This section covers those tasks that you may want to use to keep your computer performing optimally.

Backing Up Your Data Files

You can protect the data on your computer from accidental loss or hardware failures by using the Backup tool. Backup enables you to easily copy programs, disks, and data onto a tape drive for preservation. Backup also makes it easy for you to archive data for legal or historical purposes and to safely remove older, unused files from your hard disk.

Before you can back up your files, you must first install a tape drive, using the Tape Devices option in Control Panel.

To open Backup

1. Click the Start button, point to Programs, and then Administrative Tools.

2. Click Backup.

From this window you can select files to back up, check the status of your backup, and set various options.

Choosing Your Hardware Profile Configuration

Using the Hardware Profiles feature, you can create different hardware configurations to meet specific computer needs. For example, if you have a portable computer, you probably use a different hardware configuration depending on whether the computer is docked or undocked. When you start your computer, the Hardware Profiles feature lets you choose a configuration from a list of options and apply them to your specific computer condition.

Setting Up a Hardware Profile

You set up a hardware profile through the Hardware Profiles tab, which you can reach either through My Computer or the Settings, Control Panel option on the Start menu.

To set up a hardware profile

1. Using the right mouse button, click My Computer, and then click Properties.

Or, from the Start menu, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. Double-click the System icon.

2. Click the Hardware Profiles tab.

The Hardware Profiles dialog box appears.

The Available Hardware Profiles list displays existing hardware profiles. You will see one hardware profile in this list that was automatically created when you installed Windows NT.

3. To create a new profile, click Copy, and type a new hardware profile name.

The order of your hardware profiles in the list is important. It determines which profile is the default when you start your computer. You can use the arrow buttons to place the hardware profile that you would like as the default at the top of the list.

4. Click Properties to change hardware settings for the new profile.

Activating a Hardware Profile

After you have created your hardware profile, you need to activate it. When you start Windows NT, the next screen after the Windows NT startup screen is the Hardware Profiles screen. It lists your hardware profiles.

There are three ways that you can activate your hardware profile at startup:

· By default, Windows NT waits 30 seconds and then activates the first selection in your Available Hardware Profiles list. During this waiting time, you can use the arrow buttons to select an alternate profile.

· Select a configuration from a list which appears at startup. Startup will not continue until you select a hardware profile.

· Create a default setting to activate one hardware profile when you start your computer. To do this, from the Hardware Profiles dialog box and under Multiple Hardware Profiles, change wait for user selection for to 0 seconds. If you decide later that you would like to select a different hardware profile, you can press the spacebar at startup and choose a hardware profile from your list.

Monitoring Computer Events

There are times when significant events occur in your computer system that require you to be notified. For example, you may run out of disk space or your power supply may be interrupted. If a critical event like this occurs, you will receive a message on your screen notifying you. If a less serious event occurs, it is recorded in an event log file, which you can view at your convenience.

To view and manage these less serious event logs, use Event Viewer.

To start Event Viewer

1. Point to Programs, then Administrative Tools, and then click Event Viewer.

2. The Event Viewer screen appears:

Windows NT records events in three kinds of logs:

· The system log records events logged by the Windows NT system components. For example, the system log records the failure of a driver or other system component that should have been loaded during startup.

· The application log records events logged by applications. For example, a database program might record a file error in the application log.

· The security log records security events. This log helps track changes to the security system and identifies any attempts to breach security. For example, attempts to log on to the system may be recorded in the security log, depending on the Audit Policy settings in User Manager.

You can use Event Viewer to view, sort, filter, and search for details about events. You can also archive logs in various file formats.

Tracking Computer Performance

Windows NT includes two tools for tracking computer performance: Task Manager and Performance Monitor.

Task Manager

Task Manager gives you a simple, quick view of how each process is using central processing unit (CPU) and memory resources, and summarizes how overall CPU and memory are being used. Use Task Manager to monitor process status and get a quick picture of CPU and memory use. For more information on using Task Manager, see Task Manager Help.

To run Task Manager

· Right-click the toolbar and then click Task Manager.

Performance Monitor

Performance Monitor enables you to look at resource use for specific Windows NT components and application processes by using charts and reports. Performance Monitor can also be configured to notify you when resource use reaches a specified value. You can use Performance Monitor to gauge your computer's efficiency, to identify and troubleshoot possible problems (such as unbalanced resource use, insufficient hardware, or poor program design), and to plan for additional hardware needs.

Using Administrative Tools

Windows NT comes with several tools that help you administer your computer. To use these tools, click the Start button, point to Programs, and then point to the Administrative Tools (Common) menu. To use any of the administrative tools, you must be logged on with administrative privileges.

The following table shows the Administrative Tools (Common) for Windows NT Workstation.

Tool		Function

	Backup	Backup is a tool used to back up information to your local tape drive. Backing up your data is important; it protects your data from accidental loss.
	Disk Administrator	Disk Administrator is a tool for managing disk resources. Use Disk Administrator to make changes to your hard disk or to partition an additional hard disk.
	Event Viewer	In Windows NT, an event is any significant occurrence in the system or in a program that requires you to be notified. Event Viewer notifies you and/or puts the event in a log.
	Performance Monitor	Performance Monitor is a tool for monitoring the performance of your computer or other computers on a network.
	User Manager	User Manager manages security for computers running Windows NT. With User Manager, you can create and manage user accounts and groups, and manage the workstation’s account, user rights, and auditing policies.
	Windows NT Diagnostics	Windows NT Diagnostics displays information about your computer’s resources.

Configuring DCOM Applications

Distributed component object model (DCOM) is a mechanism that enables you to run distributed applications across multiple computers in your network. A distributed application consists of multiple processes that cooperate to accomplish a task. These processes may run on one or more computers. The DCOM Configuration tool can be used to configure 32-bit COM and DCOM applications.

You can use DCOM to start an application on another computer or to transfer processing tasks to another computer with more appropriate resources. You can also use DCOM to transparently connect and distribute applications that support the ActiveX™ platform.

To configure an application to use DCOM

1. Click the Start button, and then click Run.

2. Type dcomcnfg.

From this screen, you can select the DCOM application you want to configure, set who has permission to start and access the application, and specify such properties as the location where the application will run.