How do you tell which process belongs to OS X?

sc_marktsc_markt
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Anybody know how to tell which of the processes running belong to OS X?



Whenever I open the activity monitor, I get spooked looking at all the different processes running. Is there some site that lists which processes belong to which app?



Thanks in advance to all who answer...

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    thinkingdifferentthinkingdifferent Posts: 1,604member
    From a terminal window type execute the following command : ps aux.
  • Reply 2 of 7
    buonrottobuonrotto Posts: 6,368member
    Are you using Panther? If so, open the Activity Monitor app and use the pop-up that's on the upper right of the toolbar by default. It' usually starts with "User processes." so these are threads that are owned by you, not the system. There's al also windowed processes (apps we think of except for the login window and the SystemUI server, which technically have windows open we're not aware of. Admin Processes are ones you do not own, that the system is running as root, wheel, admin or whatever.
  • Reply 3 of 7
    hypoluxahypoluxa Posts: 694member
    actually Id like to know what the processes are and what they are doing exactly. Like when you highlight one, it would tell you some where what it does and why it is running etc..that way you know if you need it on or not.
  • Reply 4 of 7
    sc_marktsc_markt Posts: 1,402member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BuonRotto

    Are you using Panther? If so, open the Activity Monitor app and use the pop-up that's on the upper right of the toolbar by default. It' usually starts with "User processes." so these are threads that are owned by you, not the system. There's al also windowed processes (apps we think of except for the login window and the SystemUI server, which technically have windows open we're not aware of. Admin Processes are ones you do not own, that the system is running as root, wheel, admin or whatever.



    Yes. I was looking at the Activity monitor and that what made me question what all the processes are. One in particular is mDNSresonder.



    Isn't there some web site that lists all the system processes? I just want to know what they are.



    Thanks for the response.
  • Reply 5 of 7
    buonrottobuonrotto Posts: 6,368member
    Ask and ye shall receive!



    http://www.westwind.com/reference/OS...processes.html
  • Reply 6 of 7
    vox barbaravox barbara Posts: 2,021member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BuonRotto

    Ask and ye shall receive!



    http://www.westwind.com/reference/OS...processes.html



    wow, that is what i call superfast mind transmitting, ... er ... do you know me?



    thank you, BR, for fast response and exceptional quality of your posts.
  • Reply 7 of 7
    sc_marktsc_markt Posts: 1,402member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BuonRotto

    Ask and ye shall receive!



    http://www.westwind.com/reference/OS...processes.html



    Great! And thanks a lot!
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