Table 6-9 Task Manager Tabs

Tab Purpose
   
Applications Open programs and status
   
Processes Displays processes, memory usage, and description
   
Services(Vista, 7 only; Displays services, status, group, and process identifier (PID)
see Figure 6-7)  
   
Performance CPU, memory, and system performance metrics
   
Networking Network connection usage
   
Users Current users connected to this computer
   

 

 

Windows Disk Management (see Figure 6-8) is a subnode of the Storage node in Computer Management. It is used to perform the following tasks:

 

Drive status—Lists the status for hard disks, solid-state disks (SSD), and flash drives con-nected to the computer. (Windows XP’s Disk Management also lists optical drives and removable-media drives if removable storage management is enabled.)

 

Assigning drive letters—Assign one or more drive letters to a drive.

 

Drive mount paths—Mounting a drive for access via an empty NTFS folder.Creating partitions—Create and format disk partitions.

 

Split partitions—Shrink an existing partition and assign the empty space to a new volume(drive letter).

 

Adding array—Create disk array from two or more selected drives.

 

Convert to dynamic disk—Dynamic disks can be expanded and can be added to arrays.


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Figure 6-7 The Services tab of Windows 7’s Task Manager.

 

Figure 6-8 Windows 7’s Disk Management.

 

 

Windows includes various run line programs used for system management. Table 6-10 provides a quick reference.


118 CompTIA A+ Quick Reference

 

Table 6-10 Run Line Programs Used for System Management

Program How Used
   
Regedit Displays and edits the system Registry
   
CMD Opens a command prompt session
   
MMC Starts a blank Microsoft Management Console session; add snap-
  ins to create a customized management session
   
MSTSC Starts the Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection service
   
Notepad Opens a plain-text editor
   
Explorer Opens Internet Explorer (no options) or a specified drive
   
MSInfo32 (Figure 6-9) Displays a detailed, searchable list of hardware and software
  installed in system
   
DXDiag Displays information about DirectX installation and the hardware
  it controls
   

 

Figure 6-9 System Summary created by MSInfo32.

 

Control Panel Utilities


 

The Control Panel is used to view current hardware and desktop settings and to make changes to those settings. Windows XP, Vista, and 7 have many Control Panel options in common (although they might differ in details), but each also has Control Panel settings unique to itself.


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