New Utility from myself (shaneturner12) - PC Information Application

Moderators - if this is in the wrong forum, please move it to the correct one.

In response to the amount of people I have seen not being sure on what their system specifications are, I have created a utility that will give this information to them - all that needs to be done is simply starting the utility.

Any comments/questions etc about this utility can be made to myself either via this thread, or by PM if it is sensitive.

This tool can be downloaded from my tutorial website, which can be reached from the link in my signature, then clicking the 'System Info Utility' link on the right-hand side of the page.

System requirements for this tool are mentioned on the website page.

A direct link to the relevant page is http://shaneturner12.awardspace.co.uk/trainzdata/index.php?page=system-info-utility.

Be aware that the tool displays the driver date in reverse UK order - 20120105 equates to 05/01/2012.


Current Features
The tool can detect:
System Make and Model
Operating System
Free/Total physical memory
Graphics card (including video memory,driver version,and driver date)
Processor (including how many, and clock speed)
Physical drives including how much space is free
Detected DirectX version (due to a limitation in Windows, this will not be able to tell you whether it is up to date - to check this, use my Updating DirectX thread)

This information can be saved to a Rich Text Format file, or quickly copied to the Clipboard for pasting in a forum post.

Future Features
Detection of antivirus/firewall software
Reasonable feature requests

As this is my first utility that is Trainz-related, I welcome comments/suggestions, but please make them reasonable.

Also let me know if the tool is not working correctly.

Note: Some older graphics cards may give incorrect information if they do not support WDDM.

Shane

EDIT: ATTENTION NORTON USERS

I am aware of issues between Norton products and my utility where Norton deletes it before the user can use it. I am currently in the process of dealing with this issue, but it is an uphill battle with Norton. No other antivirus products appear to be doing the same.

Very cool. However, video memory is report as 1,024 as well as 0.00...also, it's not showing my F: drive (third HD). Thanks, Shane!!!

PC Information Report
Generated using PC Information Application by Shane Turner
System Manufacturer:Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
System Model:GA-MA790XT-UD4P
Operating System:Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Total/Free Physical Memory (in GB):8.00/5.83
Graphics Card:Windows Live Display Driver
Driver Version:15.5527.0.0
Date of current driver:20100806000000.000000-000
Video Memory:0.00 MB
Graphics Card:NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT
Driver Version:8.17.12.7533
Date of current driver:20110520000000.000000-000
Video Memory:1,024.00 MB
Processor:AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 B55 Processor (3.24 Ghz)
Processor Type:64 Bits
Number of Processors:4
Detected DirectX version: (This may not match any expected values) 4.09.00.0904
Drive Information:
Drive C:\ : 270.54GB Free
Drive D:\ : 42.76GB Free

Darrel

I will have a look at the video memory reporting feature, as I can tweak that quite easily, and re-upload the file.

The video memory is reporting the dedicated video memory for the graphics card. The reason it is reporting two different figures is because it has detected two graphics cards or two seperate graphics drivers.

Thankyou for the comments, I can make use of them to improve the software.

Shane

I have now updated the application in response to the comments received so far. Users that have already downloaded the previous version will need to re-download from the site to get the updates.

All constructive comments are welcome, as are reports of anything that is not working as expected.

Note though that if you have an external drive, the program can only display this if you have plugged it in.

Also, if the Video Memory is reporting as 0, then it means that you have an integrated graphics card.

Shane

Thanks Shane, you'll soon be releasing a Trainz Tweaker, right?

Once I've looked into the relevant parts, I can look into it.

You do realise there is already a Trainz Tweaker by someone else, but I know that is quite basic.

Shane

Oh yes, I'm only trying to convey that since this is a foray into creating Trainz centric programs, I'm confident it won't be your last.

True - I will see what I come across next.

Anything can happen...

Shane

An issue has been identified in the previous version of the application, which prevented the application from starting.

This has now been rectified, and a fixed version is now uploaded.

Shane

http://www.cpuid.com/

Hate to say it, but I think someone beat you to it.

Which of their tools are you referring to?

Shane

I think I'd be more inclined to trust Shane's tool not to install spyware etc than some random company on the net

Cheers for the tool Shane and looking forward to many more .

My windows 7 installation gave me this on first run:


See the end of this message for details on invoking
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************
System.IO.IOException: The device is not ready.

at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError(Int32 errorCode, String maybeFullPath)
at System.IO.__Error.WinIODriveError(String driveName, Int32 errorCode)
at System.IO.DriveInfo.get_TotalFreeSpace()
at PC_Information_Application.Form1.Form1_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.EventHandler.Invoke(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnLoad(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnCreateControl()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl(Boolean fIgnoreVisible)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)


************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5448 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
PC Information Application
Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
CodeBase: file:///F:/Public_F/All%20Software%20Installs%20ECHO/PC%20Inormation/PCInformationApplication.exe
----------------------------------------
Microsoft.VisualBasic
Assembly Version: 8.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 8.0.50727.5420 (Win7SP1.050727-5400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualBasic/8.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll
----------------------------------------
System
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5447 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5446 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5420 (Win7SP1.050727-5400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Runtime.Remoting
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5420 (Win7SP1.050727-5400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Runtime.Remoting/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Runtime.Remoting.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Management
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5420 (Win7SP1.050727-5400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Management/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Management.dll
----------------------------------------

************** JIT Debugging **************
To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this
application or computer (machine.config) must have the
jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
The application must also be compiled with debugging
enabled.

For example:

<configuration>
<system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
</configuration>

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer
rather than be handled by this dialog box.


I looks to me, Shane, that your main module is looking for something my system doesn't have. I have no floppy, no IDE devices, and an on-board video as well as a PCI-X video. Both my CD/DVD and HDD are SATA devices.

Also, note the misspelling of your 'message&' argument in a couple of the calls.

Bill

Thankyou for letting me know - I will address that immediately.

Shane

Sure. I'd be happy to test-run any changes you wish to make, Shane. BTW: which version of VB is this (.NET or VB6)?

Bill

The problem has been identified, resolved, and the program has been re-uploaded.

Shane

EDIT: It's VB 2008.

Ah. Good suite. I am currently dabbling in that also (along with getting Trainz to run under Wine on Ubuntu 11.10 on another computer).

Bill

Hopefully it's working now - it's working at my end.

Suprisingly, it does not seem to require elevated privileges, like most programs of it's type seem to.

Shane

Hmmmm. The 'Copy to Clipboard' button doesn't appear to work as the last contents were still present and not the new contents (correct report). The 'Save to File' worked, but despite your indication that the ".rtf" would be supplied, when I left it off, only the filename I typed was reproduced - not the extension. What got saved was "Report" and not "Report.rtf"

The Report:

PC Information Report
Generated using PC Information Application by Shane Turner
System Information

System Manufacturer:Compaq-Presario
System Model:NP185AA-ABA CQ5110F
Operating System:Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Service Pack 1
Total/Free Physical Memory (in GB):3.00/1.54

Graphics Card Information

Graphics Card 1
Graphics Card:NVIDIA GeForce GT 220
Driver Version:8.17.12.8026
Date of current driver:20110803000000.000000-000
Video Memory:1.00 GB (1,024.00 MB)

Processor Information

Processor:AMD Athlon(tm) 7550 Dual-Core Processor (2.44 Ghz)
Processor Type:32 Bits
Number of Processors:2

DirectX and Drive Information

Detected DirectX version: (This may not match any expected values) 4.09.00.0904
Drive Information:
Drive C:\ : 182.65GB Free
Drive D:\ : 1.58GB Free
Drive F:\ : 1,270.92GB Free
Drive P:\ : 1.83GB Free

Bill

I'm just checking the Copy function - I have now rectified the 'Save' function, and will be uploading it within the next 5 minutes.

Shane