An Overview of Operating System Tools

Operating system is the mode in the computer that turns the machine to a user enabled service. A brief knowhow of the OS tools makes the user easy and comfortable while using it. Plus, he would know that he is not taking some wrong step and he would have knowledge of what is going to happen next. Here are some of the overview that how the operating systems actually work;

Administrative

Here are the factors which affect the administrative performance of the user and one must know about them to get some good access.

Computer management

Computer management option can be found within the control panel of any computer system. One may go to the control panel from the start menu. Within the control panel there is Administrative toll. One of the administrative tools is computer management. On the computer management window, one may find there are three panes. The left pane will show some functions, and when one chooses a function from the left pane, the details of the pane will be available at the pane at the centre, where as the right section will show the series of action that can be taken. There is Task Scheduler within the system tools, and even the windows event viewer can be also accessed from the computer management list. One can also start defragmentation of the disk and disk spaces from here. And in the performance sector, one can see how the system is performing and that can be observed for a long period also.

Device manager

When an external hardware is connected to the computer, then the device will be shown at the Device manager tray or administrative window. The hardware may be of various types, like the printers, the USB ported devices like pen drive, a Tablet or a mobile, a Mouse and a Keyboard or even a camera. Most of the time the computer detects the driver of the device and installation of the driver is done instantly and automatically. However, there are many devices which are to be installed separately, like the modems or a networking device. And sometimes the device is to be added manually, from the add device option in the device manager tool. Once the device is shown at the device manager window, then the device can be configured or even troubleshooting of the device is also applicable. One can go to the device manager pane from the tools directly or even can go there via the control panel. At the category view in the control panel, one can find three options to go to the Device manager window. The options are 'view devices and printers', 'add a device' and 'adjust commonly used mobility settings'.

Users and groups

One can easily go to the Users and groups pane from the tools. He or she has to go to the control panel and there one may find the tab, 'user accounts'. There a User account can be created and the profile picture or password can be managed easily. One can even have numerous user accounts enabled to operate at different mode in the computer. Even one can be given an access to the computer by making the guest account enabled in a password protected computer. One user cannot see or access the files or settings of another user until he or she is set as administrator. One administrator alone can have the access to view or manage all other user's details. There is yet another option in Users and groups to function at the same time. The option is the group profile, where there will be a group id and a group password, which can be accessed by the entire group.

Local security policy

This is a feature for large corporate and is in the ultimate version of the Windows Operating System. This feature will not be seen in the home computers. One can find the local security under the Administrative tools, which one may get access from the control panel. This option allows the administrator to provide access or deny access to some users to some drive or software on those drives. Thus the changes in those software or drives will not be possible for them, whom the access to change or configure it is given by the administrator. By this end user policy one administrator can allow or disallow any user on those computers to get an access over few websites or not. By these the users can also be restricted to surf freely at their work place as most of the irrelevant website; basically the irrelevant websites to the job will not be opened from there.

Performance monitor

It is the option to actually monitor how the CPU is performing. One can go there from the control panel or another easy way to reach there is by pressing sticky keys on the key boards. One can press Ctrl, Alt and Del at the same time, to find the option of Start Task Manager. User can go to the fourth tab under performance and there they can find two graphs. One is showing the CPU Usage and the other showing Memory. One may find that all the data are changing there randomly, which implicit the fact that those are the live records of the usage and memory. One may find there in the small window a button called Resource Monitor. By clicking there, a new larger window will open where there will be four continuously running meters. The meters are of the CPU, Memory, Network and Disk. Thus all the records are placed in front one's eye and thus making the performance monitoring easy.

Services

One can go to the service window directly from the tools and control panel there from. One can go there from the control panel or another easy way to reach there is by pressing sticky keys on the key boards. One can press Ctrl, Alt and Del at the same time, to find the option of Start Task Manager. After finding the small window, one can go to the third tab at the top of the window. There one can find a list of services that are running at the background to make the system run in a smoother way.

System configuration

One may find the system configuration by going through the control panel from the tools. Or else can go to the windows from C drive and by double clicking windows from there. In the windows folder one may find the System 32 file and within there the 'Config' folder. One may also directly go there by writing on run window just the word config and pressing the enter switch once. There he or she will be redirected to the config folder directly. Thus one can easily go to the system configuration.

Task scheduler

Windows can perform a task at a scheduled time and scheduled date. Not only one time does it work, but windows can do a particular task scheduled every day at a particular time or at particular interval. One can find the task scheduler by going to the tools. From tools, one has to go to the control panel. From control panel, he or she has to go to administrative tools to find the task scheduler. In windows 7, windows vista or windows 8, one may find the task scheduler in an updated version. Thus it makes the windows user equipped with he best scheduler and that also without the support of any other software.

Component services

Any web developer surely has gone through the COM+ feature of computer. This is an extensive feature of windows that helps in configuring the components related to one's regular job or duty easily. Not only configuration of components, by even event management and scheduling is also possible directly from the windows. The direct access of the feature makes the use of other software for the same purpose undesired. One can easily find the tool at the tools. From tools, he it she may go to administrative tools via control panel to get access to the feature.

Data sources

A web developer needs to access the database for the developing purpose. For that purpose, one needs Open Database Connectivity. This ODBC can be accessed from the control panel directly. The feature is available in the windows in all of it versions. From tools, one is needed to go to the control panel, and from there one may find the open database connectivity as a tool at the administrative tool.

Print management

Print management can be accessed directly from the tools, or one may go to the control panel and get access to the print and printer management. When an external hardware is connected to the computer, then the device will be shown at the Device manager tray or administrative window. The hardware may be of various types, like the printers, the USB ported devices like pen drive, a Tablet or a mobile, a Mouse and a Keyboard or even a camera. Most of the time the computer detects the driver of the device and installation of the driver is done instantly and automatically. However, there are many devices which are to be installed separately, like the modems or a networking device. And sometimes the device is to be added manually, from the add device option in the device manager tool. Once the device is shown at the device manager window, then the device can be configured or even troubleshooting of the device is also applicable. One can go to the device manager pane from the tools directly or even can go there via the control panel. At the category view in the control panel, one can find three options to go to the Device manager window. The options are 'view devices and printers', 'add a device' and 'adjust commonly used mobility settings'. From the print management, the new printer hardware can be detected and added. If the hardware is not found automatically, then there is option to add a printer manually also. For annual setting of a printer one may have to add the IP address of the printer device to the IP address of the system, to get access over the printer. Other than the printer setting the printing setting is also very much easy from the windows coating system. In all the versions of windows, be it Windows XP or Windows Vista, or even Windows 7 and windows 8, there is the facility to access the printer from the system tray, although one can access the settings from the control panel and in the device setting therefore.

Windows memory diagnostics

It is the option to actually monitor how the CPU is performing. One can go there from the control panel or another easy way to reach there is by pressing sticky keys on the key boards. One can press Ctrl, Alt and Del at the same time, to find the option of Start Task Manager. User can go to the fourth tab under performance and there they can find two graphs. One is showing the CPU Usage and the other showing Memory. One may find that all the data are changing there randomly, which implicit the fact that those are the live records of the usage and memory. One may find there in the small window a button called Resource Monitor. By clicking there, a new larger window will open where there will be four continuously running meters. The meters are of the CPU, Memory, Network and Disk. Thus all the records are placed in front one's eye and thus making the performance monitoring easy. Thus one can find the memory diagnostics. However, one may also find diagnostics of memory at the start up just by pressing the F1 or F10 button.

Windows firewall

One can access the firewall setting from the control panel. Otherwise one can also avail that access from the system tray, where usually the firewall icon remains placed. Firewall provides an additional security to the computer, by protecting the system from threatening softwares, from malware, from broken files and cracked settings. Thus firewall makes the system secured enough, and makes the system function smooth. By firewall setting, one can make the system secured and safe easily and effectively.

Advanced security

In the firewall setting there is an advanced mode which provides additional security to the computer. By this setting area, which can be accessed from the control panel or system tray, one can put the firewall off for certain software functioning and even can turn the entire system off. However, by the same process through which firewall has been put off, I can again be restored. One can also arrange the system so as to deny the access of many issues or accept the access of many issues, by this advanced mode of firewall and thus can arrange an additional or advanced security to the computer or system.

MSCONFIG

Here is the normal configuration which one should know about;

General

In the general configuration of the windows, the disk's behaviour, the behaviour of files, the room condition of audio formats, the volume and speaker setting of the audio files, the system notification sounds can be configured. One can go to the configuration from the administrative tools at control panel or can directly go there by putting config command at run. Along with the general settings, one can also set the default function or opening modes of different file formats. The choosing of accessible file formats for different file categories can also be done from there.

Boot

This is an extended setting for the experts. However the user is allowed to set the settings or configuration by default. One can make the necessary settings for booting the computer from this part. That essentially means that one can set the format or accessible devices for booting the computer. That may be through the USB drive or by a CD or DVD or even by the internal drive or disk. By making these settings enabled or configured one may allow or restrict the booting of computer from some devices.

Services

Among the service configuration, there are the audio settings, printer settings, adding a driver or device setting and even the web accessing settings. By those settings, one can set the default activities of the computer. That means, when one like the e icon or internet icon, the web browser, that will be set by default will take the access. Likewise when Ctrl+P are pressed, the device understands that the user is willing to print something. The default printer among the different printers attached will take the access.

Start-up

One can easily set the startup software for the computer in windows. This facility is available at all the versions of the windows. One can get this access from the control panel and by this action; one can set or deselect the start up functions of the computer. The software that are not for general use, like a photo editing software, a video or audio editing software, or a particular compute game, if turned of from the start can make the start up of computer faster than usual. If the internet accessing allowance is provided at the start up, then the system can get the internet access at the very start of the system. Thus the entire system can be configured by the wish of the user, and there lies big facilities for the user to use the windows.

Tools

When an external hardware is connected to the computer, then the device will be shown at the Device manager tray or administrative window. The hardware may be of various types, like the printers, the USB ported devices like pen drive, a Tablet or a mobile, a Mouse and a Keyboard or even a camera. Most of the time the computer detects the driver of the device and installation of the driver is done instantly and automatically. However, there are many devices which are to be installed separately, like the modems or a networking device. And sometimes the device is to be added manually, from the add device option in the device manager tool. Once the device is shown at the device manager window, then the device can be configured or even troubleshooting of the device is also applicable. One can go to the device manager pane from the tools directly or even can go there via the control panel. At the category view in the control panel, one can find three options to go to the Device manager window. The options are 'view devices and printers', 'add a device' and 'adjust commonly used mobility settings'.

Task Manager

Here are some task manager's applications and the processes which are performed for the better running of PC;

Applications

The logical layout of the drive can be checked to watch that everything is in order or not. In windows, one is no required to have any third party software for that. In the tools, putting the chkdsk command, the driver's property can easily be read. Windows generally split the system files and store the fragments at different locations. When one tries to access that file, the file is again put together to make it accessible to the operating system and the entire process is done by the spinning drive. Any how if one can arrange those fragments and turn around those things from drive then, the read or write becomes easier and quicker. One can easily run this from tools, or even can put the command in the command box as defrag to get those files or fragments at one place.

Processes

The logical layout of the drive can be checked to watch that everything is in order or not. In windows, one is no required to have any third party software for that. In the tools, putting the chkdsk command, the driver's property can easily be read. Windows generally split the system files and store the fragments at different locations. There are many such services in today's market to store your music, videos, documents and even softwares or .rar files at some online networks. This is time taking as every thing will be on the basis of manual update, but once updated, this provides the support for availability at any time and any place in the globe.

Performance

It is the option to actually monitor how the CPU is performing. One can go there from the control panel or another easy way to reach there is by pressing sticky keys on the key boards. One can press Ctrl, Alt and Del at the same time, to find the option of Start Task Manager. User can go to the fourth tab under performance and there they can find two graphs. One is showing the CPU Usage and the other showing Memory. One may find that all the data are changing there randomly, which implicit the fact that those are the live records of the usage and memory. One may find there in the small window a button called Resource Monitor. By clicking there, a new larger window will open where there will be four continuously running meters. The meters are of the CPU, Memory, Network and Disk. Thus all the records are placed in front one's eye and thus making the performance monitoring easy. Thus one can find the memory diagnostics. However, one may also find diagnostics of memory at the start up just by pressing the F1 or F10 button.

Networking

Not every time do the windows finds the network by default or add them. Network can be in various modes for a computer. It ma be an internet or also can be an intranet. It can be for a FTP server or even can be for a HTTP or HTTPS server. Again a network ma is accessible through a router or a dongle for WiFi connection, through Bluetooth or even through a data cable for a wireless connection, or even may be through a modem or a network device. The connection ma be via LAN chord or may be a WAN even. So every time it is not possible for the windows to identify connection availability. So in windows there is a system at the control panel where a network can be added manually by IP address.

Users

One can easily go to the Users and groups pane from the tools. He or she has to go to the control panel and there one may find the tab, 'user accounts'. There a User account can be created and the profile picture or password can be managed easily. One can even have numerous user accounts enabled to operate at different mode in the computer. Even one can be given an access to the computer by making the guest account enabled in a password protected computer. One user cannot see or access the files or settings of another user until he or she is set as administrator. One administrator alone can have the access to view or manage all other user's details. There is yet another option in Users and groups to function at the same time. The option is the group profile, where there will be a group id and a group password, which can be accessed by the entire group.

Disk management

Here are some ways through which one can do some disk management;

Drive status

The driver status in windows can easily be configured and monitored in the windows. Just by going to the computer one can get a glance of the disk space in windows vista and onwards. Otherwise the disk status can also be known from the administrative services in the control panel.

Mounting

The device and drives or external drivers can be mounted from the computer. Even the external drivers or virtual drives can all be mounted to the computer by iso formats easily to the my computers,

Extending partitions

The disk partitions can be easily extended during the time of formatting the windows with the operating system. Extending partitions means putting more number of partitions to the device, and that access is given for the window users during the time of formatting the computer.

Splitting partitions

Splitting partitions is accessible in all windows during the installation of the new operating system. One can split the entire memory space into partitions starting from C to K. that means into nine partitions at max.

Assigning drive letters

A user can assign the drivers easily in a windows system with letters ranging from C and that can go till K. However the system by default assigns the C drive as the drive for string the files of operating system. Yet the drive for storing the Fies of operating system can be assigned as per user's wish during the time of formatting the disks. In windows, there is option to load more than one operating system on one single computer. There at that time, the D drive is taken as the default disk to load the files of operating system of the second OS, but then also the disk space or the disk letter can be assigned by a user manually.

Adding drives

In windows, during the time of formatting the computer, the number of drivers can be set till K, starting from C. So there can be nine drives that can be set in the system from the very starting. However in windows, a number of virtual drives, CD drives and DVD drives and also USB port drives can be set. The USB port dives, CD drives and DVD drives can number maximum up to the number of ports attached with the system. However that may be increased by attaching multi port device to the system. Again, with .iso file support, windows drove numbers can increase more. The dream in tools allows a maximum of six such drives to a particular system.

Adding arrays

Adding area to the hardware system is also allowed for all users in the windows system. Putting more arrays to the system helps any user to increase the graphic quality of the system.

Other

Here are some other tools which are used commonly;

User State Migration tool (USMT), File and Settings Transfer Wizard, Windows Easy Transfer

In windows there are a mode for offline file transfer where the file transfer protocol disused, which is commonly known as FTP server. Otherwise after the windows vista model, the settings of a particular computer can be sent to other computer and thus the time and effort both is saved for the user.

Command line utilities

The command line utilities can help one making some accurate commands to get some works done. There are some command line utilities:

MSCONFIG: As discussed earlier, one can use the configuration methods to configure the programs. There are several ways through which this is done and those ways are discussed earlier.

REGEDIT

It is the option to che, add and delete a registration of device software. All the registration ids are shown here and thus can easily be accessed b user. A user can go there by simply typing regedit at the run menus.

CMD SERVICES

It stands for the Microsoft command promoted and can be accessed fro the RU command manager

MSC/MMC/MSTSC

MSC stands for Microsoft Services, MMC stands for Microsoft Management Console and MSTSC is the option for Remote desktop. All of them can be accessed from control panel or run command prompt.

NOTEPAD

A notepad is a default tool in widow for Unicode text encryption.

EXPLORER

By explorer, one can reach the document's explorer folder radio by just putting the message or command, explorer on the run menus. However by pressing enter after writing explorer on the run menus, the task manger also pops up.

MSINFO32

This is is the command to be put on run command prompt for getting the information of 32 bit Microsoft system.

DXDIAG

DX stands for direct X and DIAG for diagnostic tool. Direct X is the service for multimedia functioning I Widows and by this command, the settings can be checked.