Advanced Task Killer users read this.

[onesicktexan]

Iv'e had nothing but weird problems since day one of my DroidX. I just received a DX hoping it was Hardware issue's (even though I was convinced it was software related). Everyone kept telling me it was because I rooted my droid, but I disagree.

Come to find out it was Advanced Task Killer causing my problems. I had it set to "Auto Kill" and set the level to "Crazy" and set it to "When Screen Turns Off".

It was killing my alarms, Killing Txt, VM, missed call Notifications, and restarting my phone because it was killing an important process....

IDK if anyone has already posted something about this (I didnt see anything) so I figured i'd throw it out there. Im still currently using ATK but the Auto Kill is turned off. Sending New DX back to Verizon.

 

[Dark Matter]

When I was using ATK it would cause my phone to randomly restart.
It was annoying so I just dumped it. I use system panel now.

 

[JubbaTheHutt]

Since receiving my replacement X, the first thing I did was install ATK and have yet to have a single problem. To be quite honest, it's given me, or at least noticeably, a minor boost in battery.

I'm all for Android's built in task killing system, but it's amazing to see just how many programs/apps are running in the background.

 

[masse]

I have it set at the most conservative auto kill settings with a half hour frequency. It more than doubled my battery life.

 

[onesicktexan]

Even without any battery/app task killer, the DX seems to hold a good battery life. But I agree masse, I get a huge increase in battery life, atleast it seems that I do.

 

[john0821]

I had an issue with ATK killing my alarm.. then I realized it was user error and not the app itself. Once I selected which apps to kill and to keep running, ATK turned useful again.

 

[Zumi]

I had an issue with ATK killing my alarm.. then I realized it was user error and not the app itself. Once I selected which apps to kill and to keep running, ATK turned useful again.

This x 1000000


You need to learn how to use the app properly if you want it to not mess things up. Learn which processes to keep open and which you can close. I'm still learning it myself (trial and error) but it definitely makes a difference. Also, I don't rely on the auto-kill....I do it manually every once in awhile.

 

[Piiman]

Even without any battery/app task killer, the DX seems to hold a good battery life. But I agree masse, I get a huge increase in battery life, atleast it seems that I do.

Turn it off and see.

Here's a good article on why not to use them. The OP was using it to the extreme and as you can see that's not good. If you use them on apps that aren't even running you save nothing. If you kill a running task well it was running for a reason. If you have a crazy run away app kill it and remove it.

Do you guys go around killing the task on your PC?

FAQ: Why You Shouldn

 

[jreed2560]

Since receiving my replacement X, the first thing I did was install ATK and have yet to have a single problem. To be quite honest, it's given me, or at least noticeably, a minor boost in battery.

I'm all for Android's built in task killing system, but it's amazing to see just how many programs/apps are running in the background.

Ran a test on my X today. Installed ATK and let it run on the highest settings at the shortest intervals. after running for about an hour, I checked back with Running Services. Guess what I found running. Everything.

 

[Piiman]

I'm all for Android's built in task killing system, but it's amazing to see just how many programs/apps are running in the background.

read this from the SDK

Android Developers Blog: Multitasking the Android Way

 

[rjoudrey]

I use Advanced Task Manager absolutely no problems.

 

[rjoudrey]

Everything runs better. Usually have 100mb+ available.

 

[veeeee]

Wouldn't recommend having ATK running and killing programs automatically. Use as needed, which should be rarely.

 

[Xelios]

When I was using ATK it would cause my phone to randomly restart.
It was annoying so I just dumped it. I use system panel now.

Is that what it is? My phone randomly restarts as well, I might have to get rid of it then.

 

[Szadzik]

Iv'e had nothing but weird problems since day one of my DroidX. I just received a DX hoping it was Hardware issue's (even though I was convinced it was software related). Everyone kept telling me it was because I rooted my droid, but I disagree.

Come to find out it was Advanced Task Killer causing my problems. I had it set to "Auto Kill" and set the level to "Crazy" and set it to "When Screen Turns Off".

It was killing my alarms, Killing Txt, VM, missed call Notifications, and restarting my phone because it was killing an important process....

IDK if anyone has already posted something about this (I didnt see anything) so I figured i'd throw it out there. Im still currently using ATK but the Auto Kill is turned off. Sending New DX back to Verizon.

It is just your error. Setting to kill everything will kill everything - your choice and your error not ATK's. You should set up a list of excluded apps so that it does not kill what you want to stay alive. All your fault and not ATK's.

I do not use ATK, but it is pretty obvious that you have to think when starting to use an app like that and understand how it works and not complain about the fact that it works the way it was designed to.

 

[ekyle]

I don't see the point in a task killer. I've used on and didn't see any difference on my DX or my Eris

 

[LogicX]

I use ATK and initially had rare problems with it. One time it killed my music player while listening to a song. I have it on the "safe" setting and have it kill apps every hour. You can manually uncheck programs in ATK so it won't kill that specific task when it runs. I unchecked my music player and didn't have a problem since. I also use it to long hold and application and kill it. It works for me.

 

[Piiman]

Everything runs better. Usually have 100mb+ available.

So? What does that do for you?

 

[Piiman]

It is just your error. Setting to kill everything will kill everything - your choice and your error not ATK's. You should set up a list of excluded apps so that it does not kill what you want to stay alive. All your fault and not ATK's.

I do not use ATK, but it is pretty obvious that you have to think when starting to use an app like that and understand how it works and not complain about the fact that it works the way it was designed to.

If you understand how it worked you wouldn't use one at all. If you have a badly misbehaving app find it and kill/remove it. don't kill 99 other task to get one. If you ask me task killers are for lazy people.

 

[jreed2560]

In the android OS "free" Ram is wasted ram. It doesn't bog the OS down to have things floating around in there because if an app isn't in the foreground being used (or being asked to update) then the system basically puts that app in a ready state (not active) so that it loads up quickly the next time you want to use it, and after a while it dumps that process if it is no longer needed) . The problem occurs when you have an app that isn't coded properly and won't allow itself to be put in a ready state. it wants to be active the whole time. Apps like this should not be on your phone.

 

[Piiman]

I use ATK and initially had rare problems with it. One time it killed my music player while listening to a song. I have it on the "safe" setting and have it kill apps every hour. You can manually uncheck programs in ATK so it won't kill that specific task when it runs. I unchecked my music player and didn't have a problem since. I also use it to long hold and application and kill it. It works for me.

If your using safe mode your killing task that aren't doing anything(that's why theyre safe to kill) so you gain nothing. I bet your task killer is using more battery than those other task.

 

[jreed2560]

Task Killers... The Answer from Google & Developers. - Droid Forum - Verizon Droid & the Motorola Droid Forum

A good read

just found a post by another user here. Thought I would share and give credit to who found it.

 

[Piiman]

In the android OS "free" Ram is wasted ram. It doesn't bog the OS down to have things floating around in there because if an app isn't in the foreground being used (or being asked to update) then the system basically puts that app in a ready state (not active) so that it loads up quickly the next time you want to use it, and after a while it dumps that process if it is no longer needed) . The problem occurs when you have an app that isn't coded properly and won't allow itself to be put in a ready state. it wants to be active the whole time. Apps like this should not be on your phone.

Bingo! We have a winner!

 

[LogicX]

If your using safe mode your killing task that aren't doing anything(that's why theyre safe to kill) so you gain nothing. I bet your task killer is using more battery than those other task.

So after reading a few more threads the general concensus is to not use task killers? I guess I was uncomfortable just "backing out" of a program versus seeing a close option. I read that it dynamically uses resources. I don't know if it has affected my battery life as I get pretty good usage out of it. I will uninstall it though and see if I have any negative effects/improvements. I am new to android and loving it. Always up for suggestions.

 

[jreed2560]

yeah and that link I posted pretty much says the same thing, it even has a video giving a very simple and easy to follow demonstration on the application lifecycle. OH an BTW the post is a quote from the developer of an app called System Panel, which is a task managing app. If you have to have a task manager, use SystemPanelLite Task Manager v1.0.4 Application for Android | Tools