New Tools in Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit, Supplement 4

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Published: June 1, 1999

The following tools are new for Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit, Supplement 4:

  • Creatals.exe: Modify Domain_Create_Alias

  • Dhcmp.exe: Heap Compare

  • Dnscmd.exe: DNS Server Troubleshooting Tool

  • Expand.exe: File Expansion Utility

  • List.exe: Text Display and Search Tool

  • Memsnap.exe: Memory Profiling Tool

  • PPTP Ping: Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol Ping Utilities

  • Remote Administration Scripts

  • RPC Ping: RPC Connectivity Verification Tool

  • Snmputilg.exe: SNMP Troubleshooting Tool

  • Vfi.exe: Visual File Information

For more information about these new tools, refer to the Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit Tools Help File (ntrktool.chm).

Creatals.exe: Modify Domain_Create_Alias

This command-line utility modifies the DOMAIN_CREATE_ALIAS right on a domain so that only domain administrators can create domain local groups.

The default Windows NT user rights allow non-administrative users to create domain local groups. Domain local groups reside only on domain controllers that share a single security account manager (SAM).

A non-administrative user could potentially abuse the ability to create aliases on a domain by creating a large number of domain local groups and causing the size of the account database to grow without restrictions. Unlimited local group creation could cause the domain controller to crash and create excessive network traffic because of the replication of local group information to backup domain controllers.

This tool must be run by the Domain Administrator on the Primary Domain Controller.

CreatAls runs on Windows NT 4.0 and previous versions on Windows NT.

CreatAls Syntax

creatals [-daccount] [-gaccount] [-a] [-r] [-l] [-?]

Where:

-daccount

denies CreateAlias access to the specified account.

Note: CreateAlias cannot be denied to Administrators.

-gaccount

grants CreateAlias access to the specified account.

-a

restricts access to Administrators/AccountOps only.

-r

resets the ACL to the Windows NT 4.0 default.

-l

lists the accounts that have CrealeAlias Access

-?

displays command-line syntax (as does creatals without arguments).

You can use any number of -d and -g arguments. CreatAls, however, doesn't check for consistency in the arguments: it simply processes the arguments one at a time. This means that you should carefully determine the required accesses. For most purposes, you should use the -a or the -r option. The -d and -g options allow for greater control, but require more diligence in determining the correct settings.

File Required

Creatals.exe

For more information

See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 169556 in Microsoft TechNet.

Dhcmp.exe: Heap Compare

This command-line tool compares two dumps of heap usage from Dh.exe, matching the backtraces from each file, to find leaks.

Files Required

Dhcmp.exe

Dnscmd.exe: DNS Server Troubleshooting Tool

Dnscmd.exe is a command line tool designed to assist administrators in DNS management.

DNScmd allows the administrator to view the properties of DNS servers, zones and resource records. In addition DNScmd can be used to manually modify these properties, to create and delete zones and resource records, and to force replication events between DNS server physical memory and DNS databases/datafiles.

Note: DNScmd enhances the functionality of and replaces Dnsstat.exe, a tool included in previous Resource Kits.

DNScmd Syntax

dnscmd ServerName Command [Command Parameters]

Where:

ServerName

Is the name of the DNS server the administrator is planning to manage, represented by one of the following:

  • local machine using LPC

  • IP address - RPC over TCP/IP

  • DNS name - RPC over TCP/IP

  • NetBIOS name - RPC over named pipes

Command

Is one of the commands listed below.

Command Parameters

Are the optional parameters associated with some of the commands listed below.

DNSCMD Commands

/Info

Provides DNS Server properties.

/ResetRegistry

Resets a property of a server or zone.

/Restart

Restarts the specified DNS server.

/ClearCache

Clears the cache of the specified DNS server.

/UpdateServerFile

Writes datafile for the specified zone.

/ResetListenAddresses

Resets/selects server IP address(es) to serve DNS requests.

/ResetForwarders

Resets/selects forwarders IP address(es).

/EnumZones

Enumerates zones on the specified DNS server.

/ZoneAdd

Creates a new zone on the specified DNS server.

/ZoneDel

Deletes specified zone from the specified DNS server.

/ZonePause

Pauses the specified zone on the specified DNS server.

/ZoneResume

Resumes the specified zone on the specified DNS server.

/ZoneReload

Reloads the specified zone from its database (file or DS) on the specified DNS server.

/ZoneWriteBack

Writes back the specified zone to the file on the specified DNS server.

/ZoneRefresh

Forces refresh of the specified secondary zone on the specified DNS server from its master.

/ZoneUpdateFromDs

Updates the specified DS integrated zone by data from DS on the specified DNS server.

/ZoneResetType

Changes a type (Primary/Secondary/DSintegrated) of the specified zone on the specified DNS server.

/ZoneResetNotify

Sets/resets a notify list for the specified zone on the specified server.

/RecordAdd

Creates a record in the specified zone or RootHints on the specified DNS server.

/RecordDel

Deletes a record from the specified zone or RootHints on the specified DNS server.

/NodeDel

Deletes all records at a name from the specified zone, RootHints or Cache at the specified DNS server.

File Required

Dnscmd.exe

Expand.exe: File Expansion Utility

This command-line tool enables you to expand files that have been compressed by Compress.exe: File Compress.

Files Required

Expand.exe

List.exe: Text Display and Search Tool

This simple text display and search tool lists the contents of a file. Unlike other text display tools, List is a good tool for looking at large text or log files because it does not read the whole file into memory when you open it.

List is useful for displaying text or log files remotely and for use on servers where administrators are concerned with degradation of system performance.

List Syntax

list [**-s:string] [-g:**line#] filename[, filename, ...]

Where:

-s: string

is the string to search for after opening the file.

-g: line#

is the line to jump to after opening the file.

filename[, filename, ...]

is the name of the file(s) to open and display.

For help on List commands and switches, press F1.

Files Required

List.exe

Memsnap.exe: Memory Profiling Tool

This memory profiling tool takes a snapshot of the memory resources being consumed by all running processes and writes this information to a log file.

MemSnap logs system memory usage to a log file with the default name of Memsnap.log; however, any file name can be chosen by specifying it at the command line when starting the tool.

Memory Profiling Tool Syntax

memsnap [logfile]

Where:

logfile

is the name of the file where Memsnap writes its information (the default is Memsnap.log).

File Required

Memsnap.exe

PPTP Ping: Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol Ping Tools

Pptpclnt.exe and Pptpsrv.exe are tools that work in unison to verify that the required protocol and port for Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) is being routed from a PPTP client to a PPTP server or vice-versa.

In order for a PPTP client to access a remote PPTP server, all routers in between the two hosts must allow traffic to pass through TCP port 1723 (PPTP) and must support protocol type 47. Protocol type 47 is the GRE (Generic Routing Encapsulation) protocol.

Note: This tool is not meant to test the functionality of a PPTP server or a PPTP client. It is meant to assure that the path between the two hosts is passing through TCP port 1723 and using the GRE protocol (type 47).

Files Required

Pptpclnt.exe

Pptpsrv.exe

Remote Administration Scripts

The Remote Administration Scripts are a collection of Visual Basic scripting tools designed to perform specific administrative tasks using Microsoft Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). Rscripts.chm is an HTML Help file that documents the Remote Administration Scripts.

Files Required

  • Rscripts.chm - Documentation for Remote Administration Scripts

  • Visual Basic script (.vbs) files

These files are located in the \Vbsscripts folder of the Windows NT Resource Kit.

RPC Ping: RPC Connectivity Verification Tool

This tool can confirm RPC connectivity between Microsoft Exchange Server and any of the supported Microsoft Exchange Client workstations on the network. RPC Ping checks if Microsoft Exchange Server services are responding to RPC requests from client workstations via the network.

Rpings (Server) Syntax

rpings [-p ProtocolSequence]

Where:

ProtocolSequence

is the friendly name for one of the supported transport mechanisms of RPC, as follows:

Friendly Name

Description

namedpipes

NCA connection over Named Pipes (ncacn_np)

tcpip

NCA connection over TCP/IP (ncacn_ip_tcp)

netbios

NCA connection over NetBIOS on Netbeui (ncacn_nb_nb)

ipx/spx

NCA connection over SPX (ncacn_spx)

vines

NCA connection over Banyan Vines (ncacn_vns_spp)

Note: Enter '@q' to exit RPing.

Rpingc, Rpingc16, Rpingdos (Client) Syntax

Rpingc is the 32-bit version of the client side of the RPC Ping tool. Rpingc16 and Rpingdos are the 16-bit versions of the client side. They will connect and bind to the specified destination RPC server and display the status, available protocol sequences with end points, and quality of the RPC connection. Both Rpingc and Rpingc16 are set up to run in the Windows environment. Rpingdos runs in the MS-DOS environment.

Rpingc & Rpingc16 Options

Exchange Server:The name of the Exchange Server to ping

Protocol Sequence:The following options are available:

Any (default)

Named Pipes

IPX/SPX

TCP/IP

Netbios

Vines

End Point:The following End Points on the Exchange Server are available:

Rping (default, all)

Store (the Exchange Store)

Admin (the Exchange Administrator)

Number of Pings:Continuous

Stop at ___

Mode:Ping Only (character echoed by RPINGS)

End Point Search (enumerates all endpoints available)

Run with Security:verifies that authenticated RPCs work

Rpingdos Syntax

rpingdos [-pProtocolSequence] -nNetworkAddress [-eEndPoint] [-cxxx] [-s]

Where:

-p ProtocolSequence

sets the protocol sequence, using these friendly names for protocols:

namedpipes

tcpip

ipx/spx

netbios

vines

The default is namedpipes

-n NetworkAddress

is required.

-e EndPoint

is the endpoint to find., Defaults to Rping.

-c xxx

is the number of pings., Defaults to 1.

-s

runs an endpoint search.

Protocol sequences can be set using these friendly names:

-p namedpipes

-p tcpip

-p ipx/spx

-p netbios

-p vines

Files Required

Server Component

  • Rpings.exe (for the Microsoft Exchange Server for Windows NT)

Client Component

  • Rpingc.exe (for Windows NT, and Windows 95/98)

  • Rpingc16.exe (for Windows 3.1x clients)

  • Rpingdos.exe (for MS-DOS clients)

Snmputilg.exe: SNMP Troubleshooting Tool

SnmpUtilG is a graphical tool that complements the older command prompt SNMP browser tool (Snmputil.exe). System administrators can use either tool to obtain information from SNMP-manageable systems on the network.

You can use SnmpUtilG to perform the basic SNMP operations such as GET, GET-NEXT, and SET from a graphical interface. SnmpUtilG also supports saving SNMP data to the clipboard, as well as saving data to comma delimted text files.

Caution: Even though many OID values are "read only" by default, you should use the SNMP SET command with caution. Incorrect use of this tool might cause network name resolution or network connectivity problems adversely impacting performance.

Files Required

Snmputilg.exe

For more information

For background on SNMP and MIBs, see "Using SNMP for Network Management," Chapter 11 in Windows NT Server Networking Guide.

MIBs are also documented in detail in "MIB Object Types for Windows NT," Appendix C in Windows NT Server Networking Guide.

Vfi.exe: Visual File Information

Visual File Information retrieves and generates file information. You can use this information for testing purposes to detect what files have changed in different versions of applications or what the difference are between two seemingly identical machines. This information is also valuable to track different versions of resources that normally don't store version information. Results can be copied to the clipboard or save it out to a tab-delimted file or Excel file.

The following information (if present) is diplayed for each file:

  • File Path

  • File Name

  • Ext

  • Size

  • Date

  • Time

  • Attribs

  • File Version

  • Product Version Language

  • Code Page

  • OS

  • Type

  • File Flags

  • CRC-32

  • ISO 9660

File Required

Vfi.ex

Tools with Platform Limitations

The following tools run only on x86-based computers:

  • Cluster Verification Utility

  • Cmdhere.exe: Command Prompt Here

  • Installation Monitor

  • Microsoft Remailer

  • NetTime for Macintosh

    Note: NetTime for Macintosh runs only on Macintosh and x86-based computers.

  • Nlmon.exe: NLMonitor

  • Nltest.exe

  • Ntdetect.com (Installd.cmd): Startup Hardware Detector

  • Oleview.exe: OLE/COM Object Viewer

  • Runext.exe: Run Extension

  • Shutdown.exe: Remote Shutdown

  • TweakUI

  • Uptomp.exe: Processor Upgrade Utility