---
title: "Start System Monitor (Windows) | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "03/14/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: performance
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "System Monitor [SQL Server], starting"
  - "starting Windows System Monitor"
  - "Windows System Monitor [SQL Server], starting"
ms.assetid: 5e51bb79-5737-470b-9c47-fac330c001c5
author: julieMSFT
ms.author: jrasnick
---
# Start System Monitor (Windows)
[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md](../../includes/appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]
  Use System Monitor to monitor the utilization of system resources. Collect and view real-time performance data in the form of counters. You can use counters for server resources, such as processor and memory use. You also can use them for many Microsoft [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] resources, such as locks and transactions.  
  
## Start System Monitor in Windows  
  
On the **Start** menu, point to **Run**, type **perfmon** in the **Run** dialog box, and then select **OK**.  
  
## See also  
 [Run System Monitor](../../relational-databases/performance-monitor/run-system-monitor.md)