Using System Support Tools in Vista

Windows Vista provides a wide range of support tools. Tools that are available include the following:

• Backup (SDCLT.EXE) Runs Backup Status And Configuration, which you can use to back up and recover the Windows Vista system.
  

• Built-In Diagnostics Scans the system, examining hardware components and software configurations for problems. This can be used to troubleshoot and resolve performance and configuration issues.
  

• DirectX Diagnostic Tool (DXDIAG.EXE) Runs a diagnostic tool that you can use to troubleshoot problems with Microsoft DirectX. DirectX is used to speed up the performance of applications, provided the system hardware supports this feature.

• Disk Cleanup (CLEANMGR.EXE) Runs the Disk Cleanup utility, which examines disk drives for files that aren't needed. By default, Disk Cleanup examines temporary files, the Recycle Bin, and various types of offline files to see whether there are files that can be deleted.

• Disk Defragmenter (dfrgui.exe) Runs the Disk Defragmenter utility, which examines disk drives for fragmentation and can then be used to defragment the drive. A drive with many fragmented files can reduce the system's performance.
  

• File Signature Verification Utility (SIGVERIF.EXE) Used to check operating system files that have been digitally signed. Any critical files that aren't digitally signed are displayed in a results list. The complete list of system files checked is available in a log file stored in %SystemRoot%\SIGVERIF.TXT.

• Offer Remote Assistance Enables you to offer remote assistance to a user.

• Remote Assistance Enables you to create a remote assistance invitation that can be used to get remote help from a technician.
  

• System Configuration Utility (MSCONFIG.EXE) Enables you to manage system configuration information. You can configure normal, diagnostic, and selective startup as well.

• System Restore (RSTRUI.EXE) Accesses the System Restore utility, which can be used to create restore points or to roll back a system to a specific restore point.
  

The tools you might want to take a closer look at include Disk Cleanup, File Signature Verification, and System Configuration.

Working with Disk Cleanup

Disk Cleanup checks disk drives for files that aren't needed. You can start to work with Disk Cleanup by completing the following steps:

1. Click Start, Programs or All Programs, Accessories, System Tools. Then select Disk Cleanup.

   Note

   The executable for Disk Cleanup is CLEANMGR.EXE. To run Disk Cleanup directly, click Start, type cleanmgr, and then press Enter.

2. You must now choose whether to clean up only the current user's files or all files on the computer. If you want to clean up all files on the computer, you'll need to provide administrator consent or credentials as appropriate.

3. If the computer has multiple hard disk drives, the Drive Selection dialog box is displayed. Use the Drives drop-down list to choose the drive you want to clean up and then click OK.

4. Disk Cleanup then examines the selected drive, looking for temporary files that can be deleted and files that are candidates for compression. The more files on the drive, the longer the search process takes.

5. When Disk Cleanup finishes, you'll see a report similar to the one shown in Figure 1. File categories that you might see in the report include the following:

   • q Downloaded Program Files Contains programs downloaded for use by your browser, such as ActiveX controls and Java applets. These files are temporary and can be deleted.

   • q Files Discarded By Windows Upgrade Contains files from a previous upgrade that were not identified as Windows system files. After you've saved any necessary data from previous Windows installations, including user data, you can use this option to remove the related files and free up space.

   • q Hibernation File Cleaner Contains details about the state of the computer when it enters hibernation. If the computer doesn't use hibernation, you can remove this file to free up space.

   • q Microsoft Office Temporary Files Contains temporary files and logs used by Microsoft Office. These files can be deleted to free up space.

   • q Offline Files Contains local copies of network files that you've designated for offline use. These files are stored to enable offline access and can be deleted.

   • q Previous Windows Installation(s) Saved under Windows.old, this contains files from previous Windows installations. After you've saved any necessary data from previous Windows installations, including user data, you can use this option to remove the related files and free up space.

   • q Temporary Offline Files Contains temporary data and work files for recently used network files. These files are stored to enable working and can be deleted.

   • q Recycle Bin Contains files that have been deleted from the computer but not yet purged. Emptying the Recycle Bin permanently removes the files.

   • q Temporary Files Contains information stored in the Temp folder. These files are primarily temporary data or work files for applications.

   • q Temporary Internet Files Contains Web pages stored to support browser caching of pages. These files are temporary and can be deleted.

   • q Thumbnails Contains thumbnails of pictures, videos, and documents created by Windows Vista. When you access a folder the first time, Windows Vista creates thumbnails of pictures, videos, and documents. These thumbnails are saved so they can be quickly displayed the next time you access a folder. If you delete thumbnails, they are recreated the next time you access a folder.

   
   Figure 1: Use Disk Cleanup to help you find files that can be deleted.

6. Use the check boxes provided in the Files To Delete list to choose files that you want to clean up. Then click OK. When prompted to confirm the action, click Yes.

Verifying System Files Using File Signature Verification

Critical files used by the operating system are digitally signed. Digital signatures help to prove the authenticity of these files and ensure that it is easy to track changes that might cause problems on a system. When you are having problems that cannot easily be explained, such as happens when a system becomes unstable after an application installation, it is a good idea to verify that critical system files haven't been changed. You can do this using the File Signature Verification utility.

The executable file for the File Signature Verification utility is SIGVERIF.EXE. You can start and work with the File Signature Verification utility by completing the following steps:

1. Click Start, type sigverif, and then press Enter.

2. Click Start to run the File Signature Verification utility using the default configuration. By default, the File Signature Verification utility displays a list of system files that aren't digitally signed and writes verification results to %SystemRoot%\SIGVERIF.TXT.

3. Notice the list of files displayed in the File Signature Verification utility report. These files don't have digital signatures and could have been maliciously replaced by other programs of the same name. Review event logs and other error reports to see if these files show up in the error reports.

4. Use Microsoft Notepad to access the verification log located in %SystemRoot%\SIGVERIF.TXT. Check the log to see if there are files that have been altered since they were installed. Files are listed by status, such as Signed, Unsigned, and Not Scanned. Any files that have been changed will be marked as such.

Managing System Configuration, Startup, and Boot

Whether you want to update system configuration files or troubleshoot startup problems, your tool of choice should be the System Configuration utility. System Configuration is an integrated tool for managing system configuration information. Using this utility, you can manage the following elements:

• Operating system startup options

• Startup applications

• Service-startup options

The following sections examine key tasks that you can perform with the System Configuration utility. The executable file for the System Configuration utility is MSCONFIG.EXE. You can access the utility by clicking Start, typing msconfig, and then pressing Enter.

Understanding Startup Modes and Troubleshooting System Startup

You can use the System Configuration utility to select the startup mode for a computer. The following three startup modes are available:

• Normal Startup Normal startup is used for normal system operations. In this mode, the operating system loads all system configuration files and device drivers and also runs all startup applications and enabled services.

• Diagnostic Startup Diagnostic startup is used to troubleshoot system problems. In diagnostic mode, the system loads only basic device drivers and essential services. Once you start the system in diagnostic mode, you can modify system settings to resolve configuration problems.

• Selective Startup Selective startup is used to pinpoint problem areas in the configuration. Here, you can elect to use a modified boot configuration and selectively use system services and startup items. This can help you identify the settings that are causing system problems and correct them as necessary.

Normal is the default startup mode. If you are experiencing problems with a system and want to use a different startup mode, complete the following steps:

1. Click Start, type msconfig, and then press Enter to display the System Configuration utility, shown in Figure 2.

   
   Figure 2: Use the System Configuration utility's General tab to control system startup.

2. On the General tab, select either Diagnostic Startup or Selective Startup. If you choose selective startup, you can use the following options to select the items that you want the system to use:

   • q Load System Services Tells the system to load Windows services on startup. If you select this option, use the settings on the Services tab to specify which services are started.

   • q Load Startup Items Tells the system to run applications designated for startup at boot time. If you select this option, you can enable and disable startup applications using the option on the Startup tab.

   • q Use Original Boot Configuration Tells the system to process the original boot configuration on startup instead of one you've created by modifying the boot settings using the System Configuration utility.

   • q Use Modified Boot Configuration You can change settings on the Boot tab to control how the system starts and what additional boot flags, if any, are used. If you make changes on the Boot tab, the Selective Startup and Use Modified Boot Configuration options are automatically selected on the General tab.

3. When you are ready to continue, click OK and then reboot the system. If you have problems rebooting the system, restart the system in Safe Mode and then repeat this procedure. Safe Mode appears automatically as an option after a failed boot.

Changing Boot Options

Windows Vista uses the Windows Boot Manager and a boot application to start up the operating system. Windows Vista doesn't use Boot.ini or other boot files in a standard configuration. When troubleshooting, you can use the options on the System Configuration utilities Boot tab to control the boot partition, boot method, and boot options used by the operating system.

As shown in Figure 3, when you start the System Configuration utility and click the Boot tab, the operating systems that are bootable on the computer are listed. To specify that an operating system other than the current one should be used, you simply click the related operating system entry. When working with operating system entries, you can select the following options:

• Set As Default Sets the currently selected boot partition as the default partition. The default partition is selected automatically if you don't choose an option before the timeout interval.

• Timeout Sets the amount of time the computer waits before using the default boot partition.

• Delete Deletes an operating system entry. The entry cannot be easily recreated, so only delete an entry if absolutely necessary.

Figure 3: The Boot tab controls the boot partition, boot method, and boot options used by the operating system.

Note

On a computer with a single operating system, the Set As Default and Delete buttons are grayed out. This is because there is no other operating system to switch to or from.

You can also set the following boot options:

• Safe Boot Starts the computer in Safe Mode with additional flags for minimal, network, and alternate shell minimal boots as well as the directory service repair state (dsrepair). Once you successfully boot a system in Safe Mode, you can modify system settings to resolve configuration problems.

• No GUI Boot Boots the computer to the Windows prompt and doesn't load the graphical components of the operating system. Booting to the prompt is useful when you are having problems with the graphical components of Windows Vista.

• Boot Log Turns on boot logging so that key startup events are written to a log.

• Base Video Forces the computer to use video graphics adapter (VGA) display settings. Use this mode when you are trying to resolve display settings, such as when the display mode is set to a size that the monitor cannot display.

• OS Boot Information Starts the computer using verbose output so that you can view the details of startup activities prior to the loading of Windows graphical components.

Any changes you make are stored as modified boot configuration data by the System Configuration utility. After you make changes and click OK, you can restart the computer to apply the temporary changes. To go back to a normal startup after you've made and applied changes, you must select Normal Startup on the General tab and then click OK. You must then reboot the system so that the normal settings are used.

If you click the Advanced Options button, you can set boot options for processors, maximum memory, PCI locking, HAL detection, and debugging. To make any of the standard or advanced boot options you've selected permanent, select the Make All Boot Settings Permanent check box before clicking OK. In most cases, you won't want troubleshooting or debugging options to be permanent, so be sure to clear these options first.

Enabling and Disabling Startup Applications for Troubleshooting

If you suspect that an application loaded at startup is causing problems with the system, there is an easy way to diagnose this. Disable the program from starting automatically and then reboot the system. If the problem no longer appears, you might have pinpointed the problem and might remedy it by permanently disabling automatic startup of this program. If the problem still occurs, you might want to repeat this process with other startup applications.

To disable startup applications, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, type msconfig, and then press Enter to display the System Configuration utility.

2. Click the Startup tab. As shown in Figure 4, this tab displays a list of programs that currently load at startup.

   
   Figure 4: To troubleshoot problems with startup applications, use the options on the Startup tab.

3. Clear the check box next to any application that you do not want to load at startup.

   Caution

   Disable only those programs that you've identified as potential problems, and do so only if you know how they are used by the operating system. If you don't know what a program does, don't disable it. Sometimes you can learn more about a startup program by following its command path and then examining its base installation folder.

4. Click OK. You need to reboot the system to check the changes, so if you are prompted to restart the system, click Yes. Otherwise, reboot manually.

5. Repeat this procedure as necessary to pinpoint the program causing the system problems. If you can't identify an application as the cause of the problem, the trouble might be with a Windows component, service, or device driver.

Enabling and Disabling Services for Troubleshooting

Just as automatically started applications can cause problems on a system, so can automatically started services. To help troubleshoot service problems, you can temporarily disable services using the System Configuration utility and then reboot to see whether the problem goes away. If so, you might have pinpointed it. You can then permanently disable the service or check with the service vendor to see if an updated executable is available for the service.

To temporarily disable services, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, type msconfig, and then press Enter to display the System Configuration utility.

2. Click the Services tab. As shown in Figure 5, this tab displays a list of all services installed on the computer and includes flags that identify the state of the service, such as running or stopped, and whether the service is essential to the proper operation of the system.

   
   Figure 5: To troubleshoot problems with Windows services, use the options on the Services tab.

3. Clear the check box next to any service that you do not want to run at startup.

   Caution

   Disable only those services that you've identified as potential problems and only if you know how they are used by the operating system. If you don't know what a service does, don't disable it. You can learn the specific purpose of a service by using the Services utility in the Administrative Tools menu. Select the service to view its description on the Extended tab or double-click the service to read its description on the General tab of the related properties dialog box.

4. Click OK. You need to reboot the system to check the changes, so if you are prompted to restart the system, click Yes. Otherwise, reboot the system manually.

5. Repeat this procedure as necessary to pinpoint the service causing the system problems. If you can't identify a service as the cause of the problem, the trouble might be caused by a Windows component, a startup application, or a device driver.