Use Taskman I/O counters to aid in storage troubleshooting

Use Taskman I/O counters to aid in storage troubleshooting: "
When you troubleshoot storage problems, it is easy to identify where there is slow storage, but it can be very difficult to determine what specifically is causing the slowdown. In the case of Windows Servers, I recently came across an advanced view within Task Manager that helps aid the troubleshooting of storage consumption processes.

Task Manager does a good job by default of enumerating the processor and memory consumption of a particular service or application, but we have to dig a little deeper to map each processes’ disk usage in real-time. From the View menu within Task Manager in the Select Columns option, we see some really helpful options in the lower half of the screen (Figure A).

Figure A

Click the image to enlarge.

I/O Reads and I/O Writes is a quantified representation of operations performed by the processes. I/O Read Bytes and I/O Write Bytes represents the throughput or consumption of the process. Once you enable these columns, they immediately add value to the display (Figure B).

Figure B

Click the image to enlarge.

Now you can troubleshoot a particular service or application that is consuming the storage I/O on a Windows system. The usual suspects (SQL Server and Exchange) will be likely frontrunners in this category, especially if the display is sorted by bytes. If the process identified as the highest consumer of storage I/O is a surprise, you may need to stop or reconfigure the process to slow down its storage throughput consumption.

How do you utilize the storage I/O feeds within Task Manager? Share your comments in the discussion.




"

Netstat tips and tricks for Windows Server admins

Netstat tips and tricks for Windows Server admins: "
Netstat is a command that some Windows Server admins use every day, while others only use it when there is a problem. I fall into the latter category; I use netstat as a diagnosis tool when something has gone awry, or when I am trying to track something down.

The 10 parameters to the Windows netstat command can display scores of additional information for troubleshooting or everyday use. The most common iteration of netstat is to use the -a parameter, which displays all connections and listening ports. However, netstat displays useful information even without parameters. Here are some pointers on using the netstat command:

Fully qualified domain name: The -f parameter will display the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the foreign address in the netstat display. This will resolve names internally and externally if possible. Figure A shows the FQDN resolution within netstat.

Figure A



What process is running on the open port: Tracking down which process identifier (PID) has a port open is quite easy when netstat is run with the -a -n -o combination of parameters. Read my Windows Server 2008 tip on this sequence of commands, and see it in action in Figure B.

Figure B



You can take this one step further with the implementation of friendly names for each process with the -b netstat parameter. This parameter requires administrative permissions and is shown in Figure C.

Figure C



Note that the remote addresses pointing to the 192.168.1.220:3261 address are the Windows iSCSI initiator service and display differently than the other services listed.

Display routing table: If you need to determine why one system has a different experience than another on the same network, netstat can display a route of the current system with the -r parameter. Figure D shows this in use (note the persistent routes section that would display any static routes added to the Windows Server).

Figure D



These four netstat commands can greatly add to the troubleshooting efforts for Windows administrators. How else do you use netstat? Share your tips in the discussion.




"

Free Backup Software – Best Windows Backup Software Programs

Source: http://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/26/the-10-best-windows-backup-software-programs/

Backing up data regularly should be one of the most important tasks of every computer user; Yet only a minority is doing it thoroughly and regularly. The rest is flirting with disaster as there are numerous incidents that can delete data on computer systems. The most common ones are hardware failures, which can mean damaged hard drives but also (partially) unreadable CDs or DVDs, computer virus attacks but also human error. If you have ever met someone who partitioned the wrong hard drive you know that the latter can be cause for great frustration.
Backups are the single most effective method of preventing data loss on computer systems. The following article will list the 10 best Windows backup software programs.
Cobian Backup

cobian backup

Cobian Backup is a free backup software for personal use that supports both local and remote backups. The software is constantly under development by the developer which means that features are included regularly. Some of the key features include full, differential and incremental backups, file compression including the popular 7-zip format plus strong encryption for data security.
DeltaCopy

windows backup software

An Open source backup solution supporting incremental backups, one-click restore options, task scheduling and email notifications. Some advanced options include ssh tunneling and connecting to rsync daemons.
It makes use of a server client system. One or multiple backup servers can be created on computers running Windows by installing the server version on these computer systems. The client will be installed on the any computer system where files should be backed up regularly.
The free backup software supports authentication, scheduling and connection by IP or hostname.
Cucku Backup

cucku backup

Cucku Backup calls itself social backup. It provides local backups but also backups on friend?s computers. It supports complete and continuous backups and can automate the remote backup process to take that of the user’s shoulders. All files that are backed up use encryption algorithms to ensure data safety and integrity so that the backup partners cannot see the file names nor contents of the files that are send over to their computer systems.
It works best in computer networks but can also work over the Internet if enough time or upload bandwidth is provided.
Backup Maker
The free backup software Backup Maker provides extensive backup capabilities. It comes with a standard and expert mode to suite both the needs of experienced and inexperienced users. The software supports full and partial backups, local and remote backups, selection of a backup execution interval and execution on certain events like USB detection or start and shutdown.
All in all an excellent software program to backup files on the Windows operating system.
Ace Backup

ace backup

Powerful free backup software that supports multi-versioning, backups to local and remote locations, file compression and encryption.

Microsoft SyncToy

synctoy

SyncToy is offered by Microsoft as a free download for the Windows operating system. It can be used to easily synchronize data between computer systems. The program offers five different synchronization options that the user can choose from including a preview option before starting the process.
Mozy

mozy

Mozy is an online backup solution that offers backup clients for Windows NT based systems and Mac OS X. Every registered user receives 2 Gigabytes of free space with the option to sign up for a paid account for currently $4.95 that offers unlimited backup space. Several pre-configured backup sets are populated after installation including bookmarks, documents and multimedia files. These can but do not have to be backed up. Expert mode provides access to the full file system to pick files or folders to backup directly.
Personal Backup

personal backup

A free backup software for the advanced user that provides great file filtering options. It comes with the usual set of features including local and remote backup creation (including SFTP), file compression and encryption, status reports and log file generation.
Allways Sync

allways sync

Another software that has been primarily designed for file synchronization that is also supporting file backups to a local drive, over a local network or the Internet. It works on a per directory basis and can be installed on as many computer systems as the user desires. The software comes as a setup or portable version.
Comodo Backup

comodo backup

Another free backup solution for Windows users. Comodo Backup can backup files and folders on a local computer system to other drives, network locations, ftp servers and removable media. Backups can be scheduled and notifications can be send to inform about completed backup jobs. Other features include compressing backups, data recovery options, support of multi-session backups and incremental backups.
DriveImage XML

driveimage xml

DriveImage XML is more a drive imaging software than a backup program. It can however be used to backup a full hard drive or partition to another drive. It uses the Volume Shadow Service to create exact backups during runtime. It is afterwards possible to restore the backup either from within Windows or with the use of a boot disk.
The verdict:
The choice of the correct backup software depends on several factors including the data size, the frequency of backups or the local computer infrastructure.

Restore the Windows Boot Loader After an Ubuntu Update

Restore the Windows Boot Loader After an Ubuntu Update: "
Will your computer not boot into Windows after installing an update on your dual-boot or Wubi Ubuntu install? Here’s how you can get your Windows boot loader back so you can easily get back to work in either OS.
We’ve mentioned before how Wubi is a great way to run Ubuntu on your Windows PC or netbook, and in general it works great. However, sometimes your system may receive updates to GRUB, and if you choose the wrong option, the next time you reboot your computer you may find that it think there’s only Ubuntu and no Windows installed on your computer.


Or, perhaps, even more ominously, you boot your computer to see that it thinks it has no operating system.



Often, there’s no need to panic. If you recently received an Ubuntu update, or somehow managed to mess up or remove your boot loader, it’s quick and easy to get it back using familiar Windows tools. Here’s how.

Reinstall Your Windows Boot Loader From the Windows DVD

To get back into Windows, you’ll need to reinstall your Windows boot loader. Thankfully this isn’t as difficult or time consuming as reinstalling Windows, but it will require your Windows DVD. Boot your computer from the DVD, and if it doesn’t automatically offer to let you boot from the disk, you may need to change your boot settings in the BIOS. You can usually access by pressing the F2, F10, or Delete key on the initial boot screen, depending on your computer.



Save the changes and reboot your computer from the Windows DVD. After a few moments, you should see the install setup screen. Select your preferred language, then click Next.



Your install disk is designed to install Windows on your computer, but also contains tools to help repair your existing Windows install. On the bottom left of the Install window, click the Repair your computer link to get started repairing your current install of Windows.



System Recovery will automatically start scanning to see if there’s an existing Windows install with something it can easily fix automatically. You may have to wait a few minutes while it scans your computer.



If your only problem is the boot loader, often it will automatically detect the problem and offer to fix it. If so, simply click Repair and restart, and your computer should be booted back into Windows as normal within minutes.

Reinstall Your Boot Loader Manually From the Windows DVD

Alternately, if it doesn’t automatically detect anything to fix, you’ll have to choose your own recovery options. Click the bullet option on the top then click Next to use recovery tools to fix Windows.



Now, select Command Prompt from the available recovery tools.



In the command prompt window, enter the following to repair your boot loader:

bootrec /rebuildbcd

After a few moments, it should detect your Windows installation and ask if you want to add it to the boot loader. Enter Y to add it, then exit the command prompt and reboot your computer when you’re finished.



Moments later, you should see your standard Windows login screen as normal, and all of your files and programs should be fine and ready to use.



As you may notice, the option to boot into Ubuntu will no longer show up in your boot menu, and your computer will act like you only have Windows installed. To get your Wubi Ubuntu or full Ubuntu install accessable from the boot loader again, you’ll need to restore it as well. The easiest way is to Add Wubi Back to the Bootloader With EasyBCD. Once you’ve done that, you should be back in business, ready to use Windows or Ubuntu as you need.
"

Use Robocopy's multi-threaded feature to quickly backup your data in Windows 7

Use Robocopy's multi-threaded feature to quickly backup your data in Windows 7: "
Soon after Windows Vista came out, I discovered that Microsoft had updated the venerable Robocopy with a bunch of extra features and made it a regular part of the Windows operating system. Of course, when Windows 7 came out I immediately examined the newest version of Robocopy and discovered that Microsoft had again updated Robocopy with a single, but very powerful new feature - the ability to perform a multi-threaded copy option. More specifically, with multi-threaded capabilities Robocopy can now simultaneously copy multiple files in parallel, which will result in very fast backup operations.

In this edition of the Windows Desktop Report, I’ll show you how to take advantage of Robocopy’s features to create an exact mirrored duplicate of all the pertinent data files in your user profile folder (C:\Users\YourName). As I do, I’ll show you how to use the new multi-threaded copy feature.

This blog post is also available in the PDF format in a TechRepublic Download.

Why use Robocopy?

If you’re a conscientious about the safety of your data, chances are good that you are already using Windows 7’s Backup and Restore tool to create an image file of your hard disk as well as to backup your data files on a regular schedule. However, you may like to have an additional copy of your data files just to be on the safe side. While you can easily do so by copying your files and folders to an external hard drive via drag and drop, that can be a tedious operation.

Fortunately, Robocopy provides more than 80 different command line switches that will allow you to create a powerful data backup operation. To help you get a leg up, I have delved into Robocopy ’s command line switches and have developed a nice little script that you can use to create an exact mirrored duplicate of all the data files in your user profile folder (C:\Users\YourName). Let’s take a closer look.

Constructing the command line

For my example, I’m going to back up the data file contents of my user profile folder, C:\Users\Greg Shultz, to a folder named TheBackup on an external hard disk which is assigned drive letter G. (You’ll of course substitute the names and paths with your own.) As such, my command will begin with:

Robocopy “C:\Users\Greg Shultz” “G:\TheBackup”

Now, I want to backup every folder in the source, even any empty folders, as they may be place holders for future data. I also don’t want to have files on the backup that I deleted from my hard disk. While I can use the /S and /PURGE switches to accomplish my goal, I can use the /MIR switch to accomplish both of these tasks with one switch. As such, my command is now:

Robocopy “C:\Users\Greg Shultz” “G:\TheBackup” /MIR

The C:\Users\Greg Shultz folder contains several hidden, system files and folders that I don’t want or need to backup. For example, I don’t need to back up the NTUSER.DAT file nor do I need to backup the contents of the AppData folder. In addition, the C:\Users\Greg Shultz folder contains a host of junction points that I don’t need to back up.

Windows 7 uses junction points to link various operating system folders to the user profile folder. For example, the Cookies folder and the SendTo folder are linked to the user profile folder via junction points.

I’ll use the /XA:SH switch to exclude the hidden, system files and I can use the /XD AppData to exclude the entire AppData folder. I’ll then use the /XJD to exclude all of the junction points. As such, my command is now:

Robocopy “C:\Users\Greg Shultz” “G:\TheBackup” /MIR /XA:SH /XD AppData /XJD

One of Robocopy’s most useful features comes into play when it encounters a file that is in use. When it does, Robocopy will stop and wait for that file to be closed so that it can continue with the copy operation. It will retry to copy the file every 30 seconds. The default number of retries is 1 million (no joke!). As this will most like prevent the backup operation from ever completing, you should reset it to a reasonable number.

To change the number of retries, you’ll use the /R switch and to change the wait time between retries you’ll use the /W switch. I chose 5 retries with a 15 second wait time. That way after a reasonable number of retries and wait period, Robocopy will move on. As such, my command is now:

Robocopy “C:\Users\Greg Shultz” “G:\TheBackup” /MIR /XA:SH /XD AppData /XJD /R:5 /W:15

At this point, I am ready to add the new multi-threaded switch: /MT[:n], where n is a number from 1 to 128 and indicates the number of threads to be used. Keep in mind that n is optional and that by default, the /MT switch will use 8 threads. I’ll use 32 threads in my example, as I found it to be a good starting point. (Note that the multi-threaded option is not compatible with the /IPG and /EFSRAW switches.) At this point, my command is now:

Robocopy “C:\Users\Greg Shultz” “G:\TheBackup” /MIR /XA:SH /XD AppData /XJD /R:5 /W:15 /MT:32

Like all command line tools, Robocopy keeps you apprised of the status of operation right in the Command Prompt window. However, chances are that you’ll want to customize and record that feedback in a log file. I like to have the whole picture, so I’ll use the /V switch. However, I really don’t need to know the percentage progress of each file copy, so I’ll use the /NP switch. To create my log file, I’ll use the /LOG switch, which will overwrite the existing log file each time. Now, my command is:

Robocopy “C:\Users\Greg Shultz” “G:\TheBackup” /MIR /XA:SH /XD AppData /XJD /R:5 /W:15 /MT:32 /V /NP /LOG:Backup.log

Creating and using your script

Now that you know how the script works and the necessary switches, you can launch Notepad, type the command, and save the file as RobocopyBackup.cmd. To make sure that the script and open log file doesn’t interfere with the backup, I created a folder in the root directory called BackupTool (C:\BackupTool) and saved the script there.

You’ll find the log file in the same directory as the script after each backup operation. Keep in mind that while the log file is a simple text file, it can be larger than Notepad can handle. As such, you may want to use Wordpad or another word processor to open and view the log file.

Now, anytime that you want to make an extra backup you can just double-click on the RobocopyBackup.cmd to launch it. When it is done, you can examine the Backup.log file. You can also use the Task Scheduler to automatically run your RobocopyBackup.cmd on a regular basis if you want.

What’s your take?

Have you used Windows 7’s version of Robocopy? If so, what’s been your experience? Would you add any additional switches to the script that I presented? As always, if you have comments or information to share about this topic, please take a moment to drop by the TechRepublic Community Forums and let us hear from you.

Stay on top of the latest Microsoft Windows tips and tricks with TechRepublic’s Windows Desktop newsletter, delivered every Monday and Thursday. Automatically sign up today!

"

Windows 7, Server 2008 R2 SP1 Release Candidates Officially Available

Windows 7, Server 2008 R2 SP1 Release Candidates Officially Available: "
Microsoft is now offering official downloads for the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 release candidates, after both release candidates leaked to the Internet earlier on this week.
The release candidates are provided for It professionals, tech enthusiasts and developers who need to test the “service pack in their organization or with the software they are developing”. The release candidate is offered in the languages English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish.
Users who plan to install the release candidate need to know a few things about it. First, it will not be possible to upgrade directly from the service pack release candidate build to the final version of Windows 7 SP1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1. The release candidate needs to be uninstalled before this can be done.
Second, the release candidate expires on November 30, 2011, with notifications starting to appear on August 30, 2011.
Interested users need a Windows Live ID to proceed to the downloads. The following files are offered on the download page:

• WUSignUpTool_x86.exe – This tool enables your 32-bit Windows 7 machine to participate in the public beta via Windows Update. Run this tool and then check for updates in Windows Update.
• WUSignUpTool_x64.exe – This tool enables your 64-bit Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 machine to participate in the public beta via Windows Update. Run this tool and then check for updates in Windows Update.
• windows6.1-KB976932-X86.exe – This application installs the public beta to a 32-bit machine running Windows 7.
• windows6.1-KB976932-X64.exe – This application installs the public beta to a 64-bit machine running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2.
• 7601.17105.100929-1730_Update_Sp_Wave1-B1SP1.0_DVD.iso – This DVD ISO disk image contains the standalone update packages for the public release candidate.

There is also documentation available that are included in the release candidates.

Changes specific to Windows 7

• Additional support for communication with third-party federation services – Additional support has been added to allow Windows 7 clients to effectively communicate with third-party identity federation services (those supporting the WS-Federation passive profile protocol). This change enhances platform interoperability, and improves the ability to communicate identity and authentication information between organizations.
• Improved HDMI audio device performance – A small percentage of users have reported issues in which the connection between computers running Windows 7 and HDMI audio devices can be lost after system reboots. Updates have been incorporated into SP1 to ensure that connections between Windows 7 computers and HDMI audio devices are consistently maintained.
• Corrected behavior when printing mixed-orientation XPS documents – Prior to the release of SP1, some customers have reported difficulty when printing mixed-orientation XPS documents (documents containing pages in both portrait and landscape orientation) using the XPS Viewer, resulting in all pages being printed entirely in either portrait or landscape mode. This issue has been addressed in SP1, allowing users to correctly print mixed-orientation documents using the XPS Viewer.

Changes common to both client and server platforms

• Change to behavior of “Restore previous folders at logon” functionality – SP1 changes the behavior of the “Restore previous folders at logon” function available in the Folder Options Explorer dialog. Prior to SP1, previous folders would be restored in a cascaded position based on the location of the most recently active folder. That behavior changes in SP1 so that all folders are restored to their previous positions.
• Enhanced support for additional identities in RRAS and IPsec – Support for additional identification types has been added to the Identification field in the IKEv2 authentication protocol. This allows for a variety of additional forms of identification (such as E-mail ID or Certificate Subject) to be used when performing authentication using the IKEv2 protocol.
• Support for Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) – There has always been a growing need for ever more computing power and as usage models change, processors instruction set architectures evolve to support these growing demands. Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) is a 256 bit instruction set extension for processors. AVX is designed to allow for improved performance for applications that are floating point intensive. Support for AVX is a part of SP1 to allow applications to fully utilize the new instruction set and register extensions.

Changes specific to Windows Server 2008 R2

Dynamic Memory – Constraints on the allocation of physical memory represents one of the greatest challenges organizations face as they adopt new virtualization technology and consolidate their infrastructure. With Dynamic Memory, an enhancement to Hyper-V™ introduced in Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, organizations can now make the most efficient use of available physical memory, allowing them to realize the greatest possible potential from their virtualization resources. Dynamic Memory allows for memory on a host machine to be pooled and dynamically distributed to virtual machines as necessary. Memory is dynamically added or removed based on current workloads, and is done so without service interruption.

Microsoft RemoteFX – Businesses are increasingly looking to leverage the efficiency and cost savings that can come from a virtualized desktop infrastructure. With the addition of Microsoft RemoteFX in Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, a new set of remote user experience capabilities that enable a media-rich user environment for virtual desktops, session-based desktops and remote applications is introduced. Harnessing the power of virtualized graphics resources, RemoteFX can be deployed to a range of thick and thin client devices, enabling cost-effective, local-like access to graphics-intensive applications and a broad array of end user peripherals, improving productivity of remote users.
RemoteFX can function independently from specific graphics stacks and supports any screen content, including today’s most advanced applications and rich content (including Silverlight and Adobe Flash), ensuring that end users maintain a rich, local-like desktop experience even in a virtualized thin-client environment.
RemoteFX also adds mainstream USB device support to virtual desktop computing, including support for USB drives, cameras and PDAs connected to the client device. RemoteFX also provides a platform for hardware and software partners to enhance RemoteFX capabilities in a variety of possible host, client and network configurations.
To use RemoteFX, the virtualization server must be running Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1, the virtual machine must be running Windows 7 Enterprise with SP1 or Windows 7 Ultimate with SP1, and the remote client computer must be running either Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 or Windows 7 with SP1. To connect to the virtual machine, the remote client computer requires an updated version of Remote Desktop Services (included in the service pack for all editions of Windows 7).

Enhancements to scalability and high availability when using DirectAccess – DirectAccess is a new feature in the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems that gives users the experience of being seamlessly connected to their corporate network any time they have Internet access. In Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, improvements have been made to enhance scalability and high availability when using DirectAccess, through the addition of support for 6to4 and ISATAP addresses when using DirectAccess in conjunction with Network Load Balancing (NLB).

Support for Managed Service Accounts (MSAs) in secure branch office scenarios – SP1 enables enhanced support for managed service accounts (MSAs) to be used on domain-member services located in perimeter networks (also known as DMZs or extranets).

Support for increased volume of authentication traffic on domain controllers connected to high-latency networks – As a greater volume of IT infrastructure migrates to cloud-based services, there is a need for higher thresholds of authentication traffic to domain controllers located on high-latency networks (such as the public Internet). SP1 allows for more granular control of the maximum number of possible concurrent connections to a domain controller, enabling a greater degree of performance tuning for service providers.

Enhancements to Failover Clustering with Storage – SP1 enables enhanced support for how Failover Clustering works with storage that is not visible for all cluster nodes. In SP1, improvements have been made to the Cluster Validation and multiple Failover Cluster Manager wizards to allow workloads to use disks that are shared between a subset of cluster nodes.

The release candidate marks a major step in the development of both service packs, which are said to be released in the first half of 2011 if development goes forward as planned by Microsoft.

---

© Martin for gHacks Technology News, 2010. | Permalink | Add to del.icio.us, digg, facebook, reddit, twitter
Post tags: release candidate, service pack, service pack download, windows 7, windows 7 sp1, windows server 2008 r2, windows server 2008 r2 sp1

"

Better troubleshooting capabilities with Windows 7 Event Viewer

Better troubleshooting capabilities with Windows 7 Event Viewer: "
If you had been holding on to Microsoft Windows XP and just recently made the move to Windows 7, you’ve begun to discover that a lot has changed in the operating system besides just the new user interface with all its new bells and whistles.

For example, chances are that one of the first places that you probably turned to when troubleshooting problems in Windows XP was the Event Viewer. Well, when you get to Windows 7’s Event Viewer, you are in for a new experience.

In this edition of the Windows Desktop Report, I’ll introduce you to some of the new features in Windows 7’s Event Viewer.

This blog post is also available in PDF format in a TechRepublic download.

An overview

As you know, Event Viewer maintains logs that record information about program, security, and system events that occur on your system. While XP’s Event Viewer is an effective tool that you can use to view and manage event logs, gather information about hardware and software problems, as well as monitor security events, it does have some shortcomings. Perhaps the biggest drawback is that XP’s Event Viewer does such a good job at logging events, that the number of items in the log can be staggering. As such, sorting through the logs can be a very daunting task. To add insult to injury, not all the events are documented very well and many aren’t documented at all — often leaving even the most experienced troubleshooter puzzled.

Another drawback in the system stems from the fact that Windows XP has other logs that are stored as text files on the hard disk. This means that when troubleshooting problems, you may have to scan through a bunch of text files in addition to scanning through Event Viewer.

Fortunately, Windows 7’s developers have spent a great deal of time and effort on improving Event Viewer. Let’s take a closer look.

The new Event Viewer

To begin with, the Windows 7 version of the Event Viewer has been completely rewritten with a new user interface that makes it much easier to filter and sort events as well as control which type of events are logged. In addition, you can now perform some basic diagnostic tasks right from within Event Viewer itself.

Microsoft has stated that they are going to impose stricter standards in order to ensure that events logged in Event Viewer are more meaningful, actionable, and well-documented, thus providing better information for troubleshooting. In addition, Windows 7’s Event Viewer will be the central point of inquiry for all the operating system’s logs. More specifically, those operating system components that store logging information in text files will add events to the event log in Windows 7.

Other new features in Event Viewer allow you to create and save custom views so that you can easily focus in on the problem you are currently troubleshooting, create event subscriptions that can collect information from other computers on a network, and allow you to more easily correlate problems that affect multiple computers and assign tasks that are to run when a certain event occurs.

A tour

Let’s take a look around the new Event Viewer in Windows 7. As you can see in Figure A, the new user interface provides access to more pertinent information than Windows XP’s Event Viewer, as shown in Figure B.

Figure A

Windows 7’s Event Viewer provides access to lots of information.

Figure B

The user interface for Windows XP’s Event Viewer looks pretty stark in comparison to the Windows 7’s Event Viewer.

As you look at Windows 7’s Event Viewer, you’ll notice that the left pane contains an expandable tree that provides you with easy access to all of Event Viewer’s logs. The two main categories are Windows Logs and Applications and Services logs. The Windows Logs category includes the logs that were available in Windows XP, such as the Application, Security, and System logs, while the Applications and Services logs are a new category of event logs that store events from a single application or component.

In the center is the View Pane that provides you with an easy way to view both the list of events as well as the information that each event contains, as shown in Figure C.

Figure C

The View pane does double duty, showing you both the list of events and details about the selected event.

On the right side of Event Viewer is a new area called the Actions pane, which contains a list of actions, or commands, that are associated with Event Viewer. As you can see by comparing the Actions pane in Figures A and C, the Actions pane changes to provide relevant tasks depending on what is selected.

To make focusing on specific events easier, you can create a Custom View that essentially allows you to create a very detailed event query that can span several logs. To help you create a Custom View, Event Viewer provides you with a very detailed form, as shown in Figure D. Once you have created a Custom View, you can then save it and reuse it later.

Figure D

Creating Custom View can be a real time-saver when troubleshooting problems.

Attaching tasks to events is also a great troubleshooting feature. To make this a simple procedure, Windows 7’s Event Viewer employs the Task Scheduler Wizard and provides you with several relevant actions to attach to the event, as shown in Figure E.

Figure E

You can configure a task that is to take place when a certain event occurs.

What’s your take?

In addition to providing improved performance and a new user interface, Windows 7’s Event Viewer gives you a whole slew of new features to make troubleshooting a much easier task. If you are a Windows 7 user who has recently moved from XP, what has been your experience with Windows 7’s Event Viewer? As always, if you have comments or information to share about this topic, please take a moment to drop by the TechRepublic Community Forums and let us hear from you.

Stay on top of the latest Microsoft Windows tips and tricks with TechRepublic’s Windows Desktop newsletter, delivered every Monday and Thursday. Automatically sign up today!

"

How do I configure and use shadow copy in Microsoft Windows?

How do I configure and use shadow copy in Microsoft Windows?: "
Let’s face it — sometimes things go wrong, especially when you are dealing with computers, networks, electronic gadgetry, and the people who use them. When it comes to saved files on a hard drive, users have been known to delete, modify, and otherwise render useless important documents and then want them restored to their previous condition. The shadow copy feature in Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows 7 goes a long way toward making that restoration just a few mouse clicks from reality. That is, if you have turned shadow copy on and have it configured properly. Configuring and using shadow copy is not complicated, but it does require some specific knowledge about where these features are located.

This blog post is also available as a TechRepublic gallery and TechRepublic download. This post was originally published in the How do I… Blog in October 2007.

Shadow copy configuration

Before you can use the shadow copy feature, you must make sure it is enabled. Shadow copy does require additional system resources, so you should weigh the benefits of file restoration with the availability of system resources. For most, the benefits will outweigh the additional system requirements, but your situation may dictate a different approach.

Configuration settings for shadow copy can be found in System Properties. Navigate to the Control Panel and click the System Properties icon, as shown in Figure A. You can also type system into the Desktop Search box on the Start Menu.

Figure A

Vista System Properties

In the System Properties window (Figure B), click the System Protection link on the left-hand side of the screen. It is odd, but I could find no keyword that would lead me directly to the System Protection screen from the Desktop Search. The intermediate step to System Properties seems to be required.

Figure B

Link to System Protection

Once you get to the System Properties dialog window, click the System Protection tab to reach the configuration screen for shadow copy (Figure C). Make sure to check the drives for which you would like shadow copy to be available. If you want, you can create a restore point immediately by clicking the Create button. Under normal conditions, a new restore point is created as part of the shutdown/boot process.

You can also restore to a previous point from this screen if you want to and if a restore point exists. Click OK when your configuration is complete.

Figure C

System Protection tab

Using shadow copy

Now that you have configured Windows to create shadow copies of your files, you can rest assured that no matter what bonehead thing you do to your documents, you have a copy to restore from when needed. In the example in Figure D, I have created a simple Word 2007 document called ShadowTest.docx and saved it in my folder.

Figure D

My documents

As you can see in Figure E, there is just one line of text in ShadowTest.docx.

Figure E

Original ShadowTest.docx

After saving the document and exiting Word, I right-clicked the filename and navigated to the Properties screen for the file and clicked on the Previous Versions tab, as shown in Figure F. As you can see, there is no shadow copy version of this Word document yet. Under normal operation, a shadow copy will be created during the next power down and boot cycle.

This is important to remember — the shadow copy feature does not replace file backup procedures. Instead, shadow copy should be considered a supplement to regular file backups. Restoring a file from shadow copy almost always results in a loss of data and/or time and effort. It should be used as a last resort recovery method.

Figure F

File Properties

For our example, I forced the creation of a restore point to create a shadow copy of our test file (Figure G).

Figure G

Restore point established

From this screen (Figure G) you can Open the document, Copy it, or use it as a restoration file. Restoration will replace whatever is in the current document with the version shown here in the shadow copy. Windows will warn you of this fact (Figure H).

Figure H

Restoration warning

Considerations

The Windows shadow copy feature will create a new shadow version of a file whenever a restore point is created by the operating system. In our example, we have only one shadow copy, but under normal operating circumstances, there will often be several shadow copies to choose from. Just keep in mind that the further back in time you go for your restoration copy, the more data you are likely to lose.




"