πŸ’Ž Windows Hidden Gems, Part 1: System & Troubleshooting Tools You Should Know

K

KAMAL KISHOR

Guest
Most of us use Windows daily β€” launching apps, browsing the web, and doing office tasks β€” but only a tiny fraction of its real power is ever used. Beneath the familiar Start menu and Taskbar lies a treasure chest of hidden system tools designed for developers, IT pros, and power users.

In this Part 1 of the Windows Hidden Gems series, we’ll explore 10 essential system and troubleshooting tools you probably didn’t know existed. These aren’t gimmicks β€” they’re real productivity boosters and lifesavers when your system misbehaves.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to:

  • Install apps with a single command (like Linux users do).
  • Monitor every process and crash in your system.
  • Record a reproducible bug report for IT support.
  • Safely test suspicious apps without risking your PC.
  • Repair a broken Windows installation without reinstalling.

Let’s begin.

1. Winget – The Windows Package Manager​


If you’ve ever used Linux (apt, yum) or macOS (brew), you know how convenient it is to install apps with a single command. Winget brings the same magic to Windows.

What is Winget?​


Winget is Microsoft’s official package manager that lets you:

  • Install apps directly from the terminal.
  • Update all apps in one go.
  • Search for software without browsing websites.

Why use it?​

  • No more sketchy installer downloads.
  • Script your environment setup on new PCs.
  • Always get the latest versions.

Example Commands:​


Code: 
# Search for an app
winget search vscode

# Install Visual Studio Code
winget install --id Microsoft.VisualStudioCode

# Upgrade all apps
winget upgrade --all

Real-World Use Case​


Imagine you just bought a new laptop. Instead of manually downloading Chrome, VS Code, Git, Node.js, and Zoom one by one, you can create a batch script:


Code: 
winget install Google.Chrome
winget install Git.Git
winget install Microsoft.VisualStudioCode
winget install NodeJS.NodeJS
winget install Zoom.Zoom

Run it once β€” your environment is ready.

2. PowerToys – The Super Utility Pack​


Originally a Windows 95 add-on, PowerToys is now reborn for Windows 10/11. It’s a set of mini tools designed to boost productivity.

Features You’ll Love​

  • FancyZones β†’ Custom tiling window manager.
  • PowerRename β†’ Rename hundreds of files at once with search/replace.
  • Color Picker β†’ Copy HEX/RGB color from anywhere on screen.
  • Keyboard Manager β†’ Remap keys and shortcuts.
  • Awake β†’ Keep PC awake without changing settings.

Install It:​


Code: 
winget install Microsoft.PowerToys

Real-World Example​

  • Developer: Use FancyZones to keep VS Code, terminal, and browser perfectly arranged.
  • Designer: Use Color Picker (Win + Shift + C) to grab exact brand colors from any screen.
  • Writer: Batch rename 200 screenshots with PowerRename in seconds.

PowerToys alone can save you hours weekly.

3. Sysinternals Suite – The Secret Toolkit for Pros​


Developed by Mark Russinovich (now CTO of Microsoft Azure), the Sysinternals Suite is legendary among IT admins.

Key Tools Inside​

  • Process Explorer β†’ Like Task Manager on steroids. See which DLLs each app uses.
  • Autoruns β†’ Control everything that runs at startup.
  • TCPView β†’ Monitor live network connections.
  • PsExec β†’ Run commands remotely on another PC.

Install:​


Code: 
winget install SysinternalsSuite

Real-World Example​

  • Your PC feels slow. Task Manager shows nothing unusual. Open Process Explorer, sort by CPU, and boom β€” you find a background updater hogging resources.
  • Malware keeps reinstalling? Open Autoruns, disable the shady startup entry.

This toolkit is a must-have for every advanced user.

4. Windows Sandbox – A Safe Playground​


Ever downloaded a suspicious .exe file but were too scared to run it? Enter Windows Sandbox.

What is it?​


A lightweight virtual environment built into Windows 10/11 (Pro & Enterprise). Anything you do inside the Sandbox disappears when you close it.

How to Enable​

  1. Search for β€œTurn Windows features on or off”.
  2. Enable Windows Sandbox.
  3. Restart PC β†’ search Windows Sandbox in Start.

Real-World Example​

  • Want to test free software that looks sketchy? Run it in Sandbox.
  • Need to open a random PDF someone emailed you? Sandbox it first.

It’s like having a disposable PC inside your PC.

5. God Mode – One Folder to Rule Them All​


This one feels like a Windows Easter egg.

What is it?​


β€œGod Mode” is a hidden folder that exposes 300+ advanced settings in one place.

How to Enable​

  1. Create a new folder.
  2. Rename it exactly to:

Code: 
   GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

Real-World Example​


Instead of hunting through Control Panel and Settings app, you’ll have one master panel with options for:

  • Device Manager
  • Event Viewer
  • Disk Management
  • Administrative Tools

Perfect for sysadmins.

6. Reliability Monitor – Windows’ Hidden Black Box​


Few people know this exists, yet it’s incredibly powerful.

What is it?​


A timeline of your system’s reliability, showing:

  • Crashes
  • Failed updates
  • App hangs

How to Open​

  • Search β€œReliability Monitor” in Start, or
  • Run: perfmon /rel

Real-World Example​

  • Your PC keeps rebooting. Instead of guessing, open Reliability Monitor β†’ see β€œCritical Event: Hardware Failure” at 3:42 PM.
  • Spot trends: if Chrome crashes every Tuesday, you’ll know it’s update-related.

Think of it as Windows’ airplane black box.

7. Resource Monitor – The Truth Behind Your Task Manager​


Task Manager is basic. Resource Monitor goes deeper.

What it Shows​

  • CPU: Which processes are eating threads.
  • Memory: Which apps lock RAM.
  • Disk: Which files are being read/written.
  • Network: Which app is hogging bandwidth.

How to Open​


Run:


Code: 
resmon.exe

Real-World Example​

  • Your disk is at 100% usage. Resource Monitor shows Windows Search indexing is the culprit.
  • You see a random process using 20% network β†’ find hidden background downloaders.

8. Performance Monitor (perfmon)​


Want long-term charts of your system’s behavior? Performance Monitor is the tool.

How to Use​

  • Run perfmon.exe.
  • Add counters (CPU, Disk, Network, Memory).
  • Record logs over time.

Real-World Example​


You suspect memory leaks in an app. Run PerfMon overnight β†’ see if RAM usage keeps rising.

9. Steps Recorder (psr.exe)​


Ever tried to explain a bug and failed? Steps Recorder does it for you.

What is it?​


A hidden tool that:

  • Records your clicks, keystrokes, and screenshots.
  • Saves them in a single .mht report.

How to Use​

  • Run: psr.exe.
  • Click Start Record, reproduce the issue, save file.

Real-World Example​

  • QA testers can record a bug once and send to developers.
  • Tech support sees exactly what you did wrong.

10. DISM & SFC – Repair Windows Without Reinstalling​


When Windows feels corrupted, these are your lifesavers.

SFC (System File Checker)​


Code: 
sfc /scannow

Scans for corrupted system files and replaces them.

DISM (Deployment Image Servicing & Management)​


Code: 
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Repairs the Windows image itself.

Real-World Example​

  • Your Start menu or Windows Update isn’t working β†’ run SFC + DISM.
  • Saves hours compared to reinstalling Windows.

🎯 Wrapping Up​


These 10 hidden gems unlock serious troubleshooting power:

  • Winget, PowerToys, Sysinternals β†’ Productivity boosters.
  • Windows Sandbox, God Mode β†’ Control and safety.
  • Reliability Monitor, Resource Monitor, PerfMon β†’ Diagnostic superpowers.
  • Steps Recorder, SFC, DISM β†’ Fix and explain problems.

Master these, and you’ll already be ahead of 90% of Windows users.

πŸ‘‰ In Part 2 of this series, we’ll dive into Productivity Hacks & UI Tricks β€” from Clipboard History to Virtual Desktops to Dictation.

Stay tuned.

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