Hands-On Project 13-3: Collecting a Hardware and Software Inventory

Objective: Create a hardware and software inventory of your network and save it to a file.

Description: Creating a complete hardware or software inventory of your network can be a daunting task. Several methods, from simple VBScripts to high-end software programs, can automate this chore. In this project, you use Network Asset Tracker from MIS Utilities to gather hardware and software data about your computer and save it to a file.

1. Start your Web browser. Go to www.misutilities.com/network-asset-tracker/index.html.

2. Click the DOWNLOAD tab. Save the natracker.exe file to your desktop.

3. Right-click natracker.exe, and click Run as Administrator. In the User Account Control window, click Yes.

4. In the Language Selection window, click Next.

5. In the welcome window, click Next.

6. In the Readme Information window, click Next.

7. In the License Agreement window, click Yes, I agree with all the terms of this license agreement, and click Next.

8. In the Destination Folder window, click Next.

9. In the Select Components window, click Next. In the Program Group window, click Next.

10. In the Ready to Install the Program window, click Next.

11. In the Installation Complete window, click Finish.

12. Click Start, click All Programs, click Network Asset Tracker, and click Network Asset Tracker to start the program. If a User Account Control window appears, click Yes. Click Close to dismiss the Tip of the Day.

13. Right-click the LOCALHOST computer icon, and click Get/Update Info. A window like the one shown in Figure 13-8 displays details about your system.

14. Click the Report menu, and click System Information. Under Type of report, click the List option button, and click Ok.

15. Click Export and save the System Information file to your desktop. Click OK in the Information window, and click Close.

16. From your desktop, double-click the System Information.html file. Read through the file to examine the information that was gathered. When you are finished, close the file.

17. Click the Report menu, and click Software Information. Click Ok.

18. Click Export and save the Software Information file to your desktop. Click OK in the Information window, and click Close.

19. From your desktop, double-click the Software Information.html file. Read through the file to examine the information that was gathered. When you are finished, close the file.

20. Click the File menu, and then click Exit to close the program.