Question: For someone looking after a small 50 Windows PC network (Mainly XP - some Vista), are there any tools that can do an automatic inventory of the network e.g.

* OS
* Memory size
* Hard drive type and size
* Serial numbers
* Monitor type

etc.

At the moment, someone has to go from PC to PC writing all this stuff down.

Answer: 
I have heard great things about [Spiceworks](http://www.spiceworks.com/). Its big features are:

* creating an inventory of PCs and their installed software - Windows, Mac, Linux
* creating an inventory of routers, printers, and anything IP based.
* help desk ticketing
* network monitoring
* nice reporting
Check with your PC manufacturer. Most of the business ones have their own free inventory software that you can use. Even if you just have one of these computers, grab the software to see if it meets your needs, and it might discover other PC brands too. (Hint, hint.)

* Dell has [OpenManage](http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/sitelets/solutions/management/openmanage?c=us&cs=555&l=en&s=biz&redirect=1)
* HP has [System Insight Manager](http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/hpsim/index.html), which also discovers & manages your servers & printers
* IBM has [IBM Director](http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/management/director/)

The basic version is free, and then they resell software & services to sit atop these and provide more value. They do stuff like remote control, software distribution, yadda yadda yadda. Dell and HP's ones have web consoles with database back ends, which make it easier to roll your own reports too.