Just go to the Control Panel under the Start Menu’s Settings option, click Add/Remove Programs, and then the Windows Setup tab. Scroll down to System Tools, click the Details button, and put check marks next to the two programs.

 Keep clicking OK to finish up.



 System Resource Meter.

System Resource Meter is a relatively simple program that keeps track of a few basic indicators of your system’s performance. When the meter is running, a small icon that looks like four small green lights resides in the Taskbar. As the lights disappear, your system is using more and more resources. When only one light is left, the indicator turns from green to red to let you know resources must be freed to avoid “insufficient memory” errors that could cause data loss in some situations.

There are a couple of ways to see a more detailed view of the data System Resource Meter tracks. A quick method is to let the mouse pointer momentarily hover over the Taskbar indicator. A pop-up box appears with specific percentages relating to several resource types.

 Double-clicking the resource indicator brings up a larger version of this graph.

Both the tiny pop-up and larger bar graphs show three measurements: system resources, user resources, and graphics device interface (GDI) resources. These three critical memory areas are limited in size no matter how much RAM a machine has for reasons that go all the way back to the dark days of DOS. If one of these indicators drops below 50%, your system can start to seem sluggish. Closing open windows and programs will generally free up resources, although some programs may refuse to hand back the memory they were using. 

  System Monitor.

System Monitor is a fancier version of System Resource Meter that will track a much larger range of resource indicators, as well as let you view changes in usage over time. A good way to figure out how to use this resource meter is to open up the program and start experimenting.

Unlike System Resource Meter, the System Monitor does not live in the Taskbar but rather presents its own window full of information. To pick among the available charts, go to the Edit menu and choose Add Item. Categories of charts line the left side of the screen while individual choices in each category are displayed on the right side. You can add more than one chart at a time by holding CTRL while clicking the different items. Click the Explain button to see details about a particular type of chart. To begin seeing the charts in action, click OK.

All of the different statistics will parade across your window in three ways according to your preference. Line charts are the best for watching resources ebb and flow. Bar charts give you a quick view of the data along with maximum values. Numeric charts forego the graphics for a more exact representation. You can switch from one type of view to the other by clicking the different buttons on the toolbar. One key to understanding the line charts is to realize the scale automatically changes as the values increase or decrease, so glance at the axis to see just what you are looking at. It is possible to switch to a fixed scale in the Edit Item command under the Edit menu.

Detailed instructions on using System Monitor

Other Tools.
Another quick way to get a snapshot of your computer’s free resources is to right-click My Computer, select Properties and choose the Performance tab in the box that appears. Beneath the amount of total memory installed is the percentage of overall system resources that are free. Windows 98 also includes a program called System Information (When you click Start, select Programs, Accessories, and System Tools) that provides this and other information.

For a more detailed view of how your computer is performing, use a monitoring program, such as Symantec’s Norton Utilities. This comprehensive package gives information on every measurement of system resources imaginable.