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  4. same enumeration, different results?

same enumeration, different results?

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  • C 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.

    L Offline
    L Offline
    Luc Pattyn
    wrote on last edited by
    #6

    X|

    Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

    C 2 Replies Last reply
    0
    • L Luc Pattyn

      X|

      Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

      C Offline
      C Offline
      CCodeNewbie
      wrote on last edited by
      #7

      I know...

      1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • L Luc Pattyn

        X|

        Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

        C Offline
        C Offline
        CCodeNewbie
        wrote on last edited by
        #8

        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?

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • C 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...

          P Offline
          P Offline
          PIEBALDconsult
          wrote on last edited by
          #9

          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 .

          L C 3 Replies Last reply
          0
          • C 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.

            L Offline
            L Offline
            Luc Pattyn
            wrote on last edited by
            #10

            24.85

            Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

            C 1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • C 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.

              A Offline
              A Offline
              Alan N
              wrote on last edited by
              #11

              Your calculation is wrong.

              Quote:

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

              Can you see it now? Alan.

              C 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • P 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 .

                L Offline
                L Offline
                Luc Pattyn
                wrote on last edited by
                #12

                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

                C 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • P 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 .

                  C Offline
                  C Offline
                  CCodeNewbie
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #13

                  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.

                  P 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • L 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

                    C Offline
                    C Offline
                    CCodeNewbie
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #14

                    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.

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • A Alan N

                      Your calculation is wrong.

                      Quote:

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

                      Can you see it now? Alan.

                      C Offline
                      C Offline
                      CCodeNewbie
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #15

                      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.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • P 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 .

                        C Offline
                        C Offline
                        CCodeNewbie
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #16

                        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

                        A 1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • L Luc Pattyn

                          24.85

                          Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

                          C Offline
                          C Offline
                          CCodeNewbie
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #17

                          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...

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • C 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.

                            P Offline
                            P Offline
                            PIEBALDconsult
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #18

                            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.

                            C 1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • C 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

                              A Offline
                              A Offline
                              Alan N
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #19

                              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.

                              C 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • P 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.

                                C Offline
                                C Offline
                                CCodeNewbie
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #20

                                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.

                                P 1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • A Alan N

                                  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.

                                  C Offline
                                  C Offline
                                  CCodeNewbie
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #21

                                  Yes, but I am not trying to get the system start-time. I can already get that using Ravi's post (see my previous question). I explicitly want the System process's start-time.

                                  A 1 Reply Last reply
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                                  • C CCodeNewbie

                                    Yes, but I am not trying to get the system start-time. I can already get that using Ravi's post (see my previous question). I explicitly want the System process's start-time.

                                    A Offline
                                    A Offline
                                    Alan N
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #22

                                    I can't understand your reasoning in this matter. The SystemUp Time performance counter description is System Up Time is the elapsed time (in seconds) that the computer has been running since it was last started. This counter displays the difference between the start time and the current time. The Environment.TickCount description is A 32-bit signed integer containing the amount of time in milliseconds that has passed since the last time the computer was started. Subtracting either from the current time gets the time when the computer was started. I don't see why (or how) you differentiate the system start time and the "System" process start time. Alan.

                                    C 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • C 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.

                                      P Offline
                                      P Offline
                                      PIEBALDconsult
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #23

                                      CCodeNewbie wrote:

                                      because it completes the Process listing

                                      Then just display what the StartTime property tells you and leave it at that.

                                      C 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • A Alan N

                                        I can't understand your reasoning in this matter. The SystemUp Time performance counter description is System Up Time is the elapsed time (in seconds) that the computer has been running since it was last started. This counter displays the difference between the start time and the current time. The Environment.TickCount description is A 32-bit signed integer containing the amount of time in milliseconds that has passed since the last time the computer was started. Subtracting either from the current time gets the time when the computer was started. I don't see why (or how) you differentiate the system start time and the "System" process start time. Alan.

                                        C Offline
                                        C Offline
                                        CCodeNewbie
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #24

                                        Hi Alan, The reason(s) for wanting the System process start-time never had anything to do with getting the PCs boot-time. It had to do with being able to complete a running-processes table, x-reference against 2 other sql tables that form part of the project and possibly because I saw so many forum postings that said it can't be done :) Thanks for all your help with this & when I have completed phase 2 and/or 3 I will probably post the whole thing as an article and look forward to your comments.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
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                                        • P PIEBALDconsult

                                          CCodeNewbie wrote:

                                          because it completes the Process listing

                                          Then just display what the StartTime property tells you and leave it at that.

                                          C Offline
                                          C Offline
                                          CCodeNewbie
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #25

                                          The StartTime property, once manipulated to reveal a value, tells you 1601/1/1 00:00:00. That wasn't good enough for me. I wanted the actual StartTime but didn't have the syntactical knowledge of how to get it even if I did have rough idea of how it could be retrieved. Thanks to you, Alan, Ravi & Luc, I (and anybody else Googling "get Window's System process starttime" or something similar), instead of hitting dozens of sites saying it can't be done, now have a solution. I would like to think that's what boards like this are for. Thank you once again for your input.

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