Xperf for the layman, performance analysis unchained, Windows Assessment Toolkit revealed.

If you have been following along in performance land the last year or three, you’d hear about xperf and the WPT (Windows Performance Toolkit).  Mayhap you’ve had some time to practice and you know what you are doing.  Cool.  This tool might still interest you. If you, on the other hand, haven’t heard of these,… Continue reading Xperf for the layman, performance analysis unchained, Windows Assessment Toolkit revealed.

Download this KB now!

And test it first please. An enterprise hotfix rollup is available for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2775511 This is a collection of the various updates we kept (we being PFEs who do WDRAP in particular) and Yong Rhee published for us, like http://blogs.technet.com/b/yongrhee/archive/2012/02/19/list-of-performance-hotfixes-post-sp1-for-windows-7-sp1.aspx. This is now a Rollup for Enterprises. … Continue reading Download this KB now!

The Microsoft Premier Field Engineer (PFE) view on Virtual Desktop (VDI) Density

For some, VDI is about density. How many guests can we stuff into a host with performance and user experience still at acceptable levels? This script is the clarion call for those, a herald in dark times of performance degradation. It is, the script a couple PFEs wrote… It makes an image lean but supportable.… Continue reading The Microsoft Premier Field Engineer (PFE) view on Virtual Desktop (VDI) Density

What does a good boot look like (aka, what should I be happy with)?

It’s a question I wasn’t prepared for in class last week, but one that made sense really.  For the IT Pro that doesn’t eat breath and sleep this stuff, what does a good or ‘fair’ trace look like? Something like this: What we are looking at here is a boot up that finishes before 45… Continue reading What does a good boot look like (aka, what should I be happy with)?

How to collect a trace for audio or video problems in Windows 7

Assume the following:  You have a Windows 7 host that you want to collect a trace from.  The user complains of audio issues, stuttering, latency, etc…or video frame rate is low.  Something annoying. Like my previous post, lets cover a few basic rules here as we get started: 1.  If host = Windows 7 AND… Continue reading How to collect a trace for audio or video problems in Windows 7

How to collect a good boot trace on Windows 7

Assume the following:  You have a Windows 7 host that you want to collect a trace from.  A good trace.  One that you know other people will be able to decipher as well as yourself.  Maybe I’ve asked you to collect a boot trace so I can look at it and pointed you to this… Continue reading How to collect a good boot trace on Windows 7

Windows 8 ADK solves GPO Logon Delay questions, film at 11….

Symptoms:  Logons take forever and you’ve collected an xbootmgr/WPR/xperf123/xperfui trace.  What GPO can it be?  Easy!   Open Windows Performance Analyzer from the Windows 8 ADK: Open Said Offending Trace:   Expand…System Activity and then find the Generic Events, click and drag the windows so its under “Analysis” tab… AR me eyes!  Relax, its ok,… Continue reading Windows 8 ADK solves GPO Logon Delay questions, film at 11….

What is Windows Performance Analyzer all about and why should you use it instead of xperfview?

Consider the following trace in xperfview: This should be familiar to you, it’s the DPC storm / storport doorbell that looks like this: So how does this trace look in WPA from the Windows 8 ADK (RP edition)? A little different, but the Dude isn’t closed minded here, so lets give it a whirl: Observe. … Continue reading What is Windows Performance Analyzer all about and why should you use it instead of xperfview?

PAL 2.3.1 released!

Why?  VMware template.  Awwww yeah, the Dude strike again.  If you are running in VMware, we can capture the memory ballooning driver and real processor util in the guest and publish it to a PAL report.   This release delivers! http://pal.codeplex.com/

When an Exchange Server doesn’t Exchange…

“Well the high sheriff, told his deputy, won’t you go out and bring my Lazarus?” Why am I quoting the Po Lazarus tune, the opening song of “O Brother Where Art Thou?” when I’m supposed to be talking about the Exchange Server that doesn’t?  It’s the Chewbacca defense!  This Exchange Server is so hosed I… Continue reading When an Exchange Server doesn’t Exchange…

Exit mobile version