Windows Administrative Tools: A complete Guide

Windows 10 ‘Admin Tools’ and ‘SysAdmin Tools’ are the collection of plenty of advanced utilities which comprise hundreds of features useful for any IT admin out there. It allows the Windows 10 admin to manage and control several parameters of their computer operating system as well as troubleshoot many problems. Microsoft has included an array of free administrative tools, which we can use to fix our problems without the need of any technician. The most common of them are Sysinternal tools, which have plenty of utilities in them to troubleshoot various Windows problems and provide a quick working experience.

You may know that there many administrative tools in your Windows PC, but do you really know which can be used for which purpose? In this article, we will talk about the best Windows in-built Administrative and SysAdmin tools you can get help from. These admin tools will make your workstation more efficient and Windows 10 user experience easier than ever. So, first, let’s talk about the Best Sysadmin tools you can get your hands on, and then we will discuss each and every Windows 10 in-built admin tool. Let’s get started:

5 Best Windows System Administrative Tools

Here are the best System Administrative Tools to make things easier for our Windows system administrators:

1. Wireshark
2. Clonezilla
3. RSAT Tools for Windows 10
4. 7-zip
5. Process Hacker

We have already talked about Sysinternal Suite and utilities in our previous article you can check them by clicking on the link given below:

Check Out Sysinternal Tools Here

1. Wireshark Tool

Wireshark is a tool used for network traffic monitoring. By using Wireshark you will come to know even the smallest details of network traffic and network protocols on your PC. If you are a technological expert, by using Wireshark, you can also troubleshoot and even diagnose multiple problems that arise in the network.

2. Clonezilla

Clonezilla is designed to clone/make a copy of disks and individual hard disk partitions. Not just clone, it also facilitates system backup as well as disaster recovery. This tool is of two types: Clonezilla live which is used for single machine backup and restore. Clonezilla SE can be used as the server edition for larger deployments.

This tool offers immediate backup and cloning. Like when you boot up LiveCD, you just have to click ENTER two-three times. And all of your partitions or whole HDD will start backing up to other HDD, e.g. an external USB drive. Variety of file systems like FAT, NTFS, ext2, ext3, ext4, ReiserFS, reiser4, XFS, JFS, JFS, VMFS, and HFS + are supported by Clonezilla.

Clonezilla SE, on the other hand, came to the rescue when multiple PCs of the same kind have no OS. In this scenario, just download the OS and other desired software on just one PC. Take a snapshot of that OS and software on the first PC and then deploy that shot to the other PCs over the network. Also, Clonezilla can backup PCs across the network at times.

3. RSAT Tools for Windows 10

Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) allow IT, administrators, to remotely manage the work from their workstations. Like they can manage roles and features on Windows Servers as well as Active Directory from their Professional or Enterprise Windows 10workstations. The RSAT tools include:

• Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in
• Windows PowerShell cmdlets tools
• The Server Manager
• Command-line tools
• Hyper-V tool

By using RSAT, all Windows Server administration tools will be available right there on your workstation. This means you won’t have to RDP into your servers at all. In short, RSAT helps in making your Windows Server management safe and secure.

4. 7-Zip

7-Zip is known for its working as a file archiver. It archives file with high data compression and speed. A variety of formats like zipping, RAR, gzip, bzip2, xz, tar and WIM, and the proprietary 7z format are supported by this 7-Zip tool. 7-Zip uses an efficient LZMA compression algorithm. Moreover, It is also able to open .exe and .iso files as archives.

5. Process Hack

With Process Hacker, you are notified about any new software update. And not just about updates. It also tells which services the update is starting, what drivers are getting installed, and what process it will run. In short, by using the process you won’t have to manually check Services or Device Manager and click “Refresh”.

The most useful tabs of PH are “Network” and “Disk”. This shows you the overall activity of Network and Disk processes. To sum up PH, I would say that it is an extremely convenient tool when it comes to working with services and drivers. Like you can view the list of processes and drivers along with their status on the services tab of main Windows. Not just view, you can also start, stop, or delete the processors/drivers.

Also, if you are unable to use some files, Process Hacker shows you the processor using that file. By using Process Hacker you can check which programs are using an active network connection. You can close them if you want.

After downloading:

• Press ctrl + F to discover which processors are using the file, you are unable to delete.
• Press Ctrl+I to open System Performance information. When the graph show up, move your cursor on that graph, it will shows you the information of running processes.

Windows in-built Administrative Tools

Here’s how you can find the Administrative tool section on your computer:

Control Panel -> System & Security -> Scroll Down To Administrative Tool -> All 19 Administrative Tools will be available there ->Double Click on any tool to open.

Component Services	Computer Management
Defragment and Optimize Drives	Disk Cleanup
iSCSI Initiator	Event Viewer
Local Security Policy	Services
ODBC Data Sources	Performance Monitor
Print Management	Recovery Drive
Registry Editor	Resource Monitor
System Configuration	System Information
Task Scheduler Windows Memory Diagnostic	Windows Firewall with Advanced Security

1. Component Services

Component Services is a tool that focuses on COM+ applications administration. It can be used by both developers and administrators. Developers use COM+ in the development of distributed applications. On the other hand, administrators use this tool in managing those applications. An administrator deploys the COM+ application file on his computer server, which he received from a developer. Then the administrator allows permissions for that application along with other settings.

2. Computer Management

This is a collection of Windows administrative tools that can help you manage remote or local computers. The best thing about Computer management tools is that they are organized into a single console. This thing makes it easier to view administrative properties and it also helps in gaining access to the tools, necessary to run your computer-management tasks.

3. Defragment and Optimize Drivers

Fragmentation of drivers is a common issue faced by most Windows users. Fragmentation divides your hard disk into multiple partitions which makes your computer do extra work, ultimately slowing down your computer. Sometimes, storage devices like USB flash drive also undergo fragmentation decreasing the PC operating efficiency. Disk Defragment Tool in Windows arranges the fragmented data allowing your disks and drives to work more efficiently. To run disk defragment:

• Open Disk Defragment by typing the keywords into the search box at bottom of your Windows screen.
• There will be an option of Current Status,under it from all the disks, select the one you want to defragment.
• Click Analyze Disk. This will show you if disk needs to be defragmented or not.
• When process of analyzing is finish. Check the %age of fragmentation of that disk in Last Run column.
• If %age is above 10% then you need to defragment that disk. Click Defragment Disk to continue.

4. Disk Cleanup

This tool helps you free up some space on your PC after cleaning the disk files and system files. To delete temporary files from your PC:

1. Type disk cleanup in the search box given at the bottom of your screen. Select Disk Cleanup.
2. Now, choose the drive you would like to clean up. After choosing, click on OK.
3. Then under the Files to delete option, you have to select the file types you want to get rid of.
4. Click on OK.

Delete system files is also an option if you want to free up some more space:

1. When Disk Cleanup open up, click on the Clean up system files.
2. Select the files you want to get rid of.
3. Select OK to end the process.

5. iSCSI Initiator

ISCSI Initiator offers the following useful features:

• Offer dynamic capacity expansion
• This tool Simplify SAN configuration and management
• Supports Centralize management
• Provide scalable performance
• Features higher storage utilization
• Present volumes as a block storage device.

6. Event Viewer

Now you can monitor events in your system by Event Viewer. It efficiently maintains information about security, program, and system events on your PC. Moreover, Event Viewer can also be used to gather hardware and software problem-related information as well as can monitor Windows security events.

To access Device Manager:  Start ->click Programs -> Administrative Tools -> click Event Viewer .

7. Local Security Policy

You can easily view your security policy by following the steps here:

1. Log in on your PC via Administrator.
2. Navigate the followings route: Start -> Programs -> Administrative Tools -> click Local Security Policy. Local Security Settings console will open up.
3. Now, you have to open the items (whose policy needs to be changed) in the tree.
4. Double-click the on the policy when found. Make the required change. Then, select OK.

Close the Local Security policy. Now the policy is changed.

8. Services

A service is an application type that runs in the system background without a user interface and is similar to a UNIX daemon process. Services is a tool that provides operating system features like Web serving, file serving, event logging, printing, error reporting, and cryptography.

9. ODBC Data Sources

These Windows Administrative tools help to manage the database drivers and data sources. You can find this application Windows Control Panel under Administrative Tools. If you want to have information about detailed ODBC Administrator procedures, you have to open up the ODBC Data Source Administrator dialog box. Then click on Help.

10. Performance Monitor

Performance Monitor help in viewing the performance data of your PC in the form of graphs, Histograms, and reports. To start Performance Monitor:

1. Type perfmon in the Start Search box.
2. Expand Monitoring Tools from the given results. Here, click on the Performance Monitor .

If you want to use Performance Monitor on a remote computer to saw real-time data performance follow the steps here:

• Connect to a remote computer with Performance Monitor.
• Start the Performance Monitor.
• When navigation tree pops up, Select Reliability and Performance. Then select the option of Connect to another computer .
• Type the name of the computer, in the Select Computer Dialogue Box, you want to monitor. You can also browse if you want.
• Click OK .

11. Print Management

Now, you can share printers on a network as well as centralize the print server by using Print Management. Furthermore, you can also run network printer management tasks via Print Management Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in. There are two primary tools that can be used to Windows print server administration:

• Server Manager
• Print Management

12. Recovery Drive

Creating a recovery drive is always the best decision. Recovery rive helps you recover data in case your PC faces hardware failure. Keep in mind that the applications which do not come with Windows will not be backed up.

Create a Recovery Drive Now To Protect Your Data

13. Registry Editor

The registry is a database defined by a system in which configuration data is stored and retrieved by system and applications components. Here keep in mind that data stored in the registry depends on the Microsoft Windows version.

So, there are all administrative tools you can use as an administrator on your computer. These tools have been designed to help you perform tasks more efficiently and easily.