Hey, Scripting Guy! I need to be able to write double quotation marks to a text file using Windows PowerShell . I know that in VBScript it was really annoying to do this because the quotation marks ended up getting confused with the quotation mark that...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! Is it possible to use Windows PowerShell to groom a text file by deleting extra returns and line feeds it may contain? Here is the deal. I have a file that we need to download each day. This file contains updated prices for...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! I have been using AuditPol.exe to verify the audit policy that is configured on our network. The problem is that the report that is generated has a lot of text, and it is not easy to see exactly what is being audited or not. Is it...(read more)
Summary : If a trusted website has an expired or self-signed certificate, you must ignore the error to use Windows PowerShell with the website. Microsoft Scripting Guy Ed Wilson here. Years ago I used to teach MCSE training classes and one of my favorites...(read more)
Microsoft Scripting Guy Ed Wilson here. The sounds outside seems amplified by the inky darkness that grudgingly gives way to the early morning sun. I am sitting on the front porch sipping a cup of English Breakfast Tea, munching on a freshly baked cinnamon...(read more)
In this post : How Do I Set Indexes in AD DS or AD LDS? How Do I Remove Windows PowerShell 1.0? Please Help Me Troubleshoot This VBScript Script! Can I Get an Offline Copy of All Exchange 2010 Articles on TechNet? How Do I Set Indexes in AD DS or AD LDS...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! I need to use Windows PowerShell 2.0 to find groups in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) that are not being used. Over the years, we have had several network administrators. Some of them were good, and some had challenges...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! I want to be able to copy the group memberships from one computer account in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) to another computer account in AD DS by using Windows PowerShell 2.0 and Active Directory cmdlets. It would be great...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! I need to use Windows PowerShell to identify inactive user accounts in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). I used to have a VBScript script that I would use, but I would like to be able to use Windows PowerShell 2.0 and the new...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! I need to use Windows PowerShell 2.0 to search Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) to retrieve information about my Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 domain controllers. I am specifically interested in determining...(read more)
Microsoft Scripting Guy Ed Wilson here, it’s a good thing I enjoy getting up early on weekends. To me, because I get up early during the week, it makes sense to get up early on the weekend and get busy doing things that I want to do. One of the...(read more)
Microsoft Scripting Guy Ed Wilson here. It is a beautiful Saturday morning here in Charlotte, North Carolina , in the United States. The sky is dark blue and there are few if any clouds visible. It almost makes one dizzy while standing in the front yard...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! I need to be able to connect to two Group Policy objects (GPOs) in Active Directory and make an offline copy of the GPOs using Windows PowerShell 2.0 so that I can compare the two objects. I know I can do this using the Group Policy...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! I need to be able to connect to two Group Policy objects (GPOs) in Active Directory and make an offline copy of the GPOs using Windows PowerShell 2.0 so that I can compare the two objects. I know I can do this using the Group Policy...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! I need to use the Microsoft Group Policy cmdlets and Windows PowerShell 2.0 to test Active Directory replication. Know how? -- RG Hello RG, Microsoft Scripting Guy Ed Wilson here. I had an Office Communicator conversation last night...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! I want to know how to use the Group Policy cmdlets in Windows PowerShell to back up and to restore Group Policy objects (GPOs), and I have heard that there are Group Policy cmdlets in Windows 7 . Can you help me? -- GJ Hello GJ, Microsoft...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! I need to work with Group Policy Objects (GPOs) by using a Windows PowerShell script. I understand there are new Group Policy cmdlets in Windows 7, but when I use the Get-Command cmdlet, I do not see any cmdlets. Is this a Release...(read more)
Microsoft Scripting Guy Ed Wilson here. One of the cool things about Windows PowerShell is that if you do not like the way it does things, you can change it. If there is something that is lacking in the released product, you can often find it in a module...(read more)
Microsoft Scripting Guy Ed Wilson here. The first weekend after vacation—ah! During my one-on-one meeting with my manager this past week, Steve asked me, “How is it going?” I replied, “I need a vacation from my vacation.”...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! What can you tell me about PowerShell Community Extensions ? -- KH Hello KH, Microsoft Scripting Guy Ed Wilson here. Probably the best person to answer your question is Keith Hill, our guest blogger today. About the guest blogger ...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! I would like to be able to integrate VBScript scripts into my Windows PowerShell code. I also have some batch files I wish I could use with Windows PowerShell. I do not want to have to rewrite code that works perfectly fine. Is this...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! I need to be able to use a Windows PowerShell 2.0 script to change the resolution on my desktop monitor. Is this possible? -- AS Hello AS, Microsoft Scripting Guy Ed Wilson here, I have been looking for a script to change my monitor...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! What permissions do I need to have in order to use the Windows PowerShell 2.0 cmdlets that ship with SharePoint 2010? -- FJ Hello FJ, Microsoft Scripting Guy Ed Wilson here. One of the great things about being a Microsoft Scripting...(read more)
Hey, Scripting Guy! I have a number of graphics files that I need to convert to a different file format. Can I use Windows PowerShell 2.0 to convert a .bmp file to a .jpg file? -- SW Hello SW, Microsoft Scripting Guy Ed Wilson here. It is Guest Blogger...(read more)
Microsoft Scripting Guy Ed Wilson here. The Smokey Mountains are about 10 degrees cooler than Charlotte , North Carolina , is. The problem is that it was nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Charlotte. Anyway, getting to spend some time with my old high school...(read more)
PowerShell is favorite admin option for many IT pros, and PowerShell v2 makes it even more useful by bring PowerShell scripting to Active Directory.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine January 2010
Working with regular expressions can provide great value, but be like solving a puzzle. Read this article for an example of a real-life, practical application of regular expressions and discover a trick for using them.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine December 2009
One big question about writing a user-provisioning script using Windows PowerShell: handling the errors that occur when you’re trying to create a username that already exists. Read this article for an approach that neatly addresses that issue.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine October 2009
The Microsoft Scripting Guys create a Windows PowerShell script that provides an easy way to back up, archive, and clear your event log files.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine July 2009
Don Jones concludes his four-part series on automating user provision with Windows PowerShell. In this final edition, Don discusses adding users to domain groups and modifying directory attributes.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine June 2009
Don Jones continues his four-part series that explains how you can create an automated provisioning function in Windows PowerShell
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine May 2009
Automating data entry is more important than ever, and today’s automation language is Windows PowerShell. This article uses Windows PowerShell to collect some data about the local computer and write it to an Office Access database.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine May 2009
Don Jones continues his look at how you can use Windows PowerShell to automate user provisioning. In this installment, Don details the function that will create a mail-enabled user in Active Directory.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine April 2009
File compression is even more useful when you can automate the process via scripting. Here are some Windows PowerShell scripts you can use to create and expand cab files.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine April 2009
Don Jones kicks off a four part series that will look at how you can use Windows PowerShell to create a real-world user provisioning script.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine March 2009
The Scripting Guys demonstrate a script that times an activity and writes the results to the registry. After subsequent runs, the script retrieves the previous value from the registry and tells you both the current time and the previous time.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine March 2009
In the past few installments of the Windows PowerShell column, Don Jones has been demonstrating how to develop a Windows PowerShell-based inventory tool. In this installment, Don brings it all together into a very powerful, full-featured tool, and offers some guidance on customizing the tool for your own needs.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine February 2009
This installment clears up some confusion over Active Directory Browser, ADSI Scriptomatic, and browsing Active Directory. And in doing so, the Scripting Guy creates a Windows PowerShell script that will allow you to browse the Active Directory schema.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine February 2009
Learn how you can implement error-handling in Windows PowerShell.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine January 2009
Discover how to use the Excel.Application automation model for a more powerful way to process data from your servers and take advantage of the analysis and charting tools built into Excel.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine January 2009
Following up on the November installment of his Windows PowerShell column, Don Jones demonstrates an even better inventorying tool and demonstrates a sound process for building your own custom Windows PowerShell functions.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine December 2008
You need to calculate server downtime in order to report on server uptime. The Scripting Guys have a Windows PowerShell script that can do this for you.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine December 2008
Don Jones demonstrates a Windows PowerShell-based inventory tool and guides you through the process that goes into building such a solution.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine November 2008
This month, The Scripting Guys take a close look at the WMI infrastructure. Along the way, they provide some helpful scripts that can serve as a starting point for learning more and accomplishing useful administrative tasks.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine November 2008
Ever wish Windows PowerShell would launch with a work environment tailored to your needs? Don Jones demonstrates how you can use profiles to customize the Windows PowerShell shell.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine October 2008
The Scripting Guys discuss Socrates and revisit the topic of querying an XML file . This time, however, the XML file is structured so that rather than using child nodes, additional property values are configured as attributes.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine October 2008
Despite its object oriented nature, Windows PowerShell is also able to parse complicated strings. Don Jones demonstrates how you can do this in Windows PowerShell using Select-String.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine September 2008
Discover how you can use disconnected recordsets—virtual database tables—to work around VBScript limitations relating to data-sorting and working with large data sets.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine September 2008
With Windows Vista, the UserAccounts.CommonDialog ActiveX control for opening a file open dialog box no longer exists. Here's a look at how you can solve that problem using Visual Basic Express Edition.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine August 2008
Don Jones discusses filtering functions, the pipeline, custom objects, and how ping-pong balls hold the secret to understanding Windows PowerShell.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine July 2008
The Scripting Guys discuss adrenaline-filled scripting and show you how the new boot configuration data store in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 can be accessed using scripts.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine July 2008
Discover how the object-oriented nature of Windows PowerShell allows you to apply formatting to its output.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine June 2008
The Scripting Guys ponder hard work, true happiness, and outputting data to the command window in a readable tabular format.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine June 2008
Version 1 of Windows PowerShell offers less than impressive Active Directory management capabilities. Find out how you can use add-ins to get more powerful ways to work with Active Directory objects from within Windows PowerShell.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine May 2008
The scripting guys visit the Louvre, take up art criticism, and show you how to use regular expressions in a script to do a search and replace.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine May 2008
An overview of signing your scripts for improved security.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine April 2008
The AllSigned execution policy provides the most secure Windows PowerShell environment. So how do you sign your Windows PowerShell scripts? Don Jones shows you how.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine April 2008
For your users with attention span issues—and even those without—providing status feedback in your scripts is a good idea. Here's all you need to know to provide status in Windows PowerShell.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine March 2008
The Scripting Guys demonstrate how you can change the last-modified date of a file with some script and the Shell object.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine March 2008
Permissions in Windows are, unfortunately, innately complicated. But Windows PowerShell can help. Get a quick overview of how permissions in Windows work and find out how you can simplify the task of working with them.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine February 2008
The Microsoft Scripting Guys go on and on about the 2008 Scripting Games, and they also show you how to create, append, and modify XML documents. By the way, have you heard about the 2008 Scripting Games?
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine February 2008
When designing Windows PowerShell, a lot of thought was put into security. But, as with any software, Windows PowerShell can still be exposed to malicious code. Here are some recommendations for choosing an Execution Policy that will keep your systems more secure.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine January 2008
Looking for a way to avoid making mistakes? Validation is a good start. Learn how to perform character pattern matching in a script using regular expressions.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine January 2008
Windows PowerShell provides many features that often get overlooked. By taking a methodical approach to exploring Windows PowerShell cmdlets, you will unearth some powerful capabilities that you haven't yet noticed.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine December 2007
Did the butler do it? Was it in the pantry with the candlestick? None of these questions are answered here. But after four long weeks, the Scripting Guys are back with Part 2 of their two-part series on WinRM.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine December 2007
With a well-written regular expression, a Windows PowerShell script can determine whether or not data conforms to a valid format. Get an overview of how you can use Regular Expressions in Windows PowerShell.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine November 2007
The Scripting Guys demonstrate how to use Windows Remote Management to retrieve the properties and instances of classes on a remote computer. Oh, and there's a cool puzzle too.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine November 2007
Have you put off using Windows PowerShell because you don't have time to learn how to script. Don't worry. Here's a look at how you can start using Windows PowerShell immediately, without writing a lick of code.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine October 2007
Silverlight makes it easy to create cool user interfaces and multimedia presentations. And it seems to work well in HTML Applications, or HTAs. The Scripting Guys show you how to give Silverlight a try.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine October 2007
When designing Windows PowerShell, Microsoft gave security a leading role. And it shows. Take a look at some of the key security features and settings, such as credential handling and execution policies, that ensure Windows PowerShell won’t fall game to the same problems that VBScript enabled.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine September 2007
Relational databases are designed to handle one-to-many relationships. This can make writing scripts that query these databases a bit tricky. But don’t worry—the Scripting Guys are here to show you everything you need to know.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine September 2007
The pipeline isn't just for cmdlets. Take a look at how you can use the Windows PowerShell pipeline to add handy filtering capabilities to your scripts.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine August 2007
With Active Directory, users can have a variety of identities, such as givenName, displayName, userPrincipalName, or distinguishedName. As a system administrator, how do you get all this information about a user? With a script, of course.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine August 2007
Don't mistake the pipeline in Windows PowerShell for the UNIX pipeline. The Windows PowerShell pipeline is responsible for far different and far more powerful functionality.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine July 2007
For scripts that run in a graphical environment, looks are as important as function and performance. Explore techniques for using cascading style sheets to improve the look of your scripts.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine July 2007
Windows PowerShell doesn't provide a Get-ADSIObject cmdlet, but that doesn't prevent it from ogffering strong ADSI support. Get an introduction to type adapters and learn how you can use Windows PowerShell to work with directiory objects.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine June 2007
Looking for an easier way to add terms to the Microsoft Word dictionary without doing it by hand, one word at a time? Who isn't? This month, the Scripting Guys show you how to create custom dictionaries in Microsoft Word, and how to programmatically configure Word to use those dictionaries.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine June 2007
Windows Management Instrumentation is an incredibly useful technology for exposing system information. Find out how Windows PowerShell can make WMI infinitely easier to learn and use.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine May 2007
Ever wonder how you could send values to and from a dialog box in an HTML Application (HTA)? Here’s an explanation of how to create a dialog box and then pass information back and forth between the dialog box and the main HTA.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine May 2007
Windows PowerShell provides easy access to a wide range of data. In its raw state, however, this data isn’t ready for typical business purposes. Learn how to customize the data you gather by filtering, specifying properties, and applying formatting.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine April 2007
It seems everybody has been asking about it. And now the Scripting Guys (finally) show you how to use scripts to manage local users and groups.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine April 2007
In Windows PowerShell, variables are mapped to underlying classes in the .NET Framework, providing more powerful capabilities than are possible in previous scripting languages. Explore the inner-workings of how these variables work, and learn how to use them.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine March 2007
Ever wish you could display a dialog box that lets select an OU from Active Directory and connect to it using a script? The Scripting Guys have just the script you're looking for.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine March 2007
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine February 2007
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine February 2007
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine January 2007
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine January 2007
The Exchange Management Shell gives administrators a powerful interface for managing every aspect of Exchange Server 2007. Get an overview of how you can start writing scripts, integrating applications, and performing other powerful management tasks from the command line.
David Strome
TechNet Magazine December 2006
Windows PowerShell is about to launch, offering Windows administrators the easiest and most flexible way to automate a wide variety of administrative tasks. Discover what you need to know to start performing administrative tasks more effectively using this powerful command-shell tool.
Don Jones
TechNet Magazine December 2006
You've already got VBScript and Windows Script Host. Why should you bother with a new tool for scripting? We'll show you how Windows PowerShell is more powerful, allowing you to do things you haven’t been able to do in the past.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine December 2006
You can do a lot of networking through scripts. Two Windows Management Instrumentation classes, Win32_NetworkAdapter and Win32_NetworkAdapaterConfiguration, allow you to work with network adapters on your computers.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine November 2006
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine October 2006
Virtually every noteworthy Windows event generates a WMI event. Find out how you can monitor WMI events with MOM to provide an even more powerful solution for systems management.
Brian Wren
TechNet Magazine September 2006
WMI is a powerful tool, but writing scripts to harness it can be intimidating. Here’s a hidden command-line interface that makes it easier to take advantage of WMI. Best of all, the tool is already on your system.
John Kelbley
TechNet Magazine September 2006
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine September 2006
Michael Murgolo
TechNet Magazine August 2006
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine August 2006
You know, the Scripting Guys hardly ever wax philosophical. (We hardly ever wax our cars or our floors, either, but that’s a different story. ) When it comes to the nature of time, however, well, in that case we just can’t help ourselves.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine July 2006
When you’re deploying thousands of Windows-based computers, configuring a single system and duplicating its hard drive (or system image) onto other corporate computers can save you a lot of time and free up IT resources.
Michael Murgolo
TechNet Magazine May • June 2006
Sometimes things are just more complicated than they should be. Take a simple little task like deciding which ice cream to order. Back when the Scripting Guys were growing up this was easy; for the most part, you had your choice between chocolate and vanilla.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine May • June 2006
Groucho Marx once said, "I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member." (The Scripting Guys hold a similar philosophy...or we would if we could ever find a group that would accept us as members.)
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine March • April 2006
As a systems administrator you’re surely no stranger to Windows®Management Instrumentation (WMI), which gives you access to a wealth of management information and allows you to automate administrative tasks.
Chris Scoville
TechNet Magazine January • February 2006
Greetings, everyone. In one of their classic Halloween episodes, the Simpsons became rich and famous. Their faces were everywhere: on billboards, on T-shirts, you name it. Not too surprisingly the people of Springfield quickly tired of seeing the Simpsons everywhere they looked.
The Microsoft Scripting Guys
TechNet Magazine January • February 2006
A great deal of time is often invested in determining the best ways to keep an infrastructure current, and rightfully so. In this month’s Utility Spotlight I take a look at a great way to make sure that desktops are as current as possible from the day they are deployed.
Joshua Hoffman
TechNet Magazine November • December 2005
Managing an office full of Windows®-based servers and workstations has been challenging ever since the early days of Windows networking. While administrators have been using a combination of GUI-based applications, batch files, scripts, and a host of other utilities to get their jobs done, the GUI-based applications have tended to be the de-facto standard on the Windows platform.
Thomas Lee
TechNet Magazine November • December 2005
IT pros don't write code. IT pros don't develop applications, and we certainly don't want anything to do with mathematical algorithms and binary search trees. We leave that to the dev geeks with CompSci PhDs and cases of Mountain Dew under their desk.
Joshua Hoffman
TechNet Magazine Spring 2005