Teams consuming 90% memory

Diagnosis:
➡ System is paging to disk
➡ Recommendation: close tabs OR upgrade RAM

Tip:
⭐ High Standby memory ≠ problem
⭐ High Hard Faults/sec = problem

5️⃣ Disk tab – The #1 hidden bottleneck

What Disk tab reveals that Task Manager doesn’t

⭐ Which file is being read/written
⭐ Which process is hammering the disk
⭐ Response Time (ms) → critical metric

Real IT example

User:

“Everything freezes when I open Excel.”

You see:
⭐ Disk Response Time = 500+ ms
⭐ OneDrive.exe syncing large PST file

Conclusion:
➡ Disk I/O saturation
➡ Pause OneDrive sync temporarily
➡ Exclude PST from sync scope

Pro tip:
⭐ Disk response time > 100 ms = noticeable lag
⭐ > 300 ms = user-visible freezes

6️⃣ Network tab – Hunting bandwidth hogs & suspicious traffic

What to watch

⭐ Processes with Network Activity
⭐ TCP Connections
⭐ Listening Ports

Real IT example

User:

“VPN is slow.”

Steps:
1️⃣ Network tab
2️⃣ Sort by Send / Receive (B/sec)
3️⃣ You spot:
⭐ cloudbackup.exe uploading at full speed

Fix:
➡ Pause backup
➡ QoS recommendation
➡ Educate user on bandwidth contention

Security angle:
⭐ Unknown process listening on port 4444
➡ Immediate malware investigation
➡ Correlate with Defender & Event Viewer

7️⃣ Cross-tab superpower: Filtering

This is where Resource Monitor becomes lethal.

Steps:
1️⃣ Check the box beside a process
2️⃣ All tabs instantly filter to that process

Example:
⭐ Select outlook.exe
➡ CPU: threads
➡ Disk: OST/PST access
➡ Network: Exchange traffic

This lets you trace a single app across the entire system.

8️⃣ Resource Monitor vs Task Manager (exam-style clarity)

⭐ Task Manager:
• Overview
• Fast triage
• User-friendly

⭐ Resource Monitor:
• Deep technical insight
• File-level disk access
• Port-level network analysis
• Memory paging visibility

IT rule:
➡ Task Manager to confirm
➡ Resource Monitor to diagnose

9️⃣ Productivity & Helpdesk Tips

⭐ Use Resource Monitor during screen sharing to justify decisions
⭐ Screenshot CPU/Disk spikes for ticket documentation
⭐ Combine with:
• Event Viewer (event correlation)
• perfmon (long-term trends)
• netstat -ano (advanced port mapping)

⭐ Keyboard shortcuts:
• Ctrl + Shift + Esc → Task Manager
• Win + R → resmon
• Alt + Tab → quick app switching during diagnosis

🔟 Common mistakes junior ITs make

⭐ Panicking over high Standby memory
⭐ Killing system processes blindly
⭐ Ignoring Disk response time
⭐ Confusing CPU spikes with sustained load

🧠 Interview-ready summary (30 seconds)

Resource Monitor is used to identify exactly which process, file, or network connection is causing performance issues. I use it when Task Manager shows symptoms but not root cause — especially for high disk I/O, memory paging, or unexplained network usage.

Below is a hands-on troubleshooting simulation, exactly how you’d be tested in a remote IT Helpdesk interview.
You answer out loud, step by step, as if the user is on the phone and you’re screen-sharing.

🧪 Scenario: “My computer is slow and freezes randomly”

Context

• Windows 10 / 11
• User working remotely
• Complains of freezes when opening apps
• No error messages

Your job: diagnose using Resource Monitor, not guess.

1️⃣ Step 1 – Initial triage (what you say to the user)

⭐ Professional framing:
• Acknowledge the issue
• Explain you’ll check system resources
• Avoid blaming hardware too early

Example phrasing:

“I’m going to check how your system resources are being used in real time to identify what’s causing the slowdown.”

English tip:
• “I will check” → neutral future
• Avoid “maybe”, “probably”

2️⃣ Step 2 – Launch Resource Monitor (fast)

⭐ Action:
1️⃣ Win + R
2️⃣ Type resmon
3️⃣ Enter

Say aloud:

“I’m opening Resource Monitor to see CPU, memory, disk, and network activity in detail.”

Interview note:
⭐ Naming the tool clearly earns points.

3️⃣ Step 3 – CPU tab analysis

What you check

⭐ Sort by Average CPU

You observe

• Teams.exe → 18% average
• Chrome.exe → 22% average
• CPU never drops below 50%

Your reasoning (say this)

“The CPU is under sustained load, not a short spike, which explains the slowness.”

English upgrade:
• “constant” → “sustained” (more technical)

4️⃣ Step 4 – Memory tab (this is critical)

You observe

⭐ RAM usage: 92%
⭐ Hard Faults/sec:
• Chrome → 150–300
• Teams → 80+

Interpretation

• System is paging memory to disk
• Disk becomes a fake RAM → very slow

Say aloud:

“The system is running out of physical memory and is using the disk as virtual memory, which causes freezing.”

Key term to remember:
⭐ Hard Faults/sec = disk-based memory access

5️⃣ Step 5 – Disk tab (root cause confirmation)

You observe

⭐ Disk Response Time: 400–600 ms
⭐ pagefile.sys active
⭐ OneDrive.exe syncing in background

Say aloud:

“High disk response time confirms the slowdown is caused by memory paging and background disk activity.”

Interview gold:
⭐ Correlating Memory + Disk shows senior thinking.

6️⃣ Step 6 – Network tab (rule out bandwidth issues)

You observe

• Normal traffic
• No unknown listening ports

Say:

“Network usage looks normal, so the issue isn’t related to bandwidth or malware traffic.”

Security awareness = bonus points.

7️⃣ Step 7 – Resolution (what you recommend)

Immediate actions

⭐ Close unused Chrome tabs
⭐ Pause OneDrive sync
⭐ Restart Teams

Long-term recommendation

⭐ Upgrade RAM (8 GB → 16 GB)

Say professionally:

“Short term, closing background apps will help. Long term, increasing RAM would prevent this from happening again.”

8️⃣ Step 8 – Ticket documentation (interviewers love this)

Example note:

Root cause: High memory usage causing disk paging
Tool used: Windows Resource Monitor
Resolution: Reduced background apps, paused sync
Recommendation: RAM upgrade

9️⃣ Common interview traps (avoid these)

❌ “I would reinstall Windows”
❌ “It’s probably a virus”
❌ “The computer is just old”

✅ Evidence-based diagnosis
✅ Tool-driven reasoning
✅ Calm explanation

1️⃣0️⃣ Ultra-short interview answer (15 seconds)

“I use Resource Monitor when Task Manager isn’t enough. I check CPU average usage, memory hard faults, disk response time, and correlate them to identify whether the issue is CPU load, RAM paging, disk I/O, or background services.”

🧪 Scenario: “My VPN is connected, but everything is extremely slow”

Context

• Remote employee
• Corporate VPN (AnyConnect / GlobalProtect / FortiClient—vendor irrelevant)
• Internet works, but internal apps crawl
• No VPN error messages

Your mission: prove whether the problem is bandwidth, latency, background traffic, or something abnormal.

1️⃣ Step 1 – Frame the diagnosis (what you say)

Say calmly:

“I’m going to check live network activity to see which applications are using bandwidth and how connections behave while the VPN is active.”

English tip:
• “check live network activity” sounds technical but clear
• Avoid “test stuff”, “look around”

2️⃣ Step 2 – Open Resource Monitor directly to Network

⭐ Fast path:
1️⃣ Win + R
2️⃣ resmon
3️⃣ Enter
4️⃣ Click Network tab

Explain aloud:

“This view shows which processes are sending and receiving data, including VPN traffic.”

3️⃣ Step 3 – Processes with Network Activity

What you sort by

⭐ Send (B/sec)

You observe

• cloudbackup.exe → 4.5 MB/sec upload
• vpnclient.exe → normal
• Browser → minimal

Say:

“There’s a background backup process using most of the upload bandwidth, which impacts VPN performance.”

Technical insight:
⭐ VPN traffic competes with everything else on the same uplink.

4️⃣ Step 4 – TCP Connections (this is advanced)

What you check

⭐ Latency (ms)
⭐ Remote Address

You observe

• Backup server → 250 ms latency
• Internal VPN app → 40 ms

Interpretation:
• VPN tunnel itself is fine
• Latency spike is external congestion

Say:

“Internal VPN traffic shows normal latency, so the tunnel is healthy. The slowdown is caused by external upload saturation.”

5️⃣ Step 5 – Listening Ports (security awareness)

You check

⭐ Unknown processes listening on ports

You observe:
• Only expected services (VPN client, system services)

Say:

“No unexpected listening ports, so there’s no indication of malware or unauthorized services.”

Interview bonus:
⭐ Security + performance in one pass.

6️⃣ Step 6 – Cross-filtering (expert move)

⭐ Check the box next to vpnclient.exe
➡ Other sections auto-filter

Say:

“Filtering by the VPN process confirms its traffic volume is normal.”

This proves you know Resource Monitor’s signature feature.

7️⃣ Step 7 – Resolution strategy

Immediate fix

⭐ Pause cloud backup
⭐ Limit upload speed if supported

Preventive action

⭐ Schedule backups outside work hours
⭐ QoS on router (if applicable)

Say:

“Once the background upload is paused, VPN performance should return to normal immediately.”

8️⃣ Step 8 – Ticket note example

Issue: VPN slow while connected
Root cause: Background upload saturating uplink
Tool: Windows Resource Monitor
Resolution: Paused cloud backup
Prevention: Reschedule backup jobs

9️⃣ Interview lightning answer (network-focused)

“In Resource Monitor, I identify VPN slowness by checking network send rates, TCP latency, and filtering by the VPN process to confirm whether the tunnel itself or another application is causing congestion.”

✍️ English precision upgrade

Avoid:
• “VPN is laggy because internet is slow”

Use:
⭐ “VPN performance is impacted by upstream bandwidth saturation.”

This signals technical fluency.

🧠 Meta-lesson (important)

Resource Monitor answers:
• Who is using the network
• How much
• Where the traffic goes
• Whether it’s expected

That’s evidence, not opinion.

🧪 Scenario: “My computer is slow and I see random network activity — is this a virus?”

Context

• Windows 10 / 11
• User notices fan noise + network activity when idle
• Antivirus did not alert
• System is on a home network

Goal: use Resource Monitor to determine whether this is normal, misconfigured software, or suspicious behavior.

1️⃣ Step 1 – Establish control (what you say)

Say:

“I’m going to verify which applications are communicating over the network and whether those connections are expected.”

Why this works:
• Reassures the user
• Shows structured thinking
• Avoids panic language

English precision:
• “verify” > “check” (more professional)

2️⃣ Step 2 – Open Resource Monitor (Network tab)

⭐ Steps:
1️⃣ Win + R
2️⃣ resmon
3️⃣ Enter
4️⃣ Network tab

Say:

“This tool lets me see active network connections and listening ports in real time.”

3️⃣ Step 3 – Processes with Network Activity

What you do

⭐ Sort by Receive (B/sec)

You observe

• svchost.exe → moderate traffic
• updater.exe → steady background traffic
• Unknown process: x9svc.exe → 800 KB/sec

Red flag:
⭐ Non-descriptive process name
⭐ Sustained traffic while idle

Say:

“There’s a process sending and receiving data continuously while the system is idle, which is unexpected.”

4️⃣ Step 4 – TCP Connections (this is where suspicion sharpens)

What you check

⭐ Remote Address
⭐ Latency (ms)

You observe:
• Connections to multiple IPs
• No recognizable domain patterns
• Latency fluctuating wildly

Say:

“The process is communicating with multiple external IP addresses instead of a known service endpoint, which is unusual.”

Technical nuance:
⭐ Legit services usually talk to few, stable domains.

5️⃣ Step 5 – Listening Ports (malware tell)

You check

⭐ Listening Ports section

You observe:
• x9svc.exe listening on port 4444

Why this matters:
⭐ Port 4444 is commonly used by backdoors (not exclusive, but suspicious)

Say:

“The process is also listening for inbound connections, which increases the risk profile.”

Interview phrasing:
⭐ “increases the risk profile” sounds mature and cautious.

6️⃣ Step 6 – Correlate with CPU & Disk (confirmation)

Switch tabs (without closing Resource Monitor).

You observe:
• CPU: low but constant usage
• Disk: periodic writes to AppData

Say:

“Low but persistent resource usage aligns with background persistence behavior.”

Key idea:
⭐ Malware avoids spikes to stay hidden.

7️⃣ Step 7 – Response strategy (do NOT panic)

Immediate actions

⭐ Disconnect from network
⭐ Do not kill process blindly
⭐ Preserve evidence

Say:

“I recommend isolating the system from the network and performing a full security scan.”

8️⃣ Step 8 – Next security steps (enterprise-aware)

⭐ Run Defender Offline Scan
⭐ Check:
• Startup entries
• Scheduled Tasks
• Services list

Mention:

“I would also review security logs and confirm whether the process is registered as a service.”

9️⃣ Ticket documentation example

Suspicious background network activity detected
Tool used: Windows Resource Monitor
Indicators: Unknown process, external IP traffic, listening port
Action: Network isolation and security escalation

This shows incident-handling discipline.

🔟 Interview-ready summary (security)

“I use Resource Monitor to identify suspicious behavior by analyzing unknown processes, external connections, listening ports, and correlating that with CPU and disk patterns before escalating.”

✍️ English precision upgrade

Avoid:
• “This looks like a virus”

Use:
⭐ “This behavior is inconsistent with expected system activity.”

This keeps you professional and defensible.

🧠 Big lesson (important)

Security is probabilistic, not absolute:
• One indicator ≠ malware
• Multiple weak signals = action

Resource Monitor helps you build a case, not jump to conclusions.

TaskMan 1 Processes Resmon 2  eventvwr.msc 3  Perfmon 4 Reliability Mon 5  Process Explorer 6  ProcMon 7
Diag & Recov Toolset 8 Steps REC 9  ✓MMC —MS MAN CONS 10  SysInternals 11  WPA (Perf) Toolkit 12  Other 13
Server Monitoring 👤