Are you tired of going to various locations on your computer to access your favorite computer tools? One minute you need Device Manager, the next you want to run the Performance Monitor, followed by checking the status of your favorite Web site such as Filetonic.com. What if I told you that your computer comes with a cool utility where you can manage all of your favorite tools in one location? No more going back and forth between Control Panel, the Start button, Windows Explorer, and your Internet web browser. Instead, use Microsoft Management Console and create your own “console” of goodies.
Microsoft Management Console is one of those obscure Windows operating system utilities that few users know about. According to the help files for Microsoft Management Console, this console hosts administrative tools for administering networks, computers, services, and other system components. Don’t worry; you don’t have to be a techie to use this tool but you will impress your friends once you’ve set up your own custom console.
First, start the Microsoft Management Console, or MMC, by entering mmc.exe into the Run dialog box found in the Start button. If you have Windows Vista, simply type mmc.exe in the Search bar and then click the program when it’s displayed.
This opens an “empty” console which is basically going to act as a container for tools that you add or “snap” in. Let’s add those tools, shall we? Go to the File menu and choose “Add or Remove Snap-ins.” This opens a list of potential snap-ins that you can add such as:
- ActiveX Control
- Device Manager
- Computer Manager
- Event Viewer
- Folder
- IP Security Monitor
- Reliability Monitor
- Link to Web Address
The snap-ins in your list will vary depending on what operating system you have. Add the snap-ins that make the most sense to you. For example, let’s say you want your own console containing your favorite performance tools. In this case, you might add Reliability and Performance, Reliability Monitor, and Disk Management. In addition, if you have a favorite Web site related to PC performance, you can add it by clicking the Link to Web Address option and then entering the URL.
For example, I made a Microsoft Management Console contains the following:
- Device Manager
- Reliability and Performance
- Filetonic.com
- Event Viewer
- Windows Media Player
Now, instead of having to go several places on my computer, I can simply launch this one console and have all of my favorite utilities and resources a click away.
Save your Microsoft Management Console with a unique name such as My Performance Tools. Once you have created and saved your custom Management Console, you need an easy way to access it. The easiest way for me is to “Pin” it to the Start menu though you may prefer a desktop shortcut. Either way, you will need to go into Windows Explorer (right-click the Start button, choose Explore) and then find your saved console. By default, the saved location is:
C:\Users\User Name\App Data\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
After navigating to this folder, find your Management Console file and right-click it. From here, either choose Pin to Start Menu or Create Desktop Shortcut. If you create a shortcut, drag and drop it to your Desktop.
You did it! You just created your own console and filled it with your favorite tools. Remember, you can add and remove snap-ins at any time.
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