Editor's note
Many IT administrators struggle to control and manage desktops because Windows-native tools sometimes don't get the job done.
That's where the Sysinternals suite comes in. The Sysinternals toolset consists of six major categories of utilities: File and Disk, Networking, Process, Security, System Information and Miscellaneous utilities. Admins can use the Sysinternals suite to see disk usage by directory, measure network performance, remotely execute processes, dump event log records and much more.
Despite everything the Sysinternals suite can do, many admins are still just learning about it. Dive into this guide for a comprehensive look at Sysinternals tools to identify which ones are the most useful or to find the one that will make a specific job easier.
1What the Sysinternals suite can do
The Sysinternals suite gives IT admins greater control over their Windows systems than the operating system's native tools can generally provide. If admins know what they're doing, they can use Sysinternals tools to monitor computer activity, clean up any congestion slowing a computer down and more. Almost every Sysinternals tool works across the family of Windows OSes, including Windows 8.
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Don't sleep on the value of Sysinternals
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Sysinternals tools deliver nearly unlimited power
Sysinternals tools such as AccessChk and ProcessExplorer are not for the faint of heart -- one wrong move can really damage a computer -- but if admins know how to use the suite, they can take complete control over files, disks, networking, security and more. Read Now
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Put Sysinternals tools to work for security
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2A look at the best Sysinternals tools available
It might be tough for the uninitiated to sort through the Sysinternals suite to find the right tool for the job at hand, but that tool is probably there. Looking for information on the processes running on a system? Process Monitor has admins covered. Trying to make changes to the Active Directory? Take the Active Directory Explorer out for a spin. Find out more about some of the top tools in the Sysinternals suite.
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Five best Sysinternals tools
Sysinternals tools can deliver a level of insight into Windows when admins need to troubleshoot a problem that the OSes native tools simply cannot. And the best part is, the toolset is free. View Now
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Top Sysinternals utilities
Sysinternals tools such as AccessChk can help admins determine what permissions are in effect. Other top utilities, including Handle, Process Explorer and PsTools deliver even more valuable insight into Windows systems. Read Now
3How individual Sysinternals tools work
Each tool in the Sysinternals suite does something different than the next, and in some cases they can even replace native Windows tools. Process Explorer, for example, can stand in for the Task Manager as admins try to protect against malware. And Autoruns helps admins identify and remove any software that may be slowing down a computer because it does not belong.