T
Tiberius
Guest
For the benefit of everyone using vista (mostly for new users).. here you
go...
http://news.softpedia.com/news/20-Hidden-Windows-Vista-Tools-67133.shtml
The default installation of Windows Vista weighs in at approximately 8 GB.
In fact, Microsoft's latest operating system won't even install with less
than 15 GB of space available on the hard drive. This is valid for both the
low-end and the high-end editions of the platform. A full Vista installation
will take up no less than 40 times more hard disk space compared to Windows
95's 200 MB and five times more than Windows XP's 1.5 GB. Part of the reason
why Vista hugs so much hard disk real estate space is the fact that the
operating system brings to the table a plethora of built-in administrative
tools that ship by default with the platform.
In this context, the term hidden, is not entirely accurate. Advanced users
and system administrators have no problems tracking down and using the
administrative tools in Vista. But at the same time, an average user could
pass right by them, just because of their low footprint in the operating
system's fabric, as they simply have a way to go by virtually undocumented
and unnoticed. But this does not mean that the tools are not there, it just
requires a bit of digging under the surface. And you will be surprised of
how many long-time Windows users have failed to take a deeper look under the
hood of the operating system, even if it would make their life so much
easier.
You'll be surprised of what is lying beneath. But at the same time you have
to understand that a large part of these utilities are not new to Vista,
although they all suffered enhancements. Some of them are obviously
survivors from older editions of Windows. But this is besides the point. You
should at least be aware of the luxuriant resources within your grasp,
provided of course that you are running Windows Vista. Also, while the tools
exemplified in this article are to a certain degree common to all SKUs of
Vista, you would do better to focus on the high-end editions of the
operating system, such as Business, Enterprise and Ultimate, and less on
Home Basic and Home Premium, as
some items might be missing or limited in functionality on the latter two
examples of the platform.
1. Task Manager
Right, I thought I would debut with something as common as the Start Menu.
The Windows Task Manager can be launched via Ctrl + Shift + Esc, or by Alt +
Ctrl + Delete, as well as by right clicking the Taskbar and choosing Task
Manager from the options in the contextual menu that pops up. The Windows
Task Manager in Vista is designed to run with standard user privileges, and
as such, will not deliver a User Account Prompt. The tool will permit you to
manage Applications, Processes, Services, and to monitor Performance,
Networking and the active Users through the corresponding tabs. If you are
looking to kill a program that is not responding, identify the process
associated with a certain program or simply check the CPU cycles or the
amount of system memory cached, then Task Manager is the simplest and most
accessible tool.
2. Network and Sharing Center
"The Network and Sharing Center puts you in control of your network
connectivity. It's a place where you can check your connection status, view
your network visually, and troubleshoot connection problems. The Network and
Sharing Center informs you about your network and verifies whether your PC
can successfully access the Internet-then summarizes this info in the form
of a Network Map," reads a fragment of Microsoft's description of the
resource.
But the Network and Sharing Center is only the surface of the Windows
Network Diagnostics tool in Windows Vista, an automated utility designed to
identify, diagnose and resolve connectivity problems. And in its turn, the
Windows Network Diagnostics tool is just a part of the Network Diagnostics
Framework (NDF) in Vista. Every time you will run into connectivity issues,
NDF can provide a way out. The Network and Sharing Center is located under
Control Panel, Network and Internet.
3. Backup, Shadow Copies, System Restore
There is an intimate connection between backup, shadow copies, system
restore and restore points in Windows Vista. And there are two locations
that will permit you to both have a general perspective of the status of the
capabilities mentioned and to configure them, the Backup Status and
Configuration and the Backup and Restore Center. Both can be launched by
entering "Backup" in the search box under the Start Menu.
Via the Backup Status and Configuration you will be able to manage automatic
file backup and handle the settings, as well as perform advanced restore or
a complete PC backup. The Backup and Restore Center offers basically the
same functionality but is additionally focused on creating system restore
point and activating the shadow copies' features.
4. Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption
Available exclusively in Windows Vista Enterprise and Ultimate, Windows
BitLocker Drive Encryption is designed to help ensure the privacy of
sensitive data by encryption. Although the default configuration of
BitLocker requires a Trust Platform Module, the fact of the matter is that
TPMs are rare in use outside of corporate environments, but users will be
able to use the tool nonetheless, although without some functionality. With
Windows Vista SP1, the Redmond company will also allow users to encrypt
additional volumes on top of the operating system drive, protected by
default.
"During computer startup, if BitLocker detects a system condition that could
represent a security risk (for example, disk errors, a change to the BIOS ,
or changes to any startup files), it will lock the drive and require a
special BitLocker recovery password to unlock it. Make sure that you create
this recovery password when you turn on BitLocker for the first time;
otherwise, you could permanently lose access to your files", is the warning
Microsoft provides with the use of BitLocker.
5. Program Compatibility Wizard
The Program Compatibility Wizard under Control Panel and Programs will
permit you to use an older program with Windows Vista. The tool is designed
to help users that are experiencing functionality issues with an application
in Vista, although the problems were not there with a prior version of
Windows. The wizard will detect all the programs installed, and also permit
the selection and testing of compatibility settings. Everything from display
settings, to desktop composition and to administrative privileges can be set
through the wizard.
6. Microsoft Management Console 3.0
"Microsoft Management Console (MMC) hosts administrative tools that you can
use to administer networks, computers, services, and other system
components," reads an excerpt of the Redmond company's description of the
resource. The Microsoft Management Console 3.0, also known as Console Root
or Console 1, has been around since Windows 2000. You can open it by typing
"mmc" in the Search box under the Start menu, in a Run dialog box or in a
command prompt window. MMC is essentially not an administrative tool, as it
does not perform any such tasks, but it does provide hosting for various
components including: Local security Policy, Computer Management, Event
Viewer, and the Reliability and Performance Monitor as snap-ins which can be
added for local or remote computers on the network.
7. Computer Management
Computer Management is a collection of administrative components. Accessible
by entering "Computer Management" in the Search box under Start Menu, you
can find items placed in three categories: System Tools, Storage and
Services and Applications. Computer Management comes with the Task
Scheduler, Event Viewer, Shared Folders, Local Users and Groups, the
Reliability and Performance Monitor, Device Manager, Disk Management, as
well as Services and WMI Control.
8. WMI - Windows Management Instrumentation
"Effective management of PC and server systems in an enterprise network
benefits from well-instrumented computer software and hardware, which allow
system components to be monitored and controlled, both locally and remotely.
Microsoft is committed to simplifying instrumentation of hardware and
software under Microsoft Windows operating systems. Microsoft is also
committed to providing consistent access to this instrumentation for both
Windows-based management systems and legacy management systems that are
hosted in other environments. The foundations for manageability in Windows
operating systems are Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI; formerly
known as WBEM) and WMI extensions for Windows Driver Model," reveals the
company's introduction on WMI.
9. Services
Typing "Services" in the Search box under the Start Menu will open the tool
with exactly this name. Essentially, the utility will provide an exhaustive
list of all the processes in Windows Vista complete with name, description,
status and startup type. The console will allow you to stop, restart or
start various services across the operating system, as well as getting an
insight into all the properties of the services enumerated by the tool.
10. Disk Management
Disk Management in Windows Vista is under Control Panel, System and
Maintenance, Administrative Tools, Computer Management, Storage. A breeze to
navigate if you were to ask me. The system utility will help you manage
partitions and hard disks. Disk initialization, creating volumes, and
formatting with the FAT, FAT32, or NTFS file systems are all tasks offered
by Disk Management.
11. Device Manager
"Device Manager provides you with a graphical view of the hardware that is
installed on your computer. All devices communicate with Windows through a
piece of software called a device driver. You can use Device Manager to
install and update the drivers for your hardware devices, modify hardware
settings for those devices, and troubleshoot problems", is the overview
Microsoft provides of the tool. Device Manager permits users to modify
hardware configuration settings, get a complete overview of all devices,
perform device drivers installation and uninstallation actions, as well as
enable and disable certain items.
12. Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor
Under Control Panel, System and Maintenance, Administrative Tools, the
Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor is the big brother of the
monitoring features provided by the Task Manager. The tool will offer a
closer view at the CPU, the hard disk, Network activity and System Memory.
Users can both monitor the system's performance in real time or choose to
create logs of data collected and stored for further analysis.
13. Local Users and Groups
This is the perfect location to manage accounts in Windows Vista. You will
be able to create and handle user accounts and the details related to them
such as Groups and privileges. The Local Users and Groups console offers a
location to activate the two built-in accounts that ship with Vista: Guest
and Administrator. While Guest can be all but ignored, I am sure that the
account for the Absolute Administrator of Vista is the kind of freedom some
users will want.
14. Event Viewer
"The Event Viewer is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in that
enables you to browse and manage event logs. It is an indispensable tool for
monitoring the health of systems and troubleshooting issues when they arise.
Event Viewer enables you to perform the following tasks: view events from
multiple event logs; save useful event filters as custom views that can be
reused; schedule a task to run in response to an event and create and manage
event subscriptions", reads the tool's overview.
15. Task Scheduler
The Task Scheduler is also hosted under Control Panel, System and
Maintenance, Administrative Tools and the name is pretty much explanatory.
You can use the tool to schedule automated tasks in concordance with a
specific time or a certain event. The utility will also offer a complete
library of scheduled tasks allowing you to delete unnecessary items, in
addition to options such as run, disable and modify.
16. Memory Diagnostics Tool
Normally, you will access the Memory Diagnostics Tool via the Windows Vista
installation disk. But there is also another way. The utility can be found
under Control Panel, System and Maintenance, Administrative Tools and, when
launched, it will offer to restart immediately and check for RAM problems,
or analyze the system memory the next time the computer is started. This is
a very useful tool that will identify and diagnose memory problems.
17. System Configuration
System Configuration can be launched by entering "msconfig" in the Search
box under the Start menu. It will offer users five tabs and with them the
possibility to manage the startup process, boot options, the services across
Vista, a reduced list of start-up items as well as providing shortcuts to a
range of tools in the operating system. Under the Tools tab, you will be
able to find some more hidden Vista goodies such as Internet Protocol
Configuration, UAC and easy access to the registry.
18. System Information
"System Information (also known as msinfo32.exe) shows details about your
computer's hardware configuration, computer components, and software,
including drivers," reads the general description of the tool. System
Information offers users a view over System Summary, the Hardware Resources
and the Software Environment. The tool will display information about the
operating system and its general settings, hardware and programs. Just type
"msinfo32.exe" in the Search box under the Start Menu in order to launch it.
19. Windows Firewall with Advanced Security
Windows Firewall with Advanced Security is a bit of a hidden gem in Windows
Vista. Located under Control Panel, Administrative Tools the tool is a
bundle between a host firewall and Ipsec. If you want control over packets
for IPv4 and IPv6 traffic, then this utility is the right answer for you, no
doubt about it. You will be able to configure rules that will then apply to
all incoming and outgoing traffic.
20. Local Security Policy
Also placed under Control Panel, Administrative Tools, the Local Security
Policy will allow you to configure policies for the Vista Accounts, Local
Policies, Public Key Policies, Software Restrictions Policies, IP Security
Policies on Local Computer and the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.
go...
http://news.softpedia.com/news/20-Hidden-Windows-Vista-Tools-67133.shtml
The default installation of Windows Vista weighs in at approximately 8 GB.
In fact, Microsoft's latest operating system won't even install with less
than 15 GB of space available on the hard drive. This is valid for both the
low-end and the high-end editions of the platform. A full Vista installation
will take up no less than 40 times more hard disk space compared to Windows
95's 200 MB and five times more than Windows XP's 1.5 GB. Part of the reason
why Vista hugs so much hard disk real estate space is the fact that the
operating system brings to the table a plethora of built-in administrative
tools that ship by default with the platform.
In this context, the term hidden, is not entirely accurate. Advanced users
and system administrators have no problems tracking down and using the
administrative tools in Vista. But at the same time, an average user could
pass right by them, just because of their low footprint in the operating
system's fabric, as they simply have a way to go by virtually undocumented
and unnoticed. But this does not mean that the tools are not there, it just
requires a bit of digging under the surface. And you will be surprised of
how many long-time Windows users have failed to take a deeper look under the
hood of the operating system, even if it would make their life so much
easier.
You'll be surprised of what is lying beneath. But at the same time you have
to understand that a large part of these utilities are not new to Vista,
although they all suffered enhancements. Some of them are obviously
survivors from older editions of Windows. But this is besides the point. You
should at least be aware of the luxuriant resources within your grasp,
provided of course that you are running Windows Vista. Also, while the tools
exemplified in this article are to a certain degree common to all SKUs of
Vista, you would do better to focus on the high-end editions of the
operating system, such as Business, Enterprise and Ultimate, and less on
Home Basic and Home Premium, as
some items might be missing or limited in functionality on the latter two
examples of the platform.
1. Task Manager
Right, I thought I would debut with something as common as the Start Menu.
The Windows Task Manager can be launched via Ctrl + Shift + Esc, or by Alt +
Ctrl + Delete, as well as by right clicking the Taskbar and choosing Task
Manager from the options in the contextual menu that pops up. The Windows
Task Manager in Vista is designed to run with standard user privileges, and
as such, will not deliver a User Account Prompt. The tool will permit you to
manage Applications, Processes, Services, and to monitor Performance,
Networking and the active Users through the corresponding tabs. If you are
looking to kill a program that is not responding, identify the process
associated with a certain program or simply check the CPU cycles or the
amount of system memory cached, then Task Manager is the simplest and most
accessible tool.
2. Network and Sharing Center
"The Network and Sharing Center puts you in control of your network
connectivity. It's a place where you can check your connection status, view
your network visually, and troubleshoot connection problems. The Network and
Sharing Center informs you about your network and verifies whether your PC
can successfully access the Internet-then summarizes this info in the form
of a Network Map," reads a fragment of Microsoft's description of the
resource.
But the Network and Sharing Center is only the surface of the Windows
Network Diagnostics tool in Windows Vista, an automated utility designed to
identify, diagnose and resolve connectivity problems. And in its turn, the
Windows Network Diagnostics tool is just a part of the Network Diagnostics
Framework (NDF) in Vista. Every time you will run into connectivity issues,
NDF can provide a way out. The Network and Sharing Center is located under
Control Panel, Network and Internet.
3. Backup, Shadow Copies, System Restore
There is an intimate connection between backup, shadow copies, system
restore and restore points in Windows Vista. And there are two locations
that will permit you to both have a general perspective of the status of the
capabilities mentioned and to configure them, the Backup Status and
Configuration and the Backup and Restore Center. Both can be launched by
entering "Backup" in the search box under the Start Menu.
Via the Backup Status and Configuration you will be able to manage automatic
file backup and handle the settings, as well as perform advanced restore or
a complete PC backup. The Backup and Restore Center offers basically the
same functionality but is additionally focused on creating system restore
point and activating the shadow copies' features.
4. Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption
Available exclusively in Windows Vista Enterprise and Ultimate, Windows
BitLocker Drive Encryption is designed to help ensure the privacy of
sensitive data by encryption. Although the default configuration of
BitLocker requires a Trust Platform Module, the fact of the matter is that
TPMs are rare in use outside of corporate environments, but users will be
able to use the tool nonetheless, although without some functionality. With
Windows Vista SP1, the Redmond company will also allow users to encrypt
additional volumes on top of the operating system drive, protected by
default.
"During computer startup, if BitLocker detects a system condition that could
represent a security risk (for example, disk errors, a change to the BIOS ,
or changes to any startup files), it will lock the drive and require a
special BitLocker recovery password to unlock it. Make sure that you create
this recovery password when you turn on BitLocker for the first time;
otherwise, you could permanently lose access to your files", is the warning
Microsoft provides with the use of BitLocker.
5. Program Compatibility Wizard
The Program Compatibility Wizard under Control Panel and Programs will
permit you to use an older program with Windows Vista. The tool is designed
to help users that are experiencing functionality issues with an application
in Vista, although the problems were not there with a prior version of
Windows. The wizard will detect all the programs installed, and also permit
the selection and testing of compatibility settings. Everything from display
settings, to desktop composition and to administrative privileges can be set
through the wizard.
6. Microsoft Management Console 3.0
"Microsoft Management Console (MMC) hosts administrative tools that you can
use to administer networks, computers, services, and other system
components," reads an excerpt of the Redmond company's description of the
resource. The Microsoft Management Console 3.0, also known as Console Root
or Console 1, has been around since Windows 2000. You can open it by typing
"mmc" in the Search box under the Start menu, in a Run dialog box or in a
command prompt window. MMC is essentially not an administrative tool, as it
does not perform any such tasks, but it does provide hosting for various
components including: Local security Policy, Computer Management, Event
Viewer, and the Reliability and Performance Monitor as snap-ins which can be
added for local or remote computers on the network.
7. Computer Management
Computer Management is a collection of administrative components. Accessible
by entering "Computer Management" in the Search box under Start Menu, you
can find items placed in three categories: System Tools, Storage and
Services and Applications. Computer Management comes with the Task
Scheduler, Event Viewer, Shared Folders, Local Users and Groups, the
Reliability and Performance Monitor, Device Manager, Disk Management, as
well as Services and WMI Control.
8. WMI - Windows Management Instrumentation
"Effective management of PC and server systems in an enterprise network
benefits from well-instrumented computer software and hardware, which allow
system components to be monitored and controlled, both locally and remotely.
Microsoft is committed to simplifying instrumentation of hardware and
software under Microsoft Windows operating systems. Microsoft is also
committed to providing consistent access to this instrumentation for both
Windows-based management systems and legacy management systems that are
hosted in other environments. The foundations for manageability in Windows
operating systems are Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI; formerly
known as WBEM) and WMI extensions for Windows Driver Model," reveals the
company's introduction on WMI.
9. Services
Typing "Services" in the Search box under the Start Menu will open the tool
with exactly this name. Essentially, the utility will provide an exhaustive
list of all the processes in Windows Vista complete with name, description,
status and startup type. The console will allow you to stop, restart or
start various services across the operating system, as well as getting an
insight into all the properties of the services enumerated by the tool.
10. Disk Management
Disk Management in Windows Vista is under Control Panel, System and
Maintenance, Administrative Tools, Computer Management, Storage. A breeze to
navigate if you were to ask me. The system utility will help you manage
partitions and hard disks. Disk initialization, creating volumes, and
formatting with the FAT, FAT32, or NTFS file systems are all tasks offered
by Disk Management.
11. Device Manager
"Device Manager provides you with a graphical view of the hardware that is
installed on your computer. All devices communicate with Windows through a
piece of software called a device driver. You can use Device Manager to
install and update the drivers for your hardware devices, modify hardware
settings for those devices, and troubleshoot problems", is the overview
Microsoft provides of the tool. Device Manager permits users to modify
hardware configuration settings, get a complete overview of all devices,
perform device drivers installation and uninstallation actions, as well as
enable and disable certain items.
12. Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor
Under Control Panel, System and Maintenance, Administrative Tools, the
Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor is the big brother of the
monitoring features provided by the Task Manager. The tool will offer a
closer view at the CPU, the hard disk, Network activity and System Memory.
Users can both monitor the system's performance in real time or choose to
create logs of data collected and stored for further analysis.
13. Local Users and Groups
This is the perfect location to manage accounts in Windows Vista. You will
be able to create and handle user accounts and the details related to them
such as Groups and privileges. The Local Users and Groups console offers a
location to activate the two built-in accounts that ship with Vista: Guest
and Administrator. While Guest can be all but ignored, I am sure that the
account for the Absolute Administrator of Vista is the kind of freedom some
users will want.
14. Event Viewer
"The Event Viewer is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in that
enables you to browse and manage event logs. It is an indispensable tool for
monitoring the health of systems and troubleshooting issues when they arise.
Event Viewer enables you to perform the following tasks: view events from
multiple event logs; save useful event filters as custom views that can be
reused; schedule a task to run in response to an event and create and manage
event subscriptions", reads the tool's overview.
15. Task Scheduler
The Task Scheduler is also hosted under Control Panel, System and
Maintenance, Administrative Tools and the name is pretty much explanatory.
You can use the tool to schedule automated tasks in concordance with a
specific time or a certain event. The utility will also offer a complete
library of scheduled tasks allowing you to delete unnecessary items, in
addition to options such as run, disable and modify.
16. Memory Diagnostics Tool
Normally, you will access the Memory Diagnostics Tool via the Windows Vista
installation disk. But there is also another way. The utility can be found
under Control Panel, System and Maintenance, Administrative Tools and, when
launched, it will offer to restart immediately and check for RAM problems,
or analyze the system memory the next time the computer is started. This is
a very useful tool that will identify and diagnose memory problems.
17. System Configuration
System Configuration can be launched by entering "msconfig" in the Search
box under the Start menu. It will offer users five tabs and with them the
possibility to manage the startup process, boot options, the services across
Vista, a reduced list of start-up items as well as providing shortcuts to a
range of tools in the operating system. Under the Tools tab, you will be
able to find some more hidden Vista goodies such as Internet Protocol
Configuration, UAC and easy access to the registry.
18. System Information
"System Information (also known as msinfo32.exe) shows details about your
computer's hardware configuration, computer components, and software,
including drivers," reads the general description of the tool. System
Information offers users a view over System Summary, the Hardware Resources
and the Software Environment. The tool will display information about the
operating system and its general settings, hardware and programs. Just type
"msinfo32.exe" in the Search box under the Start Menu in order to launch it.
19. Windows Firewall with Advanced Security
Windows Firewall with Advanced Security is a bit of a hidden gem in Windows
Vista. Located under Control Panel, Administrative Tools the tool is a
bundle between a host firewall and Ipsec. If you want control over packets
for IPv4 and IPv6 traffic, then this utility is the right answer for you, no
doubt about it. You will be able to configure rules that will then apply to
all incoming and outgoing traffic.
20. Local Security Policy
Also placed under Control Panel, Administrative Tools, the Local Security
Policy will allow you to configure policies for the Vista Accounts, Local
Policies, Public Key Policies, Software Restrictions Policies, IP Security
Policies on Local Computer and the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.
