Archive for Windows

Keep track of network activity – Free Tool

Posted by Steve Wiseman on March 19, 2010 with 4 Comments

I was digging through Microsoft’s website for some service pack downloads and I came across a free tool.

It is called Port Reporter. It is a very simple service based application that logs all TCPIP network activity to a text file.

I gave it a spin, and I am amazed how much information it spits out. For example, I ran it on my own computer while firefox was up…it showed me what ports it had open, the user account making the connection (me). Take a look:

Network Activity List

The installation is simple. Download the software from here:

Microsoft Port Reporter Download

Extract the files to a temp location, and run pr-setup.exe. After that it will install the port reporter service.

To start reporting, just start it up from the command line by typing this:

net start PortReporter

You can leave it running as long as you want to collect data. Just keep in mind it may slow things down slightly while it is active.

If you want to stop it, just use this at the command line:

net stop PortReporter

Once you think you have the data you need, simply browse to

C:\windows\System32\LogFiles\PortReporter

There you can see the generated reports and start digging to find what you are looking for:

Port Reporter Logs

Now if you have a computer that seems to have lots of network activity – and you don’t know why….Port Reporter can set you in the right direction.

Filed Under: Microsoft, Tips, Tools, Utility, Windows

Install Windows 7 from a flash drive – Free Tool

Posted by Steve Wiseman on March 12, 2010 with 0 Comments

Last year I wrote an article about how to install Windows 7 from a USB flash drive. This can come in handy when you want to reload a netbook that has no built in CD / DVD Drive

My friend Matt showed me an easier way to do this. If you have your install disk in ISO format, you can use a free tool from Microsoft. It formats, prepares, and copies the install files to your USB drive – It works for Windows 7 and 2008 install disks.

You can download it from here:

Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool

It will run on XP, 2003, Vista, Windows 7 and 2008. Simply download and install.

Pick your install ISO file:

Pick ISO

Set the destination to USB Device

Pick ISO

Find the USB drive you want to write it to:

Pick ISO

And bam…it builds a bootable Windows 7 install disk (Works for 2008 too)

Pick ISO

Much easier than a bunch of commands at the prompt. Four simple steps and you have a bootable install disk.

Filed Under: Free, ISO, Microsoft, Tips, Tools, Utility, Windows, Windows 2008, Windows 2008 R2, Windows 7

Open a command line from any folder

Posted by Steve Wiseman on March 4, 2010 with 1 Comments

Windows 7, and Vista have a cool feature. Press shift while right clicking on any folder, and some new menu options are shown:

Open Command Prompt Here

One of them allows you to open a command prompt that is rooted right in that folder. This is a convenient option, since you don’t have to launch a command line, and then work your way back to that folder.

Unfortunately it does not exist in 2000, 2003, or XP – But I found an easy way to add it.

Create a new file on your desktop and call it “Command.reg”. Right click on it and edit it with notepad.

Add the following lines:

REGEDIT4
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\cmd]
@="Open Command Line Here"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\cmd\command]
@="cmd /k \"cd %L\""

Save it, and then double click on it to add it to the registry. When it asks you to confirm.

Registry Confirm Window

Just say yes.

And now, when you right click on a folder in XP/2000/2003 (No shift needed) you get the same option:

Open Command Line Here XP

Filed Under: Command Line, Tips, Windows

Add checkboxes for file selection in Windows 7

Posted by Steve Wiseman on February 18, 2010 with 2 Comments

From time to time I will have a folder that I need to clean out. Usually with a large number of files. The problem is that I want to select only specific files or folders:

Select with no checkboxes

This is easy to do by holding down the CTRL key, but I always find that halfway through my selection process I fat finger it and then I have to start over again.

I found a new feature in Windows 7 that allows you to select in a totally different way. Using checkboxes. You can simply check the files or folders you want to select by checking them off – no CTRL key needed.

To turn it on, open any folder in explorer, and hold down ALT, then T to get the menu to show up. Go to tools then options. Go to the view tab and find the option that says:

“Use check boxes to select items”

Checkbox Selection Option

When you want to select an item, you can hover over it and a checkbox will show up. Simply check the ones you want to select:

Selected Items

Now there is no need to worry about pressing the wrong button and losing your entire selection.

Filed Under: Tips, Windows, Windows 7

Bring the quick launch bar in Windows 7

Posted by Steve Wiseman on February 3, 2010 with 4 Comments

If you have been using Windows 7 you may have noticed that the quick launch bar is missing.

The quick launch bar was available in Vista, XP, and Windows 2000.

Here it is a shot of it under Windows XP:

Old Quick Launch Bar

There is probably a good reason for them to remove it. With the complete redesign of the explorer interface, there are probably better ways of accomplishing the same thing.

I am stuck in my ways, and I like the quick launch. I found a way to get it back in Windows 7.

Right click on the task bar. Go to toolbars, and then click on new toolbar:

New Tool Bar

It will popup a folder selection box. The folder you select will become the source for your quick launch. In my case, I created a folder under my user profile called “Quick Launch”:

Tool Bar Folder

Now…we need to make some changes. First unlock the task bar by right clicking it and unchecking that option:

Unlock Tool Bar

Then right click on the new tool bar and uncheck show text, and show title:

Now, you have a quick launch. Move it over to the left (You can since you unlocked the task bar) Just drop shortcuts into the folder you selected, and they will show up:

Quick Launch in Windows 7

Lock the task bar again, and you have a quick launch bar in Windows 7.

Filed Under: Windows, Windows 7

Open a hidden control panel in Windows 7

Posted by Steve Wiseman on January 27, 2010 with 0 Comments

I have been hearing lots of chatter about this hidden feature in Windows 7. Everyone is calling it “God Mode”

You will see why it is called that in a minute, but essentially it is a hidden control panel that gives you easy access to just about every setting in Windows 7.

To get to it, simply create a new folder on your desktop:

Create New Folder

Then rename it to this:

GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

Rename Folder

After you finish renaming the folder, the icon will change:

New God Mode Folder

Double click on it, and you will be shown a huge (That is not even the right word) number of options:

Hidden Control Panel Options

(Click to see all the options – it is a big image!)

Now with the warning – It works great in Windows 7, and Vista. But! If you have the 64 bit version of Vista do not try this…it will crash every time explorer is loaded. The only way out is to use a command line recovery or safe mode from another account.

Filed Under: Tips, Windows, Windows 7, Windows Vista

Open a commonly used folder – Fast

Posted by Steve Wiseman on January 21, 2010 with 0 Comments

Here is a simple tip that I just started using myself. Do you have a folder that you constantly need to open throughout the day?

Well, I do. While developing software I always need to get to the distribution folder to check on files and make sure our daily compiles are running smoothly.

Here is how it works. You create a short-cut to your favorite folder, and then in the properties you can assign a hot key.

That way, instead of clicking forever, you can simply hit a key combination and the folder will appear.

Let me walk you through it. First, I am going to create a shortcut to the folder on my desktop:

Shortcut Hot Key

Right click on it, and go to properties. A window will pop up. Click on the edit box that is titled “Shortcut key”

Shortcut hot key

Now that it is selected…press the key you would like as your ‘hotkey’.

Then, when you want that folder…simply presss CTRL-ALT + your hotkey, and the folder will be there in seconds.

Filed Under: Tips, Windows

Troubleshoot Windows 7 with the “Problem Steps Recorder”

Posted by Steve Wiseman on December 9, 2009 with 2 Comments

While digging around, I found this very cool utility included with Windows 7. It is called “Problem Steps Recorder”.

The program allows you to record a set of actions, and then save it as a zip file, and allow someone else to see what you did.

This is perfect when trying to troubleshoot an issue, but you don’t have the ability to use remote control, or have access to the computer.

If you want someone to record their steps, you have them simply type the letters ‘psr’ in the start menu search:

Problem Steps Recorder Launch

See the psr.exe at the top, run that, and you can start recording. Make sure you right click and run it as administrator if you have any applications you want to show that also run as administrator

Problem Steps Recorder As Admin

Once you are ready to start recording your steps, hit the record button

Problem Steps Recorder Start

In my little test, I launched the Remote Desktop Client, and tried to connect to a problem server. When I had the error I even wrote a little note.

When I was finished, I stopped the recorder, and it saved the entire session as a zip file

Problem Steps Recorder Save Zip

It is pretty good at keeping that file small. The file could be emailed, and opened. Inside the zip is a ‘mht’ file that can be viewed with Internet Explorer.

You can see with my test record below, it shows screen shots for each click, and descriptions:

Even better, it provides a text description below all of the shots, with any notes that were added during the record.

Here is an excerpt of mine:

...
Problem Step 7: User Comment: "See - this is where I cannot connect!"
Program:
UI Elements:
...

In short, it is an awesome little utility built into Windows 7. It can save you tons of time when trying to diagnose something from far away, and the person using it does not even need to know how to take a screen shot.

Original Article from www.networksteve.com

Filed Under: Tools, Windows, Windows 7

Network Administrator – Beta 3

Posted by Steve Wiseman on September 30, 2009 with 0 Comments

Network Administrator Beta 3 has been released. If you never have used it before, Network Administrator allows you to perform actions on any number of machines across your network. You can reboot 100 computers with the press of a button, disable USB flash drives, or set Microsoft Word to save in 2003 format. These are just a few of things you can do with it.

You can get a copy of the beta from here:

Network Administrator Beta 3

If you purchase 2.9 today, you will get 3.0 free when it is released on October 27th – Best of all, you get it for 50% off as a regular reader of my blog. Just use this special link when ordering:

Purchase Today

In the 3.0 we have built a core system that supports plugins. This allows us to now add new actions quickly. Last time I spoke about the beta I promised 10 new plugins (in addition to the standard list of actions in 2.9) would be added before the final release.

So far we have added 4 of them. Here they are:

Mass Folder Copy – This plugin allows you to pick a folder on your hard drive, and copy it to many machines across your network. Perfect way to copy a set of shortcuts to everyone’s desktop.

Offline Files Disabler – Disables the annoying offline files setting in Windows XP, and 2003.

Logon Disclaimer – Allows you to set a logon disclaimer that is displayed to a user before they login.

Wallpaper Set – You can set a common background wallpaper image, and set options such as tile, stretch, and center.

All of these have been suggested by beta testers. We have had other great ones, like resetting the local admin password, or pushing out MSI files silently. We are still working on the remote execution engine, and once that is complete we will be able to implement some of those ideas. Get your suggestion in by mailing us at plugins@intelliadmin.com We cannot answer all of the emails sent, but we do read them all.

Give it a spin, and let us know what you think.

Filed Under: Network Administrator, Tools, Utility, Windows

Free Tool – Suspend from the command line

Posted by Steve Wiseman on September 22, 2009 with 8 Comments

I have a system task schedule that wakes up my system at night, runs a few backup processes…and then shuts the computer down.

What I really wanted it to do was to suspend, or hibernate. That way I can get back into my computer quick when I come back in the morning.

After searching around, I found that this little VB Script command can be used to suspend a computer:

Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.Run "RunDll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState"

Unfortunately this does not work on all versions of Windows. For my task, I wanted something I could use on anything from Windows 2000, to the 64 bit version of Windows 7.

After many fruitless searches on Google, I had the IntelliAdmin team build one for me.

It is called System Suspend, and you can download it from here: SystemSuspend.exe

If you run the program with no options, it will immediately suspend the computer. There are two optional arguments you can use when calling it:

/Hibernate:[TRUE|FALSE] – Defaults to false. If you set Hibernate to true the computer will totally power off and save the state to disk. If Hibernate is set to false, then the system will go into a low power state that will allow you to resume quickly

/Force:[TRUE|FALSE]- Applications are notified of the suspend/hibernate by default. If you set the force option to true, then it will skip this step and perform the action immediately

We have tested it on Windows 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, Windows 7, and 2008 – including 64 bit versions…and it works great on all of them.

Filed Under: BAT Files, Tools, Utility, Windows
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