Windows IT Pro is the authoritative and independent resource for windows nt, windows 2000, windows 2003, windows xp. Features a collection of resources and magazines for windows IT professionals.
  
  
  Advanced Search 


March 2004

Windows XP Support Tools

Diagnose problems and get information about your OS
RSS
Subscribe to Windows IT Pro | See More Active Directory (AD) Articles Here | Reprints | Or get the Monthly Online Pass—only $5.95 a month!

Windows Support Tools are one of Windows XP's hidden gems. This collection of more than 100 utilities, many of which originally became available in the Microsoft Windows 2000 Resource Kit, includes tools you can use to change settings, clean up your PC, troubleshoot problems, retrieve system information, and much more. Several of the Windows Support Tools are particularly useful for systems and network administrators. This month, I introduce you to 10 of my favorite Windows Support Tools.

You'll find the Windows Support Tools in the \support\tools folder on your XP CD-ROM. The tools aren't installed by default. To install them, you can either run the setup.exe command from a command line or double-click the suptools.msi installer package. To install all the Windows Support Tools, choose Complete Installation.

10.Active Directory Administration Tool (ldp.exe)—The Windows Support Tools ldp.exe utility provides a Windows Explorer–type view of Active Directory (AD). This tool lets you connect to AD or any Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)–compatible directory. You can use ldp.exe to display objects that are stored in AD along with the objects' metadata, security descriptor, and replication metadata.

9.Windows Installer Cleanup (msicuu.exe)—Msicuu.exe displays a dialog box that lets you select available Windows Installer (.msi) files to clean up. This utility helps you fix problems if the Windows Installer installation, rollback, or uninstallation process fails. The Windows Support Tools also include msizap.exe, a command-line tool similar to msicuu.exe. Unfortunately, these tools work only with Windows Installer files, not with all setup files.

8.DHCP Server Locator (dhcploc.exe)—Dhcploc.exe displays the names of all DHCP servers that are active on a given subnet. This tool can also detect unauthorized DHCP servers and, if it finds one, either beep or send an alert.

7.Movetree (movetree.exe)—The Movetree program is a command-line program you can use to move AD objects, such as organizational units (OUs) and users, between domains in an AD forest. When you use Movetree with AD users, the tool moves only the AD objects—Movetree doesn't move associated profiles and logon scripts.

6.Open Handles (oh.exe)—The oh.exe command displays all open file handles on the system. In addition to displaying the open file, the command displays the name of the process that opened it. For the registry, oh.exe displays the open keys. This utility is useful in determining which processes might be holding files open on your system when an application reports a file-sharing conflict.

5.Network Connectivity Tester (netdiag.exe)—The Network Connectivity Tester is a command-line program that can help you determine the cause of various network problems. Netdiag.exe can display information about your system's TCP/IP configuration, the network adapter, the network protocol bindings, your network's DNS server, and even hotfixes that are installed on your system.

4.Domain Secure Channel Utility (nltest.exe)—Nltest.exe is the Swiss Army knife of the Windows Support Tools. You can use nltest.exe to list your domain controllers (DCs) and sites, test the status of a trust relationship between Windows domains, display user account information, force user account synchronization, and shut down a system, to mention just some of the tool's capabilities.

3.Directory Disk Usage (diruse.exe)—The Directory Disk Usage utility is a command-line tool that displays directory size information. Diruse.exe lets you determine the amount of disk space that directories and subdirectories use and can quickly give you an idea of what happened to all that storage space you used to have. The diruse.exe tool also displays compression information for compressed NTFS directories.

2.DNS Server Troubleshooting Tool (dnscmd.exe)—The DNS Server Troubleshooting Tool lets you perform all your important DNS management tasks from a command-shell script. You can use dnscmd.exe to create and change zones and resource records and to force replication between the DNS server and its cache or the physical DNS data files.

1.Windows Domain Manager (netdom.exe)—The netdom.exe Windows Support Tool lets you work with Windows domains and trusts. You can use netdom.exe to add and remove computer accounts from a domain, reset computer account passwords, move servers among domains, and establish one- and two-way trusts between Windows domains. Because netdom.exe is a command-line tool, it can add powerful capabilities to your administrative scripts.

End of Article



Reader Comments
OH.EXE is not included in the XP support tools installation. You much get it from the server support tools, or as an individual download from M$.

baked May 27, 2005 (Article Rating: )


Thanks for show this info. I forgot all about this. Used many of these tools at Intel during my testing days. Getting the oh.exe now.

drstuart December 08, 2005 (Article Rating: )


You must log on before posting a comment.

If you don't have a username & password, please register now.




Top Viewed ArticlesView all articles
Friday at PASS Europe 2006

Kevin talks about the closing day of the event and shares a funny Microsoft film. ...

More fun TechEd 2005 Resources

Kevin points out some more TechEd resources ...

WinInfo Short Takes: Week of October 13, 2008

An often irreverent look at some of the week's other news... ...


Active Directory (AD) Whitepapers Sustainable Compliance: How to reconnect compliance, security and business goals

User Provisioning and Access Control

Managing Unix/Linux with Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007 Cross Platform Extensions Beta

Related Events Check out our list of Free Email Newsletters!

Windows OSs eBooks Understanding and Leveraging Code Signing Technologies

Keeping Your Business Safe from Attack: Monitoring and Managing Your Network Security

Windows 2003: Active Directory Administration Essentials

Related Active Directory (AD) Resources Become a VIP member of the Windows IT Pro community!
Get it all with the VIP CD and VIP access. A $500+ value for only $279!

Subscribe to Windows IT Pro!
Solve your toughest technical problems with our experts and access 10,000 + articles online. 30% off

Monthly Online Pass - Only $5.95!
Get instant access to 10,000+ articles from Windows IT Pro Magazine!

TechNet Virtual Labs
Evaluate and test Microsoft's newest products.

Job Openings in IT


ADS BY GOOGLE SPONSORED LINKS FEATURED LINKS

Microsoft Exchange & Windows Connections event returns to Las Vegas Nov 10 - 13
Connections returns to Las Vegas for this exciting event where each attendee will receive SQL Server 2008 standard with 1 CAL. Co-located with Microsoft ASP.NET, SQL Server, and SharePoint Connections with over 250 in-depth sessions.

Free Online Event! Virtualization:Get the Facts!
Register now and attend this free, live in-depth online conference on November 13 and 20, 2008, produced by Windows IT Pro. All registrants are eligible to receive a complimentary one-year digital subscription to Windows IT Pro (a $49.95 value)!

Check Out Hyper-V Video on ITTV
Watch Karen Forster's interview on Hyper-V's performance on ITTV.net.

Ease Your Scripting Pains with the Flexibility of PowerShell!
Join MVP Paul Robichaux on December 11, 2008 at 11:00 AM EDT as he equips you with PowerShell basics in 3 introductory lessons, each followed by a live Q&A session—all on your own computer!

Latest Advancements in SSL Technology
There are a variety of different kinds of SSL to explore to ensure customer data is kept confidential and secure. In this paper, we will discuss some of these SSL advances to help you decide which would be best for your organization.

PASS Community Summit 2008 in Seattle on Nov 18-21
The don’t-miss event for Microsoft SQL Server Professionals. Register now and you’ll enjoy top-notch Microsoft and Community speakers and more.



Solving PST Management Problems
In this white paper, read about the top PST issues and how to administer local/network PST Files.

Get Protected -- Data Protection Manager 2007
Protect your virtualized environment with Data Protection Manager

Order Your SQL Fundamentals CD Today!
Learn how to use SQL Server, understand Office integration techniques and dive into the essentials of SQL Express and Visual Basic with this free SQL Fundamentals CD.

Maximize Your SharePoint Investment: Get Your Data Moving
Watch this web seminar now to learn how to maximize your SharePoint investment! Join us as we take a look at the complex business of securing, accessing and managing vast amounts of information in a global network and various ways to get your data moving.
Windows IT Pro Home Register FAQ for Windows WinInfo News
Europe Edition About Us Contact Us/Customer Service Media Kit Affiliates / Licensing  
SQL Server Magazine Office & SharePoint Pro Windows Dev Pro IT Job Hound ITTV
IT Library Technology Resource Directory Connected Home Windows Excavator Windows SuperSite 
 
 Windows IT Pro is a Division of Penton Media Inc.
 Copyright © 2008 Penton Media, Inc., All rights reserved. Terms and Use | Privacy Statement | Reprints and Licensing