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Managing computers

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Managing computers

  • Using the Windows interface

  • Using command-line tools

Using the Windows interface

The following table lists some of the most common tasks for managing computers, and the tools you can use to perform them. For more information, click the corresponding link under Tool or Feature.

Task Tool or feature

On a single local or remote computer: create and manage shared resources, view a list of users who are connected to the computer, or view device configurations and add new device drivers.

Computer Management

Use a graphical view of the hardware that is installed on your computer; if necessary, update the drivers for hardware devices, modify hardware settings and troubleshoot problems.

Device Manager

Monitor security and other events that occur on a local or remote computer, including hardware and software-generated events, and system problems.

Event Viewer

Create a specific desktop configuration for a group of users (for example, programs available to users, programs that appear on the user's desktop, Start menu options).

Group Policy (pre-GPMC)

Install hardware and manage hardware-related issues.

Hardware

Secure and manage user accounts and groups stored locally on a computer.

Local Users and Groups

Create, save, and open administrative tools (in the form of snap-ins) that manage hardware, software, and network components of a local or remote computer, or multiple computers.

Microsoft Management Console

Manage how a computer connects to the network.

Network Connections Overview

Connect computers to printers.

Netsh overview

View or edit configuration information on a computer.

The Registry

On local or remote computers: display system configuration information, such as hardware configurations, computer components, installed software, and driver information.

System Information

View and change system properties on a local or remote computer.

System Properties

Manage user profiles.

User profiles overview

Manage a single or multiple local or remote computers in a single command.

Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line

Synchronize time on the computers in your network.

Windows Time Service

For more information about deploying computers, see "Part 1: Client Deployments" at the Microsoft Windows Resource Kits Web site.

Using command-line tools

The following table lists some of the most common tasks for managing computers, and the command-line tools you can use to perform them. For more information, click the corresponding link under Command-line tool.

Task Command-line tool

Configure, query, or change Boot.ini file settings.

Bootcfg

Manage Terminal Services.

Terminal Services change commands

Display or change the identification number of an active console code page.

Chcp

Install or removes a Connection Manager service profile.

Cmstp

Displays the current system date setting. Used without parameters, date displays the current system date setting and prompts you to type a new date.

Date

Display properties for all installed device drivers.

Driverquery

Create a custom event in a specified event log.

Eventcreate

List the events and event properties from one or more event logs.

Eventquery.vbs

Display and configure event triggers on local or remote computers.

Eventtriggers

Display a comprehensive view of the hardware, system components, and software environment on the local computer.

Msinfo32

Display and configure the virtual memory paging file on a computer.

Pagefileconfig.vbs

Detect floating point division error (if present) in the Pentium chip, disable floating point hardware, or start floating point emulation.

Pentnt

Control the power settings on a computer.

Powercfg

Check Terminal Services status information.

Terminal Services query commands

Automate the connection process for any Microsoft client.

Rasdial

Add, change, or displays registry subkey information and values in registry entries.

Reg

Register .dll files as command components in the registry.

Regsvr32

Reset (delete) a session from a terminal server.

Reset session

Run commands on remote computers running the Rexec service (daemon); authenticates a user name on a remote computer before executing a command.

Rexec

Run commands on remote computers running the RSH service or daemon.

Rsh

Communicate with the Service Controller and installed services; retrieve or set control information about services.

SC

Shut down or restart a local or remote computer.

Shutdown

Install a limited set of optional components.

Sysocmgr

Display detailed configuration information about a computer and its operating system, including operating system configuration, security information, product ID, and hardware properties, such as RAM, disk space, and network cards.

Systeminfo

Scan and verify the versions of all protected system files after you restart your computer.

System File Checker (sfc)

Set up or disable the telephony application programming interface (TAPI) client.

Tcmsetup

Administer a local or a remote computer running Telnet Server.

Telnet Command-line Reference for Telnet Server

Administer Terminal Services.

Terminal Services commands

Display or set the system time.

Time

Import assignment information from an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file into the TAPI server security file (Tsec.ini); you can also use this command to display the list of TAPI providers and the lines devices associated with each of them, validate the structure of the XML file without importing the contents, and check domain membership.

Tsecimp

Displays the Windows XP version number.

Ver

Diagnose problems occuring with Windows Time.

W32tm

Install or upgrade to a product in the Windows Server 2003 family.

Winnt32

For more information about the command shell, see Command shell overview. For information about tools used to manage the command-prompt window, see Manage the command-prompt window. For an alphabetical list of all of the command-line tools, see Command-line reference A-Z.