Windows Performance Monitor Lab

Master Performance Monitor (PerfMon) for system monitoring, troubleshooting, and performance analysis

Lab Overview

Performance Monitor (PerfMon) is Windows' built-in tool for monitoring system performance, diagnosing bottlenecks, and analyzing resource usage. This lab teaches you to use PerfMon like a system administrator for real-world troubleshooting scenarios.

What You'll Learn: System monitoring, performance counters, data collection, alerting, report generation, and troubleshooting methodology

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Part 1: Opening Performance Monitor

Multiple Ways to Access PerfMon:

Method	Steps	Best For
Run Dialog	Win + R → Type `perfmon` → Enter	Fastest method
Start Menu Search	Win key → Type "Performance Monitor"	Beginner-friendly
Computer Management	Win + X → Computer Management → Performance	Part of admin workflow
Control Panel	Control Panel → Administrative Tools → Performance Monitor	Traditional method
Command Line	CMD/PowerShell → `perfmon.exe`	Scripting/automation

Administrator Rights: While PerfMon opens for regular users, some features require administrator privileges for system-wide monitoring.

Part 2: Interface Overview

Performance Monitor Main Components:

Left Navigation Pane:

Monitoring Tools
- Performance Monitor (Real-time graphs)
- System Monitor (Live counters)
Data Collector Sets
- User Defined (Custom collections)
- System (Built-in templates)
Reports
- User Defined
- System (System diagnostics)

Main Display Area:

Graph View - Real-time performance charts
Report View - Current counter values
Histogram View - Bar chart format

Toolbar Functions:

Add/Remove counters
Change view types
Adjust time scale
Save/Load configurations

Exercise 1: Interface Exploration

Open Performance Monitor using Win + R → perfmon
Expand all sections in the left navigation pane
Click on "Performance Monitor" under Monitoring Tools
Observe the default "% Processor Time" counter
Try different view modes: Graph, Report, and Histogram (toolbar icons)

Part 3: Performance Counters

Essential Performance Counters:

Category	Counter	What It Measures	Healthy Range
Processor	% Processor Time	Overall CPU usage	< 80% sustained
	% User Time	CPU time spent on user processes	Varies by workload
	% Privileged Time	CPU time spent on kernel operations	< 30% typically
Memory	Available MBytes	Free physical memory	> 100 MB minimum
	Pages/sec	Memory paging activity	< 1000/sec
	% Committed Bytes In Use	Virtual memory usage	< 80%
	Page Faults/sec	Page fault frequency	Varies widely
PhysicalDisk	% Disk Time	Disk utilization	< 85%
	Avg. Disk Queue Length	Pending disk operations	< 2 per disk
	Disk Bytes/sec	Disk throughput	Depends on drive type
Network	Bytes Total/sec	Network throughput	< 80% of bandwidth
Network	Current Bandwidth	Available network speed	Interface maximum

Exercise 2: Adding Performance Counters

Click the "+" (Add Counter) button in the toolbar
Add Memory → Available MBytes counter
Add PhysicalDisk → % Disk Time → _Total
Add Process → % Processor Time → Select a specific process (e.g., chrome, firefox)
Change the color of each counter (right-click counter → Properties)
Observe how different activities affect the counters

Part 4: Data Collector Sets

Understanding Data Collector Sets:

Data Collector Sets allow you to gather performance data over time, create logs, and generate reports. They're essential for long-term monitoring and analysis.

Built-in System Sets:

System Performance - Overall system health
System Diagnostics - Comprehensive system analysis
LAN Diagnostics - Network performance
Wireless Diagnostics - WiFi performance

Custom Set Types:

Performance Counter - Specific metrics
Event Trace - System events
Configuration - Registry/file changes
System Configuration - Hardware info

Exercise 3: Creating a Custom Data Collector Set

Right-click "User Defined" under Data Collector Sets
Select New → Data Collector Set
Name it "My System Monitor" and choose "Create manually"
Select "Performance counter" and click Next
Add counters: Processor(_Total)\% Processor Time, Memory\Available MBytes
Set sample interval to 5 seconds
Complete the wizard and start the data collection
Let it run for 2-3 minutes, then stop the collection

Part 5: Analyzing Reports

Viewing and Interpreting Reports:

Exercise 4: System Diagnostics Report

Expand Data Collector Sets → System
Right-click "System Diagnostics" → Start
Wait 60 seconds for data collection (status shows Running)
Navigate to Reports → System → System Diagnostics
Double-click the latest report to open it
Review the Summary section for warnings or errors
Explore Resource Overview → CPU, Network, Disk, Memory sections
Check Software Configuration → Running Services, Startup Programs

Report Sections Explained:

Summary: Critical issues and warnings
Resource Overview: Performance metrics
Software Configuration: Installed programs and services
Hardware Configuration: System hardware details

Part 6: Performance Baselines

Creating Performance Baselines:

Baselines establish normal system performance levels, making it easier to identify problems when performance deviates from the norm.

Exercise 5: Establishing a Baseline

Scenario: Create a baseline during normal system operation for future comparison

Close unnecessary applications to establish "normal" state
Create new Data Collector Set named "System Baseline"
Add these key counters: CPU %, Available Memory, Disk %, Network bytes/sec
Set sampling interval to 15 seconds
Run the baseline collection for 10 minutes during normal use
Document the average values for each counter
Save the data collector set configuration for future use

Baseline Documentation Template:

Counter	Average	Peak	Notes
CPU % Processor Time	_____%	_____%	Normal idle/light use
Memory Available MBytes	_____ MB	_____ MB	Typical free memory
Disk % Disk Time	_____%	_____%	Background activity

Part 7: Troubleshooting Scenarios

Real-World Performance Issues:

Problem: Computer is running slowly, fans spinning loudly

Investigation Steps:

Add Processor(_Total)\% Processor Time counter
Add Process(*)\% Processor Time to identify specific processes
Sort by highest CPU usage in Report view
Check if high usage is sustained (>80% for >5 minutes)
Identify the top CPU-consuming processes
Research if processes are legitimate or potentially malicious

Red Flags: Unknown processes, crypto miners, malware, runaway applications

Problem: System becomes slower over time, requires restart

Investigation Steps:

Monitor Memory\Available MBytes over time
Add Process(*)\Working Set for specific applications
Track Memory\% Committed Bytes In Use
Look for steadily increasing memory usage
Identify processes with growing memory footprint
Check for applications that don't release memory

Problem: Applications load slowly, file operations take too long

Investigation Steps:

Monitor PhysicalDisk(_Total)\% Disk Time
Check PhysicalDisk(_Total)\Avg. Disk Queue Length
Add PhysicalDisk(_Total)\Disk Transfers/sec
Compare performance across different drives
Look for sustained high disk utilization (>85%)
Use Process and Thread counters to find disk-heavy applications

Problem: Slow internet, network applications performing poorly

Investigation Steps:

Add Network Interface(*)\Bytes Total/sec
Monitor Network Interface(*)\Current Bandwidth
Check for network utilization >80% of capacity
Use Process(*)\IO Data Bytes/sec to find network-heavy apps
Compare performance during different times of day
Check for unusual network traffic patterns

Exercise 6: Simulated Troubleshooting

Practice Scenario: Create a performance issue and use PerfMon to diagnose it

Open several large applications (browser with many tabs, video editor, etc.)
Set up performance monitoring with CPU, Memory, and Disk counters
Identify which applications are consuming the most resources
Document your findings and recommended actions
Close resource-heavy applications and observe the improvement

Part 8: Advanced Features

Advanced Performance Monitor Features:

Alerts and Notifications:

Set threshold alerts for critical counters
Configure email notifications
Trigger automated responses
Log alert events

Remote Monitoring:

Monitor other computers on network
Centralized performance tracking
Compare performance across systems
Remote troubleshooting capabilities

Data Export and Analysis:

Export data to CSV for Excel analysis
Integration with System Center
PowerShell automation scripts
Custom report generation

Scheduling and Automation:

Schedule data collection times
Automatic start/stop conditions
Recurring monitoring tasks
Maintenance window monitoring

Exercise 7: Setting Up Alerts

Create new Data Collector Set for CPU monitoring
Add Processor(_Total)\% Processor Time counter
Set alert when CPU usage exceeds 80%
Configure alert to write to Event Log
Test the alert by running CPU-intensive task
Verify alert appears in Event Viewer

Quick Reference Card

Essential Shortcuts

Win + R, perfmon - Open PerfMon
Ctrl + + - Add counter
Ctrl + - - Remove counter
Ctrl + H - Highlight counter
F5 - Refresh view

Key Counters

Processor\% Processor Time
Memory\Available MBytes
PhysicalDisk\% Disk Time
Network Interface\Bytes Total/sec
Process\% Processor Time

Healthy Thresholds

CPU: < 80% sustained
Memory: > 100 MB available
Disk: < 85% utilization
Network: < 80% bandwidth
Queue Length: < 2 per disk

Troubleshooting Workflow

Identify symptoms: Slow performance, high resource usage
Establish baseline: Compare to normal operation
Monitor key counters: CPU, Memory, Disk, Network
Drill down: Identify specific processes or components
Analyze patterns: Look for trends and correlations
Document findings: Create reports and recommendations

Lab Completion

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Lab Overview

Part 1: Opening Performance Monitor

Multiple Ways to Access PerfMon:

Part 2: Interface Overview

Performance Monitor Main Components:

Left Navigation Pane:

Main Display Area:

Toolbar Functions:

Exercise 1: Interface Exploration

Part 3: Performance Counters

Essential Performance Counters:

Exercise 2: Adding Performance Counters

Part 4: Data Collector Sets

Understanding Data Collector Sets:

Built-in System Sets:

Custom Set Types:

Exercise 3: Creating a Custom Data Collector Set

Part 5: Analyzing Reports

Viewing and Interpreting Reports:

Exercise 4: System Diagnostics Report

Part 6: Performance Baselines

Creating Performance Baselines:

Exercise 5: Establishing a Baseline

Baseline Documentation Template:

Part 7: Troubleshooting Scenarios

Real-World Performance Issues:

Scenario 1: High CPU Usage Investigation

Investigation Steps:

Scenario 2: Memory Leak Detection

Investigation Steps:

Scenario 3: Disk Performance Issues

Investigation Steps:

Scenario 4: Network Performance Analysis

Investigation Steps:

Exercise 6: Simulated Troubleshooting

Part 8: Advanced Features

Advanced Performance Monitor Features:

Alerts and Notifications:

Remote Monitoring:

Data Export and Analysis:

Scheduling and Automation:

Exercise 7: Setting Up Alerts

Quick Reference Card

Essential Shortcuts

Key Counters

Healthy Thresholds

Troubleshooting Workflow

Lab Completion

Continue Your Progress!