Updated: February 11, 2012
Do you need to know how long your Windows system has been running since the last reboot? Yes, no? Maybe. If you do, then you would probably ask yourself how you can achieve that. While Linux users have a fairly straightforward command called uptime that tells them this bit of information, Windows users must scratch their heads and wonder where they might find the uptime figures on their box.
This short, yet elegant tutorial teaches you multiple GUI and command-line ways of obtaining the uptime numbers on Windows XP, 7 and 8. Today, you will learn how to use the tools like net, uptime, sysinfo, as well as reading information from your network interface and perusing the task manager. Follow me, ladies and gents.
Windows XP
There are several tools available. Uptime.exe is an old, simple tool that can report the uptime statistics. Alternatively, you can try the following command, from the command line:
net statistics server
The shortened version is net stats srv.
Let's see an example:
Another, somewhat less accurate way of checking your uptime is by checking the uptime of the network interface. Right click on the active interface, select Status, then go to the General tab. This will show you for how long the specific network interface has been running. For most people, excluding network outages, router problems and alike, the system uptime and the network uptime should be identical.
Windows 7 and 8
In the more recent versions of Windows, things are much simpler visually. In other words, users who do not wish to dabble in the command line need only consult their Task Manager to obtain the desired information. Uptime statistics are available under the Performance tab.
Command line, all versions - Windows XP, 7 and 8
Systeminfo utility is available in all releases, so you can use that one especially if you need a common tool to obtain the information. This is rather useful in mixed environments. Specifically, for Windows 7 and 8:
On Windows XP, the find expression is slightly different:
systeminfo | find /i "up time"
Great for scripting and automation. And that's all.
Conclusion
There's no dramatic ending to this article, but I must have a conclusion, so here's one. There are several methods you can use to achieve this goal. In all three major versions of Windows currently available for home use, even if Windows 8 is still a preview system, you can use the sysinfo utility to get the desired numbers. Then, you can also use the task manager in Windows 7 and 8. The older Windows XP has a few more tools that can obtain uptime. So feel free to use the simplest, best tool that suits your specific needs.
Well, that would be all. Party on. And send me ideas, if you have them.
Cheers.