System Performance

Correct Answer: Resource Monitor

Resource Monitor is the most useful Windows tool for identifying bottlenecks when a user complains of slow system performance while running multiple applications. Here's why:

1. Resource Monitor provides real-time, detailed information about CPU, memory, disk, and network usage.
2. It allows users to see which specific processes are consuming the most resources.
3. The tool can help identify which applications or services are causing performance issues.
4. It offers more in-depth information than Task Manager, making it ideal for troubleshooting performance problems.

The other options are less suitable for this specific task:

Device Manager is primarily used for managing hardware devices and drivers, not for monitoring system performance.

System Configuration (msconfig) is mainly used for managing startup programs and boot options, not for real-time performance monitoring.

Performance Monitor with extensive custom counters, while powerful, is more complex and time-consuming to set up. It's better suited for long-term monitoring and analysis rather than quick troubleshooting of immediate performance issues.

Resource Monitor provides the right balance of detailed information and ease of use for quickly identifying performance bottlenecks in a multi-application scenario.

Correct Answer: Check for malware or resource-intensive applications

The best solution is to check for malware or resource-intensive applications. When the CPU usage is consistently at 100%, it indicates that something is consuming all the processing power. This could be caused by malware running in the background or legitimate applications that are very demanding on the CPU. Upgrading the graphics card, disabling antivirus software, or adding more storage would not directly address the high CPU usage issue. The first step should be to investigate what processes are causing the high CPU utilization and take appropriate action, such as removing malware or optimizing resource-intensive applications.

Correct Answer: Install additional RAM

Installing additional RAM will allow the laptop to handle multiple open applications more efficiently and improve the overall system performance.