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Process Monitor vs FileActivityWatch: catalog facts
Process Monitor	FileActivityWatch
Free Free to download and use, published by Microsoft as part of the Sysinternals suite. The…	Free Freeware from NirSoft with no paid tier.
Windows	Windows
Shows the exact file or registry path that failed and the result code it returned Non-destructive filtering, so you can narrow down after capturing rather than before	Links each file operation to the process that made it Folder and drive summary modes
Windows only for the main version Generates enormous volumes of events; filtering is mandatory, not optional	Requires running as Administrator Windows only
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Closed source	Closed source
License not stated	License: Freeware
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 8, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.