MCSA/MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-270): Installing ...

24 Monitoring and Optimizing
System Performance and
Reliability
Windows XP gives administrators the ability to carefully monitor and tune system performance.
Tools such as the Task Manager, the Performance utility, and a suite of command-line
utilities allow for both real-time and historical performance data analysis.
Trace logs function very similarly, and are used to troubleshoot system problems and
debug applications.
Tuning the performance of portable computers is more complicated than tuning desktop
systems because administrators must balance battery life with performance. Windows
XP provides power schemes to allow users to quickly change a system’s power
consumption. Power schemes, combined with standby and hibernation features, dramatically
increase battery life when a system is not in use.
Sometimes, problems are unavoidable. Windows XP provides a full set of troubleshooting
tools to resolve these problems when they arise. The System Restore tool captures
system configuration information, and can reapply a working configuration if the system
later becomes unreliable. Functionality such as the Last Known Good Configuration
can allow Windows XP to boot even if a faulty driver was installed. Safe mode and
the Recovery Console provide administrators with the ability to repair even the most
damaged Windows XP installations.
Tested Skills and Suggested Practices
The skills that you need to successfully master the Monitoring and Optimizing System
Performance and Reliability objective domain on the Installing, Configuring, and
Administering Microsoft Windows XP Professional exam include the following:
■ Monitor, optimize, and troubleshoot performance of the Windows XP Professional
desktop.
❑ Practice 1: Use Task Manager to determine which process is currently consuming
the most processor time.
❑ Practice 2: Change the fields on the Processes tab of Task Manager so that
every possible field is visible.
❑ Practice 3: Use Task Manager to change the priority of an application so that
it runs at high priority.
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