What Are Administrative Tools Used For?

To find it, first,open Control Paneland then chooseAdministrative Tools.

Double-clicking or double-tapping one of these shortcuts will start that tool.

Control Panel items in Windows 10

In other words, Administrative Tools itself doesn’tdoanything.

It is just a location that stores shortcuts to related programs that are actually stored in theWindowsfolder.

Most of the available programs are snap-ins for the Microsoft Management Console (MMC).

It’s included within Administrative Tools in Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows XP.

This makes it really easy to manage all the important aspects of a computer.

Defragment and Optimize Drives

Defragment and Optimize Drives opens Microsoft Drive Optimizer, the built-indefragmentationtool in Windows.

It’s included within Administrative Tools in Windows 10 and Windows 8.

Other companies make defrag software that competes with Microsoft’s built-in tools.

See ourlist of free defrag softwarefor some of the better ones.

Events are stored in event logs.

iSCSI Initiator

The iSCSI Initiator link in Administrative Tools starts the iSCSI Initiator Configuration Tool.

This program is used to manage the communication between networked iSCSI storage devices.

It’s included within Administrative Tools in Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.

Local Security Policy

Local Security Policy is an MMC snap-in used to manage Group Policy security options.

Pretty much any detailed restriction you’re free to imagine can be set with Local Security Policy.

ODBC Data Sources is included within Administrative Tools in Windows 10 and Windows 8.

This utility tests your gear’s memory to identify defects, which may ultimately require you toreplace your RAM.

It was renamedWindows Memory Diagnosticin later versions of Windows.

you’re able to read more about it near the end of this list.

Performance Monitor is included within Administrative Tools in Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

In Windows XP, an older version of this tool, simply calledPerformance, is included in Administrative Tools.

It’s included in the Windows 10 Administrative Tools only, but you canopen it elsewhere in Windows 8.

Older versions of Windows have other recovery options, such as theSystem Repair Disc in Windows 7.

It’s part of Administrative Tools in Windows Vista.

It’s included in Administrative Tools in Windows 10 and Windows 8.

Resource Monitor is also available in Windows 7 and Windows Vista but not via Administrative Tools.

In those older versions of Windows, executeresmonto quickly bring it up.

Choices includeAutomatic (Delayed Start),Automatic,Manual, andDisabled.

It’s included within Administrative Tools in Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.

In Windows 7, the tool can be used to manage the programs that launch when Windows starts up.

It’s also available in Windows XP but just not within Administrative Tools.

It’s included within Administrative Tools in Windows 10 and Windows 8.

Third-party system information programscan also be used to view specific details about your gear.

It’s included within Administrative Tools in Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.

Basic firewall management is best performed via the Windows Firewall applet in Control Panel.

Some versions of windows call this Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.

There are plenty offree firewall programsto pick from.

This is included within Administrative Tools in Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

This tool is also available in this folder in Windows Vista but is referred to asMemory Diagnostics Tool.

Windows PowerShell ISE is included within Administrative Tools in Windows 8.

Windows PowerShell Modules

The Windows PowerShell Modules link starts Windows PowerShell and then automatically executes theImportSystemModulescmdlet.

Windows PowerShell Modules is included within Administrative Tools in Windows 7.

Windows PowerShell 2.0 can be downloaded for freefrom Microsoft hereas part of the Windows Management Framework Core.

Additional Administrative Tools

Some other programs may also appear in Administrative Tools in certain situations.