Re: Recording and/or logging XP Login duration and activity

revert wrote:
My company is experiencing "slow" login times on our Windows XP
Notebook and Tablet devices since installing some new software, and
we'd like to be able to definitely prove that the new software adds
X amount of time to the login duration.

Are they connected to a network at the time or no netowrk?
Using Cached Domain Credentials?
Any roaming profiles involved?

To date, we've been "timing" login durations using a stop-watch,
measuring the elapsed time from the second we click OK on the logon
credentials screen until the CPU usage stabilizes at < 5%.
Obviosuly, this method is not very scientific, and management
doesn't look too highly of it.

It's fairly scientific actually, but not very geeky.

Aside from timing the logins, management would also like a full
report of the processes/services starting up @ login, including
each of their CPU and memory usage statistics, at any given point
during the login.

Good lord. Management must be the ones whose logons take the longest.

So here are my questions...

1) What is the best method to "time" a login duration? Is there
software for this?

Well - you could timestamp their logon scripts. That will not be 100%
accurate, as there is some time before the logon script starts to account
for - but that should be the same for all users unless you are using roaming
profiles - then everything gets more complicated and my suggestion turns to,
"Have you trimmed down what is uploaded/downloaded with your roaming
profiles?"

2) At what point is the user considered "logged in"? Is it when the
CPU usage stays below a certain number?

That's hard to pinpoint. That is more of an observation point. You guys
arbitrarily decided <5% CPU... Some people decide "as soon as the logon
script has ended" and others still "when the icons appear on the desktop".
In general - when the machine can began being used by the user - I consider
the logon done. Unfortunately - that is hard to pinpoint and a lot depends
on your environment and how much crap the user loads up with their profile.

3) Which tools or utilities would be best fitted for recording
services and processes running @ login, as well as their
corresponding memory useage and CPU usage statistics at any given
point in the login? (we'd like to be able to chart this if
possible)

TASKLIST /? would be a good start.

Any insight is greatly appreciated.

You need to investigate how your users log on...
- What their local computer setups are (speed, installed applications,
security levels of the users, etc.)
- How long a brand new account takes to log on to a brand new (setup)
computer with your default setup.
- If you use romaing profiles - you need to learn to trim that
upload/download session. Don't keep TIFs, Cookies, etc. Redirect some of
their folders so it doesn't download them, but points them elsewhere, make
sure people aren't using their desktop as "storage central", etc.
- How fast does just transferring a file from your workstation to the auth
server go? How many auth servers do you have?
- For those who are complaining about long logon times - how many have some
weather app loading in their taskbar (along with Google Desktop and sticky
notes and.... you get the idea.)

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html


.

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