# Computer Performance

<div id="bkmrk-macos"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 2.8275em; font-weight: 400;">macOS</span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div id="bkmrk-"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div>---

</div></div></div></div></div></div>###### macOS is Apple’s operating system for all Mac devices. For more information about macOS visit the [macOS Apple Page](https://www.apple.com/lae/macos/what-is/).

#### **About This Mac**

<div id="bkmrk-this-dialog-shows-yo"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div>- This dialog shows you basic information about the manufacture date and hardware of your Mac.
- Click the Apple icon at the top left of the screen on the menu bar.
- Click **About This Mac**.
- The dialog window with basic system information will pop up  
    ![](https://kb.mlml.sjsu.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2019-02-Feb/scaled-840-0/image-1550604286100.png)

</div></div></div></div></div></div><div id="bkmrk-%C2%A0click-the%C2%A0system-re"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div>- Click the **System Report** button for more detailed information for the advanced user.

</div></div></div></div></div></div>[![System-Information.png](https://kb.mlml.sjsu.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2019-02-Feb/scaled-840-0/System-Information.png)](https://kb.mlml.sjsu.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2019-02-Feb/System-Information.png)

#####  

#### **Activity Monitor**

<div id="bkmrk-similar-to-task-mana"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div>- Similar to Task Manager for PC, Activity Monitor displays every program running on your Mac. You can manage these running programs and identify how they are affecting your Mac’s performance.
- For more information visit [Activity Monitor Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201464).

</div></div></div></div></div></div>[![MacActivityMon.png](https://kb.mlml.sjsu.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2019-02-Feb/scaled-840-0/MacActivityMon.png)](https://kb.mlml.sjsu.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2019-02-Feb/MacActivityMon.png)

##### **Uninstall Unnecessary Applications**

<div id="bkmrk-one-simple-way-to-cl"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div>- One simple way to clear disk space and keep your computer running smoothly is to uninstall applications you don’t need or aren’t using.
- <span style="color: #ff0000;">*NOTE: Make sure you know what the application function is before you delete it, some applications are key to keeping your computer functioning properly.*</span>
- Find the list of applications: Open Finder → Applications (left side panel)
- [How to Uninstall Applications on Mac](https://support.apple.com/kb/ph25083?locale=en_US)

</div></div></div></div></div></div><div id="bkmrk--0"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>## Windows

<div id="bkmrk--1"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div>---

</div></div></div></div></div></div>###### Windows is Microsoft’s operating system for PCs. For more information about Windows visit the [Microsoft Windows Page](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/features).

#### **System Information**

<div id="bkmrk-windows-also-has-a-b"><div data-index="1">- Windows also has a basic system information dialog, similar to *About This Mac* (OS Version, Processor, Memory, 32/64bit info)
- Right click the **This PC** Icon on your Desktop and Click **Properties**. 
    - If it isn't there, search "This PC" in the Search Box on your Taskbar.
- This system information dialog should pop up

</div></div>[![WinSysInfo.png](https://kb.mlml.sjsu.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2019-02-Feb/scaled-840-0/WinSysInfo.png)](https://kb.mlml.sjsu.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2019-02-Feb/WinSysInfo.png)

<div id="bkmrk-for-more-detailed-an"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div>- For more detailed and advanced info, download a third-party system info utility program like [CPU-Z](https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html).

</div></div></div></div></div></div>#####  

#### **Task Manager**

<div id="bkmrk-similar-to-activity-"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div>- Similar to Activity Monitor for Mac, Task Manager displays every program running on your computer. You can manage these open programs and identify how they are affecting your computer’s performance.
- You can access the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete (press all three keys at once). Once the screen changes color and a menu pops up, click **Task Manager**.
- For more information visit [About Task Manager](https://www.pcworld.com/article/241693/how_to_use_task_manager.html).![](https://mlml.sjsu.edu/itech/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/06/WinTaskMgr.png)

</div></div></div></div></div></div>#####  

#### **Resource Monitor**

<div id="bkmrk-the-resource-%28and-pe"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div>- The Resource (and Performance) Monitor in Windows allows the user to monitor CPU and memory usage, and disk and network activity in real time. It’s a great resource if your computer or your software is running slow and you’d like to see what program is causing the slowdown.
- You can access the Resource Monitor by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete (press all three keys at once). Once the screen changes color and a menu pops up, click **Task Manager**. The Resource Monitor is a tab, **Performance,** within the Task Manager window.

</div></div></div></div></div></div>![](https://kb.mlml.sjsu.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2019-02-Feb/scaled-840-0/image-1550604755764.png)

<div id="bkmrk-there-is-a-more-deta"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div>- There is a more detailed Resource Monitor within the Performance tab. At the bottom of the dialog window, there is a button **Open Resource Monitor**, with a speedometer icon. Click on this for a resource monitor where you can find details on which programs are eating up resources.
- For more information visit [PC World Resource Monitor](https://www.pcworld.com/article/241677/how_to_use_resource_monitor.html).

</div></div></div></div></div></div>![](https://kb.mlml.sjsu.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2019-02-Feb/scaled-840-0/image-1550604776478.png)

#####  

#### **Event Viewer**

<div id="bkmrk-log-files-such-as-se"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div>- Log files such as security changes, administrative files, application files, etc. are all compiled for viewing in the Event Viewer. It can be very helpful in locating a source of a problem if your computer starts to have issues.
- For more information visit [How to Use Event Viewer](http://www.dummies.com/computers/operating-systems/windows-10/how-to-use-event-viewer-in-windows-10/).
- To use Event Viewer to detect problems in your PC visit [Microsoft Support - Event Viewer](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/302542/how-to-diagnose-system-problems-with-event-viewer-in-microsoft-windows).

</div></div></div></div></div></div>#### **Uninstall Unnecessary Applications**

<div id="bkmrk-one-simple-way-to-cl-0"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div>- One simple way to clear disk space and keep your computer running smoothly is to uninstall applications you don’t need/use.
- <span style="color: #ff0000;">*NOTE: Make sure you know what the application function is before you delete it, some applications are key to keeping your computer functioning properly.*</span>
- Find the list of applications by following [these instructions](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17161/windows-10-find-all-your-apps-and-programs).
- [How to Uninstall Windows Applications](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4028054/windows-10-repair-or-remove-programs)

</div></div></div></div></div></div><div id="bkmrk--4"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>#  

## 3rd Party Tools

<div id="bkmrk--5"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div>---

</div></div></div></div></div></div>###### See the list of 3rd party tools below, or visit these websites:

<div id="bkmrk-mac-3rd-party-tools-"><div><div><div data-index="1"><div><div>- [Mac 3rd Party Tools](https://www.macworld.com/article/3151437/software/the-10-must-have-utilities-for-macos-sierra.html?page=2)
    - Etrecheck - Find serious problems on your Mac 
        - [https://etrecheck.com/](https://etrecheck.com/)
        - [https://etrecheck.com/faq](https://etrecheck.com/faq)
    - MacKeeper - <span style="color: #ff0000;">*DO NOT USE THIS!*</span> (Uninstall if present) 
        - [Uninstall Instructions](https://www.macworld.com/article/2861435/software-utilities/how-to-uninstall-mackeeper-from-your-mac.html) - be sure to clean up bits that may be leftover
- [PC 3rd Party Tools](https://www.pcauthority.com.au/feature/six-of-the-best-third-party-apps-to-transform-windows-10-430125)

</div></div></div></div></div></div><div id="bkmrk-mac-os-caffeine-quic"><div><div data-index="1"><div><div><table style="width: 464px;"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 220px;">###### **Mac OS**

- [Caffeine](http://lightheadsw.com/caffeine/)
- [Quicksilver](https://qsapp.com/)
- [Spectacle](https://www.spectacleapp.com/)
- [Synergy](https://symless.com/synergy)
- [iStat Menus](https://bjango.com/mac/istatmenus/)
- [Dropbox](https://www.dropbox.com/?landing=dbv2)
- [Spotify](https://www.spotify.com/us/)
- [Google Chrome](https://www.google.com/chrome/)
- [Sublime Text](https://www.sublimetext.com/3)

</td><td style="width: 244px;">###### **Windows**

- [Ninite](https://ninite.com/)
- [Synergy](https://symless.com/synergy)
- [7-Zip](https://www.7-zip.org/)
- [VLC Media Player](https://www.videolan.org/vlc/)
- [Spotify](https://www.spotify.com/us/)
- [FileZilla](https://filezilla-project.org/)
- [WinDirStat](https://windirstat.net/)
- [CPU-Z](https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html)
- [GPU-Z](https://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/)
- [Dropbox](https://www.dropbox.com/?landing=dbv2)
- [Google Chrome](https://www.google.com/chrome/)
- [Notepad++](https://notepad-plus-plus.org/)
- [Sublime Text](https://www.sublimetext.com/3)

</td></tr></tbody></table>

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