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Guy's Top 10 Free Tools

1) FreePing
2) Network Monitor
3) Xobni
4) PuTTY (UNIX)
5) IP SLA Monitor
6) BgInfo
7) Net-SNMP
8) Engineer's Toolset
9) Exchange Monitor
10) WinDiff

Windows Vista Resource Monitor (Perfmon)

Windows Vista Resource Monitor (Perfmon)

Vista now has a Resource Monitor.  The idea is to provide you with more detail on which processes are consuming which resources and thus troubleshoot Vista applications.  If effect Vista's Resource Monitor is a new chopped down version of Performance Monitor found on Windows Servers.

Vista Resource Monitor Topics

• Launching the Resource Monitor
• Troubleshooting Vista with the Resource Monitor
• Summary of Windows Vista's Resource Monitor

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Launching the Resource Monitor

Method 1 - Direct Route

1. Click on the Vista Start Globe (Button).
2. Type perf in the 'Start Search' dialog box.
3. You could also try typing: perfmon/res

Method 2 - Long winded

1. Start by launching the Task Manager. 
   Ctrl +Shift +Esc is the flashiest way.  
   The executable is called taskmgr (as it was in XP).
2. At the bottom of the Task Manager is a new tab called Resource Manager.

Method 3 - Classic

1. Locate the Administrative Tools.
2. To display the Administrative Tools on the Programs Menu:
   Right click the Taskbar, Properties, Start Menu, Customize, Advanced and scroll down to the Administrative Tools.
3. Click on Reliability and Performance Monitoring.
4. Remember to Start perfmon from the Monitor menu.

Troubleshooting Vista with the Resource Monitor

The Resource Monitor is an indication of Vista's improved troubleshooting capabilities.  It also indicates how many menus in XP now have extra sub-menus in Vista. What the resource monitor does is give extra information on the 'big four' performance counters, CPU, Disk, Network and Memory. 

When troubleshooting, run through the progression, of memory, CPU, disk then network.  Remember to start the Resource Monitor by clicking on the 'Monitor Tab, then Start.  This procedure is a clue that the Resource Monitor does have an overhead and thus would be an unnecessary burden on a healthy machine. The most likely cause of the machine running slowly is the process that is consuming most of the resource.  A useful tip to spot the most active process is to sort the categories by clicking on the title, for example, 'Working Set (KB)'.  

• See more on Windows Server 2008's Resource Monitor
• See a whole section on Performance Monitoring

Summary of Windows Vista's Resource Monitor

When every you need detail on why Vista, or one of its programs then launch the Resource Manager.  You can access the underlying executable either by typing perfmon in the Start Search box or via the Task Manager.

Guy Recommends:  The Orion Network Performance Monitor (NPM) 9.5

Solarwinds' Orion performance monitor is designed for detecting network outages.  This NPM will guide you through troubleshooting by indicating whether the root cause is a broken link, faulty equipment or resource overload.  Because it produces network-centric views, it is intuitive to navigate, and as result you can see easily what's working and what's not.

Perhaps Orion's best feature is the way it suggests solutions.  Moreover, if problems arise out of the blue, then you can configure Orion NPM 9.5 to notify members of your team what's changed and how to fix it.

If you are interested in testing a professional performance monitor on your network, then I recommend that you take advantage of Solarwinds' offer of a download a free trial of Orion's Network Performance Monitor.

Windows Vista Training

Train Signal have an excellent Windows Vista Training Course.  As an MCT trainer, I am a huge advocate of Train Signal’s products.  What impresses is me is that they demonstrate everything that they teach and they stay away from traditional 'lecture-style' training.  If you are looking for a complete DETAILED coverage of Windows Vista, then I highly recommend that you give this course a try.  I have reviewed their 18 hours of videos myself, and I guarantee that you will not be disappointed!

Watch a Vista Training Video Demo.

Configuring Windows Vista Topics:

Windows Vista Troubleshooting:

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