Software to scan software?

[Zxero]

Hi guys! First time poster on Tom's Hardware, but a long time reader.

I'm looking for a program that can scan a specific active program that is running on my computer, and see exactly how that program is taxing my hardware. Need to see how much memory and processor power it uses at any given time. Would be nice if it had some kind of timeline like log file.

I've been looking all day for such a program, but what I'm looking for is a little too specific to google search easily. Trust me, I've been trying.

PS - Needs to run on Windows XP as well, no Linux or anything like that.

 

[PhilFrisbie]

You need something more than taskmgr.exe?

 

[Zxero]

Yes. The windows xp task manager only shows CPU usage, and frankly i don't think its entirely accurate. If we could run on windows 7 I would probably be able to use the resource monitor (I think thats what its called), but the xp version just isn't as good.

Any other ideas?

PS - Program would (ideally) be able to record and let me look at how the program its "testing" would stress the hardware. How much of the CPU is being used, how much memory is being taken up, and if the hard drive is being pushed to the limit with reading/writing. How and when. I'm getting doubtful that such a program exists.

PSS - Reason I'm looking is because we're trying to see what hardware upgrades might have the biggest impact on the software.

 

[PhilFrisbie]

If you are running with an AMD CPU you may try AMD CodeAnalyst It does way more than you need, but you might give it a try.

 

[jobz000]

Try Performance Monitor aka perfmon.

http://adminfoo.net/2007/04/windows-perfmon-top-ten-counters.html