topic The WINDOWS_HOWTO.rtf in Software Tuning, Performance Optimization & Platform Monitoring

Installing/Using Processor Counter Monitor as a service (Windows)

gveld — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 16:43:08 GMT

I'm currently using the Processor Counter Monitor on Windows. We'd like to monitor these metrics in our monitoring software (Zabbix).
I've read that we can install the Processor Counter Monitor as a service on Windows, which adds the metrics to perfmon. We can then import the metrics from perfmon into Zabbix.

I'm having some issues with installing the Processor Counter Monitor as a service on Windows.
When executing PCM-service.exe we get a popup window which states that the service cannot be started, it needs to be installed with installutil.exe

I couldn't find any documentation on how to install the Processor Counter Monitor as a service. Can someone tell me how to install it as a service?

The WINDOWS_HOWTO.rtf

Thomas_W_Intel — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 19:55:11 GMT

The WINDOWS_HOWTO.rtf includes a description for setting up the Windows service. However, I have to confess that I have not used it for a while.

Quote:Thomas Willhalm (Intel)

gveld — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 20:02:29 GMT

Thomas Willhalm (Intel) wrote:
The WINDOWS_HOWTO.rtf includes a description for setting up the Windows service. However, I have to confess that I have not used it for a while.

Where can I find this file? The one on Github is of no use (https://github.com/opcm/pcm/blob/master/WINDOWS_HOWTO.rtf)

I also found this:
https://github.com/opcm/pcm/tree/master/PCM-Service_Win
"From the command line, run: PMU Service.exe -Install"

Problem is there is no such executable "PMU Service.exe"..
PCM-service.exe doesn't accept the -install command either..

github doesn't seem to like

Thomas_W_Intel — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 20:12:50 GMT

github doesn't seem to like rtf files, but if you download the raw file and open it, you can see the content. Here is the part on the PCM-service:

Graphical Perfmon front end:

1. Compile the windows MSR driver (msr.sys) with Windows* DDK Kit (see the sources in the WinMSRDriver directory). For Windows 7 you have to sign the msr.sys driver additionally (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms537361(VS.85).aspx).

2. Copy msr.sys into the c:\windows\system32 directory

3. Build pcm-lib.dll in the PCM-Lib_Win directory using Microsoft* Visual Studio

4. Build 'PCM-Service.exe' in the PCM-Service_Win directory using Microsoft* Visual Studio

5. Copy PCM-Service.exe, PCM-Service.exe.config, and pcm-lib.dll files into a single directory

The config file enables support for legacy security policy. Without this configuration switch, you will get an exception like this:

Unhandled Exception: System.NotSupportedException: This method implicitly uses CAS policy, which has been obsoleted by the .NET Framework.

6. With administrator rights execute '"PCM-Service.exe" -Install' from this directory

7. With administrator rights execute 'net start pcmservice'

8. Start perfmon and find new PCM* counters

If you do not want or cannot compile the msr.sys driver you might use a third-party open source WinRing0 driver instead. Instructions:

Download the free RealTemp utility package from http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/ or any other free utility that uses the open-source WinRing0 driver (like OpenHardwareMonitor http://code.google.com/p/open-hardware-monitor/downloads/list).
Copy WinRing0.dll, WinRing0.sys, WinRing0x64.dll, WinRing0x64.sys files from there into the PCM.exe binary location, into the PCM-Service.exe location and into c:\windows\system32
Run the PCM.exe tool and/or go to step 6 (perfmon utility).

Thanks, that actually works.

gveld — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 20:24:17 GMT

Thanks, that actually works. It's up and running now.
Good to know that github messes up the .rtf files.