Diskmon in Vista?

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Carlos

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Has anybody tested Diskmon
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb896646.aspx) in Windows
Vista?
"DiskMon is an application that logs and displays all hard disk activity on
a Windows system. You can also minimize DiskMon to your system tray where it
acts as a disk light, presenting a green icon when there is disk-read
activity and a red icon when there is disk-write activity."
Carlos
 
Re: Diskmon in Vista?

The jury is still 'out' pondering the warranty ramifications for my 64bit
dual-core, so out of boredom I installed this to my Win2K machine. I have to
say that the 80K's of code is probably a lot more interesting than the
utility itself. One interesting observation might be that the icon seems to
log much more activity than the front-panel LED is doing!


Tony. . .



"Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:95A5BC7F-8D97-4E97-9710-1BC93A57B117@microsoft.com...
> Has anybody tested Diskmon
> (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb896646.aspx) in Windows
> Vista?
> "DiskMon is an application that logs and displays all hard disk activity
on
> a Windows system. You can also minimize DiskMon to your system tray where
it
> acts as a disk light, presenting a green icon when there is disk-read
> activity and a red icon when there is disk-write activity."
> Carlos
 
Re: Diskmon in Vista?

Hi Tony,
Here's the whole story, as I was in a hurry when I posted my question this
morning.
My newest laptop (HP530) has Vista Home Premium 32-bit and doesn't have any
LED for HDD activity.
That, and the fact that the hard disk is quite silent, leads me to a
blind/deaf state for monitoring disk activity.
After googling a little, I found DiskMon and installed it on Windows XP at
work, w/o the permission of the IT guys!!!
I noticed the same as you, there's a lot of activity monitored by DiskMon
that doesn't show up in the front cabinet LED.
It seems as if small read/write operations don't have the time length
required for the human eye to see them, but DiskMon systray LED must surely
be extending that time artificially so that it is visible to the eye.
The WinXP version requires no driver at all and it is just that, an
executable. Which leads me to think that it should work in Vista x86.
Don't know whether this line of thought also applies to Vista x64.
Maybe someone jumps in and sheds some light.
Carlos

"Tony Sperling" wrote:

> The jury is still 'out' pondering the warranty ramifications for my 64bit
> dual-core, so out of boredom I installed this to my Win2K machine. I have to
> say that the 80K's of code is probably a lot more interesting than the
> utility itself. One interesting observation might be that the icon seems to
> log much more activity than the front-panel LED is doing!
>
>
> Tony. . .
>
>
>
> "Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:95A5BC7F-8D97-4E97-9710-1BC93A57B117@microsoft.com...
> > Has anybody tested Diskmon
> > (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb896646.aspx) in Windows
> > Vista?
> > "DiskMon is an application that logs and displays all hard disk activity
> on
> > a Windows system. You can also minimize DiskMon to your system tray where
> it
> > acts as a disk light, presenting a green icon when there is disk-read
> > activity and a red icon when there is disk-write activity."
> > Carlos
>
>
>
 
Re: Diskmon in Vista?

A HP without a disk activity indicator? That I find surprising, but at the
same time I'm not really surprised - I didn't put all laptops to that much
scrutiny so I can have missed any number. For that kind of application I
agree, that makes it potentially usefull. I don't think I would bother to
set it up to autostart, though.

With 80K's of binary instruction, it has got to be well written - and I
would expect nothing else from MR. According to his notes, the tool is
written as a GUI/Devicedriver combo, using a substitution technique by
intercepting the device's own driver and subverting information that it can
use to be displayed for it's own purposes. Since Devicedrivers on Vista are
written on a completely new foundation, as I understand it, your hopes may
not be realized? Let's see what people have to say.


Tony. . .


"Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9BBCBDB3-8241-4B53-B010-8568BBB0B93D@microsoft.com...
> Hi Tony,
> Here's the whole story, as I was in a hurry when I posted my question this
> morning.
> My newest laptop (HP530) has Vista Home Premium 32-bit and doesn't have
any
> LED for HDD activity.
> That, and the fact that the hard disk is quite silent, leads me to a
> blind/deaf state for monitoring disk activity.
> After googling a little, I found DiskMon and installed it on Windows XP at
> work, w/o the permission of the IT guys!!!
> I noticed the same as you, there's a lot of activity monitored by DiskMon
> that doesn't show up in the front cabinet LED.
> It seems as if small read/write operations don't have the time length
> required for the human eye to see them, but DiskMon systray LED must
surely
> be extending that time artificially so that it is visible to the eye.
> The WinXP version requires no driver at all and it is just that, an
> executable. Which leads me to think that it should work in Vista x86.
> Don't know whether this line of thought also applies to Vista x64.
> Maybe someone jumps in and sheds some light.
> Carlos
>
> "Tony Sperling" wrote:
>
> > The jury is still 'out' pondering the warranty ramifications for my
64bit
> > dual-core, so out of boredom I installed this to my Win2K machine. I
have to
> > say that the 80K's of code is probably a lot more interesting than the
> > utility itself. One interesting observation might be that the icon seems
to
> > log much more activity than the front-panel LED is doing!
> >
> >
> > Tony. . .
> >
> >
> >
> > "Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:95A5BC7F-8D97-4E97-9710-1BC93A57B117@microsoft.com...
> > > Has anybody tested Diskmon
> > > (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb896646.aspx) in
Windows
> > > Vista?
> > > "DiskMon is an application that logs and displays all hard disk
activity
> > on
> > > a Windows system. You can also minimize DiskMon to your system tray
where
> > it
> > > acts as a disk light, presenting a green icon when there is disk-read
> > > activity and a red icon when there is disk-write activity."
> > > Carlos
> >
> >
> >
 
Re: Diskmon in Vista?

Tony,
Testing it right now on Vista HP x86...
Systray "LED" always glows red, as apposed to XP where it blinks green for
"read" and red for "write".
So far so good, real LED's on cabinets do not change color when reading or
writing to HD.
Carlos

"Tony Sperling" wrote:

> A HP without a disk activity indicator? That I find surprising, but at the
> same time I'm not really surprised - I didn't put all laptops to that much
> scrutiny so I can have missed any number. For that kind of application I
> agree, that makes it potentially usefull. I don't think I would bother to
> set it up to autostart, though.
>
> With 80K's of binary instruction, it has got to be well written - and I
> would expect nothing else from MR. According to his notes, the tool is
> written as a GUI/Devicedriver combo, using a substitution technique by
> intercepting the device's own driver and subverting information that it can
> use to be displayed for it's own purposes. Since Devicedrivers on Vista are
> written on a completely new foundation, as I understand it, your hopes may
> not be realized? Let's see what people have to say.
>
>
> Tony. . .
>
>
> "Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:9BBCBDB3-8241-4B53-B010-8568BBB0B93D@microsoft.com...
> > Hi Tony,
> > Here's the whole story, as I was in a hurry when I posted my question this
> > morning.
> > My newest laptop (HP530) has Vista Home Premium 32-bit and doesn't have
> any
> > LED for HDD activity.
> > That, and the fact that the hard disk is quite silent, leads me to a
> > blind/deaf state for monitoring disk activity.
> > After googling a little, I found DiskMon and installed it on Windows XP at
> > work, w/o the permission of the IT guys!!!
> > I noticed the same as you, there's a lot of activity monitored by DiskMon
> > that doesn't show up in the front cabinet LED.
> > It seems as if small read/write operations don't have the time length
> > required for the human eye to see them, but DiskMon systray LED must
> surely
> > be extending that time artificially so that it is visible to the eye.
> > The WinXP version requires no driver at all and it is just that, an
> > executable. Which leads me to think that it should work in Vista x86.
> > Don't know whether this line of thought also applies to Vista x64.
> > Maybe someone jumps in and sheds some light.
> > Carlos
> >
> > "Tony Sperling" wrote:
> >
> > > The jury is still 'out' pondering the warranty ramifications for my
> 64bit
> > > dual-core, so out of boredom I installed this to my Win2K machine. I
> have to
> > > say that the 80K's of code is probably a lot more interesting than the
> > > utility itself. One interesting observation might be that the icon seems
> to
> > > log much more activity than the front-panel LED is doing!
> > >
> > >
> > > Tony. . .
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > > news:95A5BC7F-8D97-4E97-9710-1BC93A57B117@microsoft.com...
> > > > Has anybody tested Diskmon
> > > > (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb896646.aspx) in
> Windows
> > > > Vista?
> > > > "DiskMon is an application that logs and displays all hard disk
> activity
> > > on
> > > > a Windows system. You can also minimize DiskMon to your system tray
> where
> > > it
> > > > acts as a disk light, presenting a green icon when there is disk-read
> > > > activity and a red icon when there is disk-write activity."
> > > > Carlos
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>
 
Re: Diskmon in Vista?

That's right, cabinets have generic activity displays - so has my HP
notebook. It's got a blue array of Power, Disk and Charge/Plug-in status.

So, it clearly picks up a signal in 32bits, let's keep hoping, but I do
suspect the 'Red Only' may in fact indicate a Vista peculiarity, since the
LED wouldn't ever be static, or you cannot monitor any activity!


Tony. . .


"Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9647B9CA-C384-4649-8EA2-3A6F4899E7F6@microsoft.com...
> Tony,
> Testing it right now on Vista HP x86...
> Systray "LED" always glows red, as apposed to XP where it blinks green for
> "read" and red for "write".
> So far so good, real LED's on cabinets do not change color when reading or
> writing to HD.
> Carlos
>
> "Tony Sperling" wrote:
>
> > A HP without a disk activity indicator? That I find surprising, but at
the
> > same time I'm not really surprised - I didn't put all laptops to that
much
> > scrutiny so I can have missed any number. For that kind of application I
> > agree, that makes it potentially usefull. I don't think I would bother
to
> > set it up to autostart, though.
> >
> > With 80K's of binary instruction, it has got to be well written - and I
> > would expect nothing else from MR. According to his notes, the tool is
> > written as a GUI/Devicedriver combo, using a substitution technique by
> > intercepting the device's own driver and subverting information that it
can
> > use to be displayed for it's own purposes. Since Devicedrivers on Vista
are
> > written on a completely new foundation, as I understand it, your hopes
may
> > not be realized? Let's see what people have to say.
> >
> >
> > Tony. . .
> >
> >
> > "Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:9BBCBDB3-8241-4B53-B010-8568BBB0B93D@microsoft.com...
> > > Hi Tony,
> > > Here's the whole story, as I was in a hurry when I posted my question
this
> > > morning.
> > > My newest laptop (HP530) has Vista Home Premium 32-bit and doesn't
have
> > any
> > > LED for HDD activity.
> > > That, and the fact that the hard disk is quite silent, leads me to a
> > > blind/deaf state for monitoring disk activity.
> > > After googling a little, I found DiskMon and installed it on Windows
XP at
> > > work, w/o the permission of the IT guys!!!
> > > I noticed the same as you, there's a lot of activity monitored by
DiskMon
> > > that doesn't show up in the front cabinet LED.
> > > It seems as if small read/write operations don't have the time length
> > > required for the human eye to see them, but DiskMon systray LED must
> > surely
> > > be extending that time artificially so that it is visible to the eye.
> > > The WinXP version requires no driver at all and it is just that, an
> > > executable. Which leads me to think that it should work in Vista x86.
> > > Don't know whether this line of thought also applies to Vista x64.
> > > Maybe someone jumps in and sheds some light.
> > > Carlos
> > >
> > > "Tony Sperling" wrote:
> > >
> > > > The jury is still 'out' pondering the warranty ramifications for my
> > 64bit
> > > > dual-core, so out of boredom I installed this to my Win2K machine. I
> > have to
> > > > say that the 80K's of code is probably a lot more interesting than
the
> > > > utility itself. One interesting observation might be that the icon
seems
> > to
> > > > log much more activity than the front-panel LED is doing!
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Tony. . .
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > > > news:95A5BC7F-8D97-4E97-9710-1BC93A57B117@microsoft.com...
> > > > > Has anybody tested Diskmon
> > > > > (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb896646.aspx) in
> > Windows
> > > > > Vista?
> > > > > "DiskMon is an application that logs and displays all hard disk
> > activity
> > > > on
> > > > > a Windows system. You can also minimize DiskMon to your system
tray
> > where
> > > > it
> > > > > acts as a disk light, presenting a green icon when there is
disk-read
> > > > > activity and a red icon when there is disk-write activity."
> > > > > Carlos
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> >
> >
 
Re: Diskmon in Vista?

Tony,
It has two different states:
- Gray for no activity
- Red for both read (former green) and write (former red)
So it clearly tells me whether the drive is being accessed (red) or not
(gray).
Sorry for the confusion.
Carlos

"Tony Sperling" wrote:

> That's right, cabinets have generic activity displays - so has my HP
> notebook. It's got a blue array of Power, Disk and Charge/Plug-in status.
>
> So, it clearly picks up a signal in 32bits, let's keep hoping, but I do
> suspect the 'Red Only' may in fact indicate a Vista peculiarity, since the
> LED wouldn't ever be static, or you cannot monitor any activity!
>
>
> Tony. . .
>
>
> "Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:9647B9CA-C384-4649-8EA2-3A6F4899E7F6@microsoft.com...
> > Tony,
> > Testing it right now on Vista HP x86...
> > Systray "LED" always glows red, as apposed to XP where it blinks green for
> > "read" and red for "write".
> > So far so good, real LED's on cabinets do not change color when reading or
> > writing to HD.
> > Carlos
> >
> > "Tony Sperling" wrote:
> >
> > > A HP without a disk activity indicator? That I find surprising, but at
> the
> > > same time I'm not really surprised - I didn't put all laptops to that
> much
> > > scrutiny so I can have missed any number. For that kind of application I
> > > agree, that makes it potentially usefull. I don't think I would bother
> to
> > > set it up to autostart, though.
> > >
> > > With 80K's of binary instruction, it has got to be well written - and I
> > > would expect nothing else from MR. According to his notes, the tool is
> > > written as a GUI/Devicedriver combo, using a substitution technique by
> > > intercepting the device's own driver and subverting information that it
> can
> > > use to be displayed for it's own purposes. Since Devicedrivers on Vista
> are
> > > written on a completely new foundation, as I understand it, your hopes
> may
> > > not be realized? Let's see what people have to say.
> > >
> > >
> > > Tony. . .
> > >
> > >
> > > "Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > > news:9BBCBDB3-8241-4B53-B010-8568BBB0B93D@microsoft.com...
> > > > Hi Tony,
> > > > Here's the whole story, as I was in a hurry when I posted my question
> this
> > > > morning.
> > > > My newest laptop (HP530) has Vista Home Premium 32-bit and doesn't
> have
> > > any
> > > > LED for HDD activity.
> > > > That, and the fact that the hard disk is quite silent, leads me to a
> > > > blind/deaf state for monitoring disk activity.
> > > > After googling a little, I found DiskMon and installed it on Windows
> XP at
> > > > work, w/o the permission of the IT guys!!!
> > > > I noticed the same as you, there's a lot of activity monitored by
> DiskMon
> > > > that doesn't show up in the front cabinet LED.
> > > > It seems as if small read/write operations don't have the time length
> > > > required for the human eye to see them, but DiskMon systray LED must
> > > surely
> > > > be extending that time artificially so that it is visible to the eye.
> > > > The WinXP version requires no driver at all and it is just that, an
> > > > executable. Which leads me to think that it should work in Vista x86.
> > > > Don't know whether this line of thought also applies to Vista x64.
> > > > Maybe someone jumps in and sheds some light.
> > > > Carlos
> > > >
> > > > "Tony Sperling" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > The jury is still 'out' pondering the warranty ramifications for my
> > > 64bit
> > > > > dual-core, so out of boredom I installed this to my Win2K machine. I
> > > have to
> > > > > say that the 80K's of code is probably a lot more interesting than
> the
> > > > > utility itself. One interesting observation might be that the icon
> seems
> > > to
> > > > > log much more activity than the front-panel LED is doing!
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Tony. . .
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > "Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > > > > news:95A5BC7F-8D97-4E97-9710-1BC93A57B117@microsoft.com...
> > > > > > Has anybody tested Diskmon
> > > > > > (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb896646.aspx) in
> > > Windows
> > > > > > Vista?
> > > > > > "DiskMon is an application that logs and displays all hard disk
> > > activity
> > > > > on
> > > > > > a Windows system. You can also minimize DiskMon to your system
> tray
> > > where
> > > > > it
> > > > > > acts as a disk light, presenting a green icon when there is
> disk-read
> > > > > > activity and a red icon when there is disk-write activity."
> > > > > > Carlos
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>
 
Re: Diskmon in Vista?

As a user mode application, Diskmon is sitting above the file system cache
and the storage stack. The disk activity light on the hard drive is at the
opposite end; the bottom of the storage stack. In between you have layers
of caching. Diskmon is reqorting disk activity (the blinking light) which
is satisfied from cache and doesn't actually make it to the disk (no
blinking light).


"Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9BBCBDB3-8241-4B53-B010-8568BBB0B93D@microsoft.com...
> Hi Tony,
> Here's the whole story, as I was in a hurry when I posted my question this
> morning.
> My newest laptop (HP530) has Vista Home Premium 32-bit and doesn't have
> any
> LED for HDD activity.
> That, and the fact that the hard disk is quite silent, leads me to a
> blind/deaf state for monitoring disk activity.
> After googling a little, I found DiskMon and installed it on Windows XP at
> work, w/o the permission of the IT guys!!!
> I noticed the same as you, there's a lot of activity monitored by DiskMon
> that doesn't show up in the front cabinet LED.
> It seems as if small read/write operations don't have the time length
> required for the human eye to see them, but DiskMon systray LED must
> surely
> be extending that time artificially so that it is visible to the eye.
> The WinXP version requires no driver at all and it is just that, an
> executable. Which leads me to think that it should work in Vista x86.
> Don't know whether this line of thought also applies to Vista x64.
> Maybe someone jumps in and sheds some light.
> Carlos
>
> "Tony Sperling" wrote:
>
>> The jury is still 'out' pondering the warranty ramifications for my 64bit
>> dual-core, so out of boredom I installed this to my Win2K machine. I have
>> to
>> say that the 80K's of code is probably a lot more interesting than the
>> utility itself. One interesting observation might be that the icon seems
>> to
>> log much more activity than the front-panel LED is doing!
>>
>>
>> Tony. . .
>>
>>
>>
>> "Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:95A5BC7F-8D97-4E97-9710-1BC93A57B117@microsoft.com...
>> > Has anybody tested Diskmon
>> > (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb896646.aspx) in
>> > Windows
>> > Vista?
>> > "DiskMon is an application that logs and displays all hard disk
>> > activity
>> on
>> > a Windows system. You can also minimize DiskMon to your system tray
>> > where
>> it
>> > acts as a disk light, presenting a green icon when there is disk-read
>> > activity and a red icon when there is disk-write activity."
>> > Carlos
>>
>>
>>
 
Re: Diskmon in Vista?

Thanks, John!
That cleared all my doubts.
Carlos

"John Fullbright" wrote:

> As a user mode application, Diskmon is sitting above the file system cache
> and the storage stack. The disk activity light on the hard drive is at the
> opposite end; the bottom of the storage stack. In between you have layers
> of caching. Diskmon is reqorting disk activity (the blinking light) which
> is satisfied from cache and doesn't actually make it to the disk (no
> blinking light).
>
>
> "Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:9BBCBDB3-8241-4B53-B010-8568BBB0B93D@microsoft.com...
> > Hi Tony,
> > Here's the whole story, as I was in a hurry when I posted my question this
> > morning.
> > My newest laptop (HP530) has Vista Home Premium 32-bit and doesn't have
> > any
> > LED for HDD activity.
> > That, and the fact that the hard disk is quite silent, leads me to a
> > blind/deaf state for monitoring disk activity.
> > After googling a little, I found DiskMon and installed it on Windows XP at
> > work, w/o the permission of the IT guys!!!
> > I noticed the same as you, there's a lot of activity monitored by DiskMon
> > that doesn't show up in the front cabinet LED.
> > It seems as if small read/write operations don't have the time length
> > required for the human eye to see them, but DiskMon systray LED must
> > surely
> > be extending that time artificially so that it is visible to the eye.
> > The WinXP version requires no driver at all and it is just that, an
> > executable. Which leads me to think that it should work in Vista x86.
> > Don't know whether this line of thought also applies to Vista x64.
> > Maybe someone jumps in and sheds some light.
> > Carlos
> >
> > "Tony Sperling" wrote:
> >
> >> The jury is still 'out' pondering the warranty ramifications for my 64bit
> >> dual-core, so out of boredom I installed this to my Win2K machine. I have
> >> to
> >> say that the 80K's of code is probably a lot more interesting than the
> >> utility itself. One interesting observation might be that the icon seems
> >> to
> >> log much more activity than the front-panel LED is doing!
> >>
> >>
> >> Tony. . .
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> "Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:95A5BC7F-8D97-4E97-9710-1BC93A57B117@microsoft.com...
> >> > Has anybody tested Diskmon
> >> > (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb896646.aspx) in
> >> > Windows
> >> > Vista?
> >> > "DiskMon is an application that logs and displays all hard disk
> >> > activity
> >> on
> >> > a Windows system. You can also minimize DiskMon to your system tray
> >> > where
> >> it
> >> > acts as a disk light, presenting a green icon when there is disk-read
> >> > activity and a red icon when there is disk-write activity."
> >> > Carlos
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>
 
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