Command Reference
Get-Process
Gnojo Analysis
Understanding Get-Process
What This Command Does
Lists running processes and their resource use without stopping them.
When to Use It
Use Get-Process when troubleshooting performance issues and you need information that can help narrow down the cause.
What to Look For
Name
Executable process name.
CPU
Accumulated processor time.
WorkingSet64
Physical memory currently assigned.
Permissions
Administrator access is not normally required for this command.
Risk and impact
Get-Process is read-only; do not add Stop-Process unless you understand the impact.
Typical Next Steps
Continue troubleshooting with one of these related commands:
Summary
Lists running processes and their resource use without stopping them.
Syntax
Get-Process [[-Name] <String[]>]Examples
Get-Process | Sort-Object WorkingSet64 -Descending | Select-Object -First 10 Name, CPU, WorkingSet64Shows the ten processes using the most memory.
Permissions
Administrator required: No
Some protected process details may be hidden without elevation.
Risk and Impact
Risk level: Low
Changes the system: No
Get-Process is read-only; do not add Stop-Process unless you understand the impact.
Supported Platforms
Important Output Fields
Name
Executable process name.
CPU
Accumulated processor time.
WorkingSet64
Physical memory currently assigned.
Common Errors
Cannot retrieve process information
Windows may restrict details for a protected or elevated process.
Related Articles
These Gnojo articles use or explain this command.
Reading Windows Performance in Task Manager
Task Manager provides a live view of the applications and Windows processes using processor, memory, disk, and network resources. The goal is to observe sustained patterns before making a change—not to end unfamiliar processes.
View ArticleRelated Commands
Continue troubleshooting with related diagnostic commands.
Official References
Get-Process
Microsoft Learn · Official Documentation