same enumeration, different results?

CCodeNewbie

Hello again, Following on from my question in which I was trying the patience of others and to get the StartTime of the Window's "System" process [^], I have found a way. Please forgive its current inelegance and downright clumsiness but it (kinda) works. Please bear with me on all the string d_x_ stuff;

Process[] processlist = Process.GetProcesses();
foreach (Process procs in processlist)
{
if (procs.ProcessName == "System")
{
long st = procs.StartTime.ToFileTime();
DateTime stDt = new DateTime(1601, 1, 1).AddSeconds(st);
string stime = String.Empty;
stime += (Environment.TickCount / 86400000);
stime += (Environment.TickCount / 3600000 % 24);
stime += (Environment.TickCount / 120000 % 60);
stime += (Environment.TickCount / 1000 % 60);
string d = stime[0].ToString();
string d1 = (stime[1]) + (stime[2]).ToString();
string d2 = (stime[3]) + (stime[4]).ToString();
string d3 = (stime[5]) + (stime[6]).ToString();

DateTime temp = DateTime.Now - new TimeSpan(9, 13, 51, 22);// at the time of posting

DateTime result = DateTime.Now - new TimeSpan(Convert.ToInt32(d), Convert.ToInt32(d1), Convert.ToInt32(d2), Convert.ToInt32(d3));

Console.WriteLine("s :" + stime);
Console.WriteLine("d :" + d);
Console.WriteLine("d1 :" + d1);
Console.WriteLine("d2 :" + d2);
Console.WriteLine("d3 :" + d3);

Console.WriteLine(temp);
Console.WriteLine(result);

Console.ReadLine();
}
}

The output is; s :9135538 d :9 d1 :13 d2 :55 d3 :38 10/03/2012 10:14:22 10/03/2012 08:12:48 My question is therefore, given that the "new TimeSpan" timespan is being fed the same input (unless something is happening in the Convert.ToInt32 process) why is the output different and, can something be done about it? As always, thanks for your time.

PIEBALDconsult

Don't you simply want procs.StartTime ? :confused: (I tried to test it, but I'm at work and got System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception (0x80004005): Access is denied ) :sigh: .

CCodeNewbie

Hi PIEBALDconsult, from my previous post; Quote

Quote:

full(ish) code, I am inserting the data int a SQL db thus the "inprocs" stuff... Process[] processlist = Process.GetProcesses(); foreach (Process procs in processlist) { if (procs.ProcessName == "System") { insprocs.Parameters.Add("@PStart", SqlDbType.NVarChar, 30).Value = startTime.ToString(); } } I am currently ToString-ing it for testing but that may/may not remain the case. If you try to GetProcesses without separating out the "System" (and "Idle")process,even though it is a DateTime, you get the error "System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception: Unable to enumerate the process modules", probably because of the "System" process's starttime properties. So I am running GetProcesses 3 times- 1) if ((procs.ProcessName != "Idle") && (procs.ProcessName != "System")) // get everything 2) if (procs.ProcessName == "System") // get everything except "MainModule.FileName" (unenumerable for the System process) 3) if (procs.ProcessName == "Idle") // get only ProcessID, ProcessName (I think I can get RAM in use but I am not sure yet) Depending on how you manipulate the starttime value, you get different values.

Unquote

PIEBALDconsult

What is it you are trying to accomplish? Do you want the StartTime of the "System" process or not?

CCodeNewbie

Absolutely... Problem is, it has some weird Tick value that I can't get my hands on. Last time I did this (which seems to be just about the only way to get any meaningful value)

long st = procs.StartTime.ToFileTime();

I got "504911232000000000" which bears no relationship to the actual StartTime that I can find...

Luc Pattyn

X|

Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

CCodeNewbie

I know...

CCodeNewbie

I don't know what to do about it yet. The pseudo -code posted is a prototype to demonstrate that getting the "System" process's StartTime can be exposed (accurately when coded correctly). What would your suggestion be?

PIEBALDconsult

Either the StartTime gives you what you want directly or not at all, no amount of manipulation is going to give you what it doesn't have so stop trying that. Now, what is it you are trying to accomplish? Do you want to know when the system started up? I recommend creating a Windows Scheduled Task to run at system startup and log that somewhere; it could be as simple as echo %date% %time% >> %appdata%\Reboot.log .

Luc Pattyn

24.85

Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

Alan N

Your calculation is wrong.

Quote:

stime += (Environment.TickCount / 120000 % 60);

Can you see it now? Alan.

Luc Pattyn

Environment.TickCount[^] is more than adequate IMO. And that is what I recommended days ago, to no avail. :)

Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

CCodeNewbie

I already know what time the computer/system started up. I want to know what time the "System" process, as viewed in the Task Manager started.

CCodeNewbie

I already know what time the computer/system started up. I want to know what time the "System" process, as viewed in the Task Manager started.

CCodeNewbie

Yup, saw it - thanks for pointing it out. Got it working, code is in my reply to PIEBALDconsult. Wanted to say a quick thanks for your help.

CCodeNewbie

Still not perfect - but it works (Improvements very welcome)

TimeSpan uptime = TimeSpan.Zero;
using (PerformanceCounter ut = new PerformanceCounter("System", "System Up Time"))
{
ut.NextValue();
uptime = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(ut.NextValue());
}
Console.WriteLine(uptime.ToString());
//result - 03:53:39.7870000

Process[] processlist = Process.GetProcesses();
foreach (Process procs in processlist)
{
if (procs.ProcessName == "System")
{
long st = procs.StartTime.ToFileTime();
DateTime stDt = new DateTime(1601, 1, 1).AddSeconds(st);
float Days = (Environment.TickCount / 86400000);
int dd = (int)Days;
float Hours = (Environment.TickCount / 3600000 % 24);
int HH = (int)Hours;
float Mins = (Environment.TickCount / 60000 % 60);
int mm = (int)Mins;
float Secs = (Environment.TickCount / 1000 % 60);
int ss = (int)Secs;
DateTime result = DateTime.Now - new TimeSpan(dd, HH, mm, ss);
}
}
//result - 20/03/2012 08:31:33

code run @ ~ 12:24 pm

CCodeNewbie

Hi Luc, Got it working but wanted to say thank you for your help (code is in my reply to PIEBALDconsult). Would welcome your thoughts and comments...

PIEBALDconsult

For what purpose? Task Manager says mine started in 2009 which is certainly untrue. So I don't see how you can do better. P.S. Even as the administrator on my home system (Win 7) I still get the access violation when I try to get the StartTime of the System process.

Alan N · code run @ ~ 12:24 pm

I'm glad you've come to a solution that you are happy with. One point that I'm not sure you appreciate is that the up time obtained from the performance counter and the TickCount are essentially the same value.

private void CompareCounterAndTickCount() {
  using (PerformanceCounter ut = new PerformanceCounter("System", "System Up Time")) {
    ut.NextValue();
    TimeSpan counterUpTime = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(ut.NextValue());
    TimeSpan tickCountUpTime = TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(Environment.TickCount);
    Console.WriteLine("Up Time");
    Console.WriteLine("  from performance counter {0}", counterUpTime);
    Console.WriteLine("  from tickcount           {0}", tickCountUpTime);
  }
}

On my system the duration reported by TickCount is ~0.2s longer than the performance counter's value which presumably just means the two counters do not share the same origin. Also note the use of the FromMilliseconds method to convert the TickCount to a TimeSpan, much simpler than your multistep calculation! Alan.

CCodeNewbie

You need to run it as System (mine impersonates System to get the info, Administrator doesn't have enough privileges) The purpose is a) because it completes the Process listing and allows me to cross-reference against netstat & system boot-time.