Takeaways from our most popular September blog posts

gilgi
gilgi Administrator, Moderator, Internal Posts: 313 admin
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Another month, another set of takeaways, last month was focused on Powershell - this month system checks were on high demand, with two significant posts.


1. How to Check System Uptime on Windows

System uptime is crucial for diagnosing performance issues and ensuring your machine runs efficiently. This article highlights quick ways to check system uptime on Windows and why monitoring it matters.

Why Check System Uptime?

Uptime shows how long your machine has been running since its last reboot. High uptime often indicates stability, but long periods without restarting can cause slowdowns. Frequent reboots, on the other hand, may point to hardware issues or the need for troubleshooting.

For businesses, uptime is a key performance metric. Companies often guarantee 99.9% uptime for services, but even that allows for about 52 minutes of downtime annually. For individual machines, monitoring uptime can help maintain smooth performance and identify problems before they worsen.

Four Ways to Check System Uptime on Windows

1. Task Manager

Open Task Manager (CTRL + ALT + DELETE) and navigate to the Performance tab. At the bottom, you’ll see "Up time" in days, hours, minutes, and seconds.

2. Net Statistics Command

  • In Command Prompt, type net statistics workstation and press Enter. The "Statistics since" line shows when the system last rebooted.

3. SystemInfo Command

  • Enter systeminfo in Command Prompt to see detailed system data, including “System Boot Time,” which shows when the system last restarted.

4. PowerShell

  • scssCopy code(get-date) – (gcim Win32_OperatingSystem).LastBootUpTime

Monitoring Network Uptime

To check how long a machine has been connected to a network, go to Network Settings, select the connection, and view the “Duration” field. This tracks continuous network connectivity.

2. How to Check Your Hardware ID (HWID)

Hardware IDs (HWIDs) uniquely identify your computer’s components, helping with software licensing and troubleshooting. This article explains what HWIDs are and how to check them on Windows.

What is HWID Used For?

HWIDs are used to authenticate devices, ensure proper software licensing, and assist in hardware tracking and troubleshooting. They help verify that software is installed on the correct machine, preventing unauthorized use, and allow IT professionals to identify specific hardware components during diagnostics.

What is HWID?

A hardware ID, or HWID, is a unique identifier assigned to a device's hardware components, like the CPU, hard drive, or motherboard. HWIDs are a combination of alphanumeric characters and don’t contain personal information.

How to Check Your HWID

Here are four methods to check your HWID on a Windows machine:

1. Using Device Manager

  • Press Windows key + X and select "Device Manager."
  • Find and expand the device category, right-click on the device, and select "Properties."
  • In the "Details" tab, select "Hardware Ids" from the drop-down. The HWID will be in the "Value" field.

2. Using PowerShell

  • Open PowerShell (Windows key + X > Windows PowerShell).
  • Copy code Get-WmiObject Win32_BaseBoard | Select-Object -ExpandProperty SerialNumber
  • Press Enter to see the HWID.

3. Using Command Prompt

  • Open Command Prompt (Windows key + R > type "cmd").
  • Copy code wmic bios get serialnumber
  • Press Enter to view the HWID.

4. Using Windows Device Console (DevCon)

  • Download DevCon from Microsoft’s website.
  • Copy code devcon hwids *
  • Press Enter to see the HWIDs for all devices.

Simplifying HWID Management with Atera

Manually checking HWIDs across multiple devices can be time-consuming. With Atera’s endpoint management software, this process is automated, allowing IT teams to easily track hardware IDs and manage devices efficiently.

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