Do you know which tool to use when applications and services running on Windows 7 encounter problems? The tools provided by Windows 7 can help you monitor resources, establish baselines and logs, and determine where problems might occur. Sometimes, you may need to further configure these tools or create basic scripts to address your particular problem. In this post you will find a brief overview of the various monitoring and performance tools available with your Windows 7 operating system.
Performance Monitor allows you to view performance data in real time or stored in sets for later use.
A system diagnostics report gives you details about the status of hardware resources, system response times, and processes on the local computer, along with system information and configuration data.
Reliability Monitor allows you to track the computer stability. You can see events that could affect stability and whether any restarts were required after these events.
Action Center allows you to monitor your computer and reports problems with security, maintenance, and related settings.
The Windows Experience Index indicates the suitability of your current computer hardware for running resource-intensive applications.
Task Manager displays the programs, processes, and services that are currently running on your computer. You can use Task Manager to monitor your computer’s performance or to close a program that’s not responding. If you’re connected to a network, you can also use Task Manager to view network status and see how your network is functioning. If more than one person is connected to your computer, you can see who’s connected and what they’re working on, and you can send them a message.
Resource Monitor allows you to view information about hardware and software resource use in real time.
Process Explorer performs the same functions as Task Manager but gives you additional controls and more detailed system information.
Event Viewer lets you access and filter event logs and create custom views. You can attach tasks to events and configure event forwarding and event subscriptions so that a central computer can store events generated on one or more source computers.