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To find out what is slowing a computer, open its built-in process monitor, sort by CPU or memory, and check whether the reading stays high while the problem occurs. A high percentage is a clue, not a diagnosis: a brief CPU spike may be normal, and high RAM use can reflect caching rather than a shortage. Start with the steps for your operating system below, then investigate patterns before closing processes or changing hardware.
What to check before changing anything
First identify whether the computer runs Windows or Linux and describe the symptom: general slowness, a loud fan, a frozen application, or a resource warning. While the symptom is happening, note overall CPU and memory use and the processes using the most. Check again after a short interval. A temporary burst and a reading that remains elevated call for different responses.
Look at CPU, memory, disk, and network together where the tools make that possible. One process percentage by itself may not explain the slowdown; a different resource or a wider system bottleneck may be involved.
Check RAM and CPU usage in Windows
Use Task Manager for a quick view
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager.
- In Processes, select the CPU or Memory column to sort by that resource and bring the largest current users into view.
- Open Performance to see CPU and memory graphs. Task Manager provides live resource tables and charts; labels and layout can vary somewhat by Windows version.
Microsoft’s Task Manager documentation describes this built-in view: Task Manager and process monitoring.
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Investigate beyond the process list
If Task Manager does not explain the symptom, use Resource Monitor for more detail about processes and resource activity. For a longer or more granular investigation, Performance Monitor can record built-in counters. Microsoft recommends relating a process’s Working Set to available memory when looking for RAM consumers. Working Set means the resident RAM used by a process; it is not the same as committed virtual memory, which includes RAM and page-file capacity. See Microsoft’s guidance on troubleshooting high CPU usage and Windows performance counters and memory.
Microsoft’s guidance that CPU usage remaining at 80 percent or higher for an extended period merits investigation is specifically for supported Windows Server versions. It is not a universal threshold for every Windows PC or workload. The same guidance notes that temporary spikes can be normal.
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Check RAM and CPU usage in Linux
Watch processes
Run top in a terminal for a live process view. htop is another interactive process monitor. To add system-level context, use free, vmstat, or pidstat. Availability and presentation can depend on the Linux distribution and installed tools. Microsoft’s Linux performance guidance discusses these tools in its Azure virtual-machine troubleshooting context: Linux performance bottlenecks.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteInterpret memory and CPU readings carefully
Linux may use otherwise available memory for cache, so the amount shown as used does not alone establish a shortage. Check whether available memory is low, swapping is occurring, or out-of-memory (OOM) events are being reported, and relate those signs to the symptoms. Microsoft’s Linux guidance is written for Azure virtual machines; individual distributions and workloads can differ.
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CPU percentages also depend on how the monitor reports them. In the Ubuntu Noble top manual, a multithreaded task can appear above 100 percent in a true SMP environment when the tool is not in Threads mode; reporting also depends on Irix or Solaris mode. Do not assume that every monitor or configuration uses the same percentage convention. See the Ubuntu Noble top manual.
Choose the right monitoring view
| Tool | Platform | Best use | Time scale and detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task Manager | Windows | Quickly sort processes by CPU or memory and view performance graphs | Live process list and graphs |
| Resource Monitor | Windows | Inspect resource activity in more detail when Task Manager does not explain the symptom | More process detail than the quick view |
| Performance Monitor | Windows | Record built-in counters for a more granular investigation | Recorded counters over time |
top or htop |
Linux | Watch processes interactively | Live process view |
free, vmstat, or pidstat |
Linux | Add memory or system-level context to process observations | System-level readings; exact presentation depends on the tool |
What to do when a process is using a lot
- Confirm the pattern. Compare the process and overall readings at more than one point while the symptom is present. Distinguish a short burst from sustained activity.
- Identify the workload. Check whether the application is doing expected work, such as an update or another resource-intensive task.
- Change only what you recognize. If it is safe, close or restart the affected application and compare readings again. Do not end unfamiliar system processes solely because a number is high.
- Escalate a persistent problem. If resource use remains high and symptoms continue, inspect detailed counters or logs and reduce avoidable workload. Consider whether the computer is undersized for the work it is expected to do.
When a RAM upgrade makes sense
Do not choose an upgrade based only on a high memory percentage. First establish that the system is under real memory pressure and that insufficient capacity is contributing to the symptoms. Then verify what memory the specific computer supports and whether it can be upgraded. Without the device’s configuration and evidence of a capacity constraint, no particular RAM upgrade can be recommended.
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