Workshop

Windows
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You can check Windows 9x resources by using the System Resource Meter, and you can check hardware
limits by using the System Monitor. Both of these programs can be installed from the Control Panel (see
Figure 8.2). Here are the steps involved:
1. Choose Start|Settings|Control Panel.
2. Choose Add/Remove Programs from the Control Panel window.
3. Click the Windows Setup tab.
4. Check the Accessories option (if you’re using Windows 98, click System Tools).
5. Click Details.
6. Click the System Monitor and System Resource Meter options.
7. Click OK.
8. Insert the Windows CD-ROM when prompted. (Some systems have the Windows setup files
installed on the hard drive, so you might not have to perform this step.)
9. Run the tools by using the Accessories|System Tools menu. (No rebooting required.)
Figure 8.2 Adding System Resource Meter and System Monitor to Windows 9x.
System Resource Meter
You can use System Resource Meter to make sure a given workstation isn’t running out of resources. It’s
particularly effective to run System Resource Meter, try something that you’re having trouble with, and
watch the bar graph change. You might see it go into the yellow or red, which would indicate resource
issues—this might mean you need to add memory, use a less resource-intensive application, or run fewer
applications simultaneously.
For example, let’s say that you’re having trouble printing from WordPerfect—nothing terrible, except
that your printed output doesn’t look the way it should. You’re printing a rather complex newsletter and
suspect that you might be running out of gas on your workstation. You run the System Resource Meter
and see a new icon appear on your system tray. Because the icon is not green, you suspect that you’re
running out of Windows system resources. To verify that this is your problem, do the following: