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b4143a2 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 | # Computer Auditor — Features & Functionality
Computer Auditor is a desktop **system inspection dashboard** for Windows, built with **Electron** and a **React + TypeScript** UI. It is styled like a **Task Manager / system manager** console: dark panels, dense tables, and icon-only actions with **hover labels** (custom tooltip plus native `title` for accessibility).
The app is designed to **inventory and measure** what is on your machine—storage, processes, services, installed software, network, startup surface, scheduled automation, and optional Windows features—while letting you attach **persistent audit notes** to almost any entity you select.
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## Platform & runtime
- **Hybrid stack**: **React + TypeScript** UI (renderer), **Electron** main (IPC, notes, shell), and a **Python 3** **FastAPI** backend on **127.0.0.1** (dynamic port) for hot paths: directory listing with recursive sizes, folder totals, large-file scans, processes (`psutil`), drives (`psutil`), system/memory snapshot, environment, and network interfaces. Electron **spawns** `python -m uvicorn main:app` with cwd `backend/` and **kills** the process on quit.
- **Windows-focused (Node)**: registry software list, services, scheduled tasks, DISM snapshot via **PowerShell** / `dism.exe`; Explorer and `taskkill` for actions.
- **Python setup**: `cd backend && pip install -r requirements.txt`. Set **`PYTHON_PATH`** if `python` is not on `PATH`.
- **Electron shell**: full local access from main; renderer is isolated (`contextIsolation`, no Node integration).
- **Development**: `npm run dev` starts Vite and Electron together. **Production**: `npm run build` then `npm start`.
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## User interface
- **Minimal layout**: left **navigation rail** (icons + labels), main **toolbar** (section title, global refresh for live system snapshot, status line), scrollable **content**, and a fixed **notes** strip at the bottom.
- **React Icons (`react-icons/md`)** for every actionable control; **hover** shows a text label via a small tooltip layer.
- **No emoji** in the product chrome; data-first tables and monospace paths where helpful.
- **Auto-refresh**: host memory and core **system snapshot** refresh on a short interval while the app is open (complementing manual refresh).
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## Overview dashboard
- **Host identity**: computer name, signed-in username context from Node.
- **OS**: platform, kernel release, CPU architecture.
- **Uptime**: human-readable uptime.
- **Memory**: used vs total RAM, percentage, bar indicator.
- **CPU**: logical processor count and model string from `os.cpus()`.
- **Paths**: home directory and temp directory baselines.
- **Quick actions** on this screen:
- Load **logical volumes** (used/free/total per drive letter).
- **Temp directory audit**: approximate total bytes and file count under temp paths (capped walk for safety/performance; may mark truncation when file cap hit).
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## Storage & volumes
- **Per-volume table**: device id (e.g. `C:`), volume label, used space, free space, total size, utilization bar.
- **Open in Explorer** for a selected volume root.
- **Notes** can be keyed to `drive:<letter>` for remediation tracking or change control.
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## Folders & files
- **Path bar**: type or paste any folder; **list contents** with a full recursive **byte total for every subfolder** (same capped walk as aggregate sizing: stops after a maximum **file count** so huge trees do not run forever). Sizes in the table are shown as **decimal KB** (1 KB = 1024 bytes, two fractional digits). If the cap is hit mid-folder, that row shows a **`+` suffix** (strict lower bound, not complete).
- **Navigation**: parent shortcut, double-click to enter directories, **open in Explorer** for files or folders.
- **Large file finder**: scan from a chosen root (defaults to current path) for files above a **minimum size in megabytes**; returns top hits sorted by size (result cap). Useful for reclaiming disk space or spotting bulky artifacts.
- **Recursive folder size**: totals **bytes and file count** for the current path using a **capped** depth-first walk (stops after a maximum file count so system folders cannot lock the app). Shows whether the result was **truncated** due to the cap.
- **Copy path**: copies the active folder path to the clipboard for tickets, scripts, or shell use (uses the browser clipboard API when available, otherwise **Electron’s clipboard** via IPC so it still works under `file://` loads).
- **Notes** attach to `path:<fullPath>` keys.
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## Processes
- **Live process list** sourced from WMI/CIM (`Win32_Process`): PID, image name, working set (memory), coarse CPU time estimate (kernel + user time converted to seconds—useful for ordering, not a perf chart), and command line when available.
- **Filter** by name, PID, or command line substring.
- **End process**: invokes `taskkill /F` after an explicit confirmation. This is a **destructive** action; data in that process may be lost.
- **Notes** per `proc:<pid>` (PID can change across reboots; notes remain as historical annotations unless you clear them).
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## Services
- **Windows services** via `Win32_Service`: internal name, display name, state (running/stopped/etc.), start mode (auto/manual/disabled, etc.).
- **Filtering** across name, display name, and state.
- **Notes** per `svc:<service name>`.
> The app **does not** start/stop/reconfigure services from the UI (that would require elevated privileges and careful safety). It is **audit and documentation** first.
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## Installed software
- **Add/remove programs style inventory** from registry hives (64-bit, 32-bit WOW6432Node, and per-user uninstall keys) via PowerShell `Get-ItemProperty`.
- Columns include **name, version, publisher, install location, estimated size** (when publishers populate it), and raw uninstall string (for your runbooks).
- **Open install folder** when a path exists.
- **Notes** per `app:<display name>` (names are not guaranteed unique if vendors collide; use notes carefully).
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## Network
- **Logical interfaces** from `os.networkInterfaces()`: addresses, address family, internal flag, MAC when present.
- **Notes** per `net:<interface>:<address>` to document VLANs, VPNs, or static assignments.
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## Environment
- **Full process environment block** as read by the Electron main process (sorted `KEY=value` lines). Useful for spotting **mis-set PATH**, proxy variables, or deployment tooling flags.
- **Note** slot `env:all` for global remarks about environment hygiene.
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## Startup items
- Scans **per-user** and **all-users** Startup shell folders (shortcuts and files). Lists name, type, and allows **Explorer** jump and **path notes** for each entry.
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## Scheduled tasks
- Enumerates **Task Scheduler** tasks with **name** and **state** via `Get-ScheduledTask` (PowerShell). Handy for **persistence hunting** and automation audits.
- **Notes** per `task:<task name>`.
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## Windows optional features (DISM)
- Pulls a **truncated text table** from `dism /Online /Get-Features /Format:Table` for an offline-friendly snapshot of **optional Windows features** state. Large output is clipped to keep IPC responsive; use **note** `features:snippet` to record interpretation or follow-up.
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## Notes system
- **Persistent JSON** store under the app’s **Electron `userData`** directory (`auditor-notes.json`).
- **Key/value** model: keys are semantic strings (`path:…`, `proc:…`, `drive:…`, etc.).
- **Save**, **clear** (delete key), and **reload** from disk.
- Selecting an entity from a table or drive row sets the **active note key**; the footer editor binds to that key.
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## Cross-cutting actions
- **Open in Explorer** for paths and volumes (`explorer.exe`).
- **Open external URL** hook exists in the main process for future deep links (IPC wired).
- **Status and error lines** in the toolbar for long operations (process list, services, DISM, large scans).
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## Safety, performance, and limitations
- **Heavy filesystem and process enumeration** run in the **Python** process over **HTTP** (FastAPI + `psutil` + threaded `os.walk` / `os.scandir`), so the Electron **main** thread only proxies `fetch` and stays responsive.
- **Directory walks** and **large-file scans** use **caps** (max files, max depth, max results) so accidental scans of entire drives do not run unbounded; results may be **partial** or **truncated**—always stated where relevant.
- **Administrator elevation** is **not** assumed. Some counters (certain services, protected paths) may be incomplete without elevation; DISM feature enumeration may require an elevated session on some systems.
- **Process kill** and **Explorer open** are the main **active** interventions; everything else is **read/audit**.
- **Non-Windows** platforms are not the target: several modules will return empty or fallback data if ported without adapters.
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## How it fits together
1. **Python** (`backend/main.py`): FastAPI on localhost; parallel folder sizing via `ThreadPoolExecutor`; process/disk/network/env data via `psutil`.
2. **Main process** (`electron/`): starts/stops Python, proxies audit calls with `fetch`, handles notes JSON, PowerShell-only features, Explorer, `taskkill`.
3. **Preload** exposes **`window.auditor`** (IPC).
4. **Renderer** (`src/`): React + TypeScript—**no** Python or Node builtins.
This split keeps the UI responsive while still allowing **deep system visibility** appropriate for a personal or IT **audit workstation** tool.
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