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Task scheduler:
• Used to automate events such as batch files, scripts and system backups.
• Tasks are stored in the Scheduled Tasks folder in Control Panel.
• Running task with a user name and password allows an account with therequired rights to perform the task instead of an administrative account.
• Set security for a task by group or user.
Using offline files
• Offline files replaces My Briefcase and works a lot like Offline Browsing in IE5
and above.
• By default, offline files are stored in the %systemroot%\CSC (Client Side
Caching) directory.
• Share a folder and set its caching to make it available offline. There are three
types of caching:
o manual caching for documents - default setting. Users must specify
which docs they want available when working offline
o automatic caching for documents - all files opened by a user are
cached on his local hard disk for offline use - older versions on a user’s
machine automatically replaced by newer versions from the file share
when they exist
o automatic caching for programs -same as above, but for programs
• When synchronizing, if you have edited an offline file and another user has
also edited the same file, you will be prompted to keep and rename your
copy, overwrite your copy with the network version, or to overwrite the
network version and lose the other user's changes (a wise SysAdmin will give
only a few key people write access to this folder or everyone's work will get
messed up).
• Using Synchronization Manager, you can specify which items are
synchronized, using which network connection, and when synchronization
occurs (at logon, logoff, and when computer is idle).
• The Offline Files feature is not compatible with a feature called Fast User
Switching (discussed later).
Performance Console:
• Important objects are cache (file system cache used to buffer physical device
data), memory (physical and virtual/paged memory on system), physicaldisk
(monitors hard disk as a whole), logicaldisk (logical drives, stripe sets and
spanned volumes), and processor (monitors CPU load).
• Processor - % Processor Time counter measures time CPU spends executing a
non-idle thread. If it is continually at or above 80%, CPU upgrade is
recommended.
• Processor - Processor Queue Length - more than 2 threads in queue indicates
CPU is a bottleneck for system performance.
• Processor - % CPU DPC Time (deferred procedure call) measures software
interrupts.
• Processor - % CPU Interrupts/Sec measures hardware interrupts. If processor
time exceeds 90% and interrupts/time exceeds 15%, check for a poorly
written driver (bad drivers can generate excessive interrupts) or else upgrade
the CPU.
• Logical disk - Disk Queue Length - if averaging more than 2, drive access is a
bottleneck. Upgrade disk, hard drive controller, or implement stripe set.
• Physical disk - Disk Queue Length - same as above.
• Physical disk - % Disk Time- if above 90%, move data/pagefile to another
drive or upgrade drive.
• Memory - Pages/sec - more than 20 pages per second is a lot of paging - add
more RAM.
• Memory - Committed bytes - should be less than amount of RAM in computer.
• diskperf - physical disk counters are enabled by default, but you will have to
type diskperf -yv at a command prompt to enable logical disk counters for
logical drives or storage volumes.
Performance Alerts and Logs:
• Alert logs are like trace logs, but they only log an event, send a message, or
run a program when a user-defined threshold has been exceeded
• Counter logs record data from local/remote systems on hardware usage and
system service activity
• Trace logs are event driven and record monitored data such as disk I/O or
page faults
• By default, log files are stored in the \Perflogs folder in the system's boot
partition
• Save logs in CSV (comma separated value) or TSV (tab separated value)
format for import into programs like Excel
• CSV and TSV must be written all at once, they do not support logs that stop
and start. Use Binary (.BLG) for logging that is written intermittently
• Logging is used to create a baseline for future reference
Virtual memory/Paging file
• Recommended minimum paging file size is 1.5 times the amount of RAM
installed. A system with 64 MB should have a 96 MB page file. Maximum page
file size should not exceed 2.5 times the amount of RAM installed.
• Set through Control Panel > System applet > Advanced tab >
Performance Options > Change.
• The most efficient paging file is spread across several drives, but is not on the
system or boot partitions.
• Maximum registry size can also be changed through the Virtual Memory
dialog box.
Hardware profiles
• Created to store different sets of configuration settings to meet a user’s
different needs (usually used with portables) such as whether a computer is
docked or undocked.
• User selects the desired profile at Windows XP startup.
• Profiles are created through Control Panel > System applet > Hardware
tab > Hardware Profiles.
• Devices are enabled and disabled in particular profiles through their
properties in the Device Manager snap-in.
Data recovery
• Windows XP Backup is launched through Control Panel > System applet >
Backup or by running ntbackup from the Start menu.
• Users can back up their own files and files they have read, execute, modify,or full control permission for.
• Users can restore files they have write, modify or full control permission for.
• Administrators and Backup Operators can backup and restore all files
regardless of permissions.
• System state information (system registry and COM objects) can be backed
up using by selecting System State information in ntbackup or by using the
systemstate command from the command line.
The Windows XP Registry:
This is a database that stores Windows XP configuration information for all installed
software, hardware and users in a hierarchical structure. Consists of five main
subtrees:
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT - holds software configuration data, file associations
and object linking and embedding (OLE) data
• HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG - holds data on active hardware profile extracted
from SOFTWARE and SYSTEM hives
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER - contains data about current user extracted from
HKEY_USERS, and additional info pulled down from Windows authentication
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - contains all local computer hardware, software,
device driver and startup information. Remains constant regardless of the
user
• HKEY_USERS - holds data for user identities and environments, custom
settings, etc.
Windows 2000 supported two different registry editing tools:
• The Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe) has a read-only mode, a security menu,
and supports the REG_EXPAND_SZ and REG_MULTI_SZ data types as well as
the ability to set permissions.
• Regedit.exe does not. Registry Editor automatically saves changes as they are
made.
The functionality of both regedit.exe and regedt32.exe has been combined into
one tool under Windows XP. Typing the name of either executable into the run dialog
brings up the same registry editing tool now.
Secondary Logon Service (Run As):
• Similar to the SU (Super User) command in UNIX
• Used to test settings using a particular user account while logged in with adifferent account
• Select the application icon using a single left-click, hold down the Shift key
and right-click the icon. When the pop-up menu appears, click Run As. This
brings up a dialog box titled "Run program as other user" - enter your
credentials and click OK
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Disclaimer
