A+: MMC to manage the computer

The Computer Management console window has the majority of tools needs to manage your Windows machine, shown in two panes. Open it with:

    • Click Start, then right-click Computer/My Computer and select Manage

    • Navigate to Start, All Programs, Administrative Tools, Computer Management

    • Open the Run prompt (Windows+R) then type compmgmt.msc

The Device Manager, Event Viewer, Local Users and Groups, Services, and disk tools such as Disk Management appear in the console.

Ever since XP, the Management Console (MMC) is a “master” console with multiple snap-ins which can be added.  It shows the last snap-in used and preserves all previously used consoles, so management is easier and quicker.

Launch it by opening the Run prompt and entering MMC to open a blank console.  {Control-M} or File | Add/Remove Snap-in allows you to click the Add button to select the consoles you want such as Computer Management, Performance Logs and Alerts, or ActiveX Controls. You can also change the “mode” that the user works in when accessing the MMC—for example Author mode, which has access to everything, and User mode, which has various levels of limitation.

When finished, save the MMC, and consider adding it as a shortcut within the desktop or in the Quick Launch area, or add a keyboard shortcut to open it. The next time you open it, it will remember all of the console windows you added, and will start you at the location you were in when you closed the program.

Version 3.0, the Vista version, can be added to XP. Search at www.microsoft.com for “Microsoft Management Console 3.0 for Windows XP” and download it.

Comments