Example of how to join a computer (Windows 8) to a domain using PowerShell.
$Credential = New-Object -TypeName System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -ArgumentList @('ALTIRIS\srv_altiris', (ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force 'P@ssw0rd' ))
Add-Computer -DomainName altiris.local -OUPath 'OU=CORPORATE_COMPUTERS,OU=BELGIUM,DC=altiris,DC=local' -PassThru -Verbose -Credential $credential
I was searching for a solution to launch and suspend VMWare Workstation VMs on a CentOS 5-machine during boot/shutdown.
A script script for launching VirtualBox VMS during boot inspired me to create one for VMWare Workstation.
In this example I have teamed my VMs in a team /vms/my_team.vmtm, it could as well be a single VM (.vmx) that is being launched.
The VM Team will be launched with a different user account as VMWare not allows root to launch VMs.
During shutdown root however can suspend the VM Team, and this is also the action being used during system shutdown.
useradd vmuser
passwd vmuser
vi /etc/init.d/vmheadless
#!/bin/bash
### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides: vmheadless.sh
# Required-Start: $remote_fs $syslog
# Required-Stop: $remote_fs $syslog
# Default-Start: 2 3 4 5
# Default-Stop: 0 1 6
# chkconfig: 2345 99 20
# Short-Description: Start VM
# Description: Start/stop the virtual machines
### END INIT INFO
MACHINE_NAME="/vms/my_team.vmtm"
VM_USER="vmuser"
RETVAL=0
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/vmware:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
PATH=/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin
id=`id -u`
if [ "$id" != "0" ] ; then
echo "This script must be run as root" 1>&2
exit 1
fi
# Load the VERBOSE setting and other rcS variables
[ -f /etc/default/rcS ] && . /etc/default/rcS
# Load the VERBOSE setting and other rcS variables
#. /lib/init/vars.sh
# Define LSB log_* functions.
# Depend on lsb-base (>= 3.0-6) to ensure that this file is present.
. /lib/lsb/init-functions
# Get function from functions library
. /etc/init.d/functions
# Load network defaults. Use this if there is any extra network stuff to do first.
case "$1" in
start)
su $VM_USER -c "/usr/bin/vmrun start $MACHINE_NAME nogui"
RETVAL=0
echo "Started VM Headless RETVAL=($RETVAL)"
;;
stop)
/usr/bin/vmrun suspend "$MACHINE_NAME"
RETVAL=$?
echo "Suspended VM Headless RETVAL=($RETVAL)"
;;
status)
ps=`ps -ef | grep vmware-vmx | grep -v grep | wc -l`
if [ "$ps" -gt 0 ] ; then
echo "$ps VMS started"
RETVAL=1
else
echo "VMS not running"
RETVAL=0
fi
;;
restart)
/usr/bin/vmrun suspend "$MACHINE_NAME" nogui
RETVAL=$?
echo "Suspended VM Headless RETVAL=($RETVAL)"
su backup -c "/usr/bin/vmrun -T ws start $MACHINE_NAME nogui"
RETVAL=$?
echo "Started VM Headless RETVAL=($RETVAL)"
;;
*)
echo "Usage: $0 { start | stop }"
RETVAL=1
;;
esac
exit $RETVAL
chkconfig --add vmheadless
chkonfig --level 2345 vmheadless on
service vmheadless start
This script adds the *NdisDeviceType registry value with value 1 to the keys of the VMWare network cards.
Afterwards it disables and enables the networkcards to let the changes take effect.
$nics = gci "HKLM:\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\Class\\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
$nics | foreach-object -process {
$devInstanceId = $_.getvalue("DeviceInstanceID")
if($devInstanceId -match "VMWARE"){
Write-Host $_.Name
$regpath = ( $_.name ) -replace("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE","HKLM:")
new-itemproperty -path $regpath -name "*NdisDeviceType" -value 1 -PropertyType "DWORD"
}
}
$wminics = get-wmiobject win32_networkadapter | where-object {$_.name -like "*vmware*" }
$wminics | foreach-object -process {
write-host -nonew "Disabling $($_.name) ... "
$result = $_.Disable()
if ($result.ReturnValue -eq -0) { write-host " success." } else { write-host " failed." }
write-host -nonew "Enabling $($_.name) ... "
$result = $_.Enable()
if ($result.ReturnValue -eq -0) { write-host " success." } else { write-host " failed." }
}
I synchronize my Windows Mobile Device with my corporate-exchange account. This way my calendar stays nicely up to date and gives me reminders for the tasks I have to do.
However I find it rather a hassle that I receive reminders for certain activities like holidays. Therefore I have written a small macro that disables the reminders for all future calendar entries with a certain subject.
Private Sub RemoveReminders(sProject As String)
Dim fldMailbox As MAPIFolder
Dim fldCalendar As MAPIFolder
Dim objItem As AppointmentItem
Dim iCntr As Integer
iCntr = 0
Set fldMailbox = Session.Folders(sMailboxName)
Set fldCalendar = fldMailbox.Folders("Calendar")
Set mcolCalItems = fldCalendar.Items
For Each objItem In mcolCalItems
If objItem.start > Now() Then
If objItem.ReminderSet = True Then
If InStr(objItem.Body, sProject) > 0 Then
iCntr = iCntr + 1
With objItem
.ReminderSet = False
.Save
End With
objItem.Save
End If
End If
End If
Next
MsgBox "Modified " & iCntr & " calendar entries"
End Sub
Public Sub RemoveHolidayReminders()
RemoveReminders ("Holiday")
End Sub
After some testing I managed to create a dualboot setup with ESXi 3.5 and Windows Server 2003.
sudo syslinux /dev/hda1 file is read only. overwrite anyway (y/n)? y sudo mkdir /mnt/Hypervisor0 sudo mount /dev/hda1 /mnt/Hypervisor0 vi /mnt/Hypervisor0/syslinux.cfg
original:
default safeboot.c32
modified:
default menu.c32 menu title Dual boot timeout 100 label esx menu label ESXi 3.5 COM32 safeboot.c32 LABEL win MENU LABEL MS Windows Server 2003 COM32 chain.c32 APPEND boot ntldr=/NTLDR
cp /usr/lib/syslinux/menu.c32 /mnt/Hypervisor0 cp /usr/lib/syslinux/chain.c32 /mnt/Hypervisor0
This is an example in PowerShell of how you can schedule the installation a software package by Altiris DS.
Instead of using the API, the command-line tool axsched is being called to schedule the software package.
function DeploySoftware
{
param( [String] $pcname, [String] $package, [String] $nexttime, [String] $folder)
#Write-Host "Deploy $pcname '$package' /t $nexttime /f '$folder'"
#\\ALTIRIS\express\axsched.exe "$pcname" "$package" / t "$nexttime" / f "$folder"
$StartInfo = New-Object System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo
$StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = $true
$StartInfo.UseShellExecute = $false
$StartInfo.FileName = "\\ALTIRIS\express\axsched.exe"
$StartInfo.WorkingDirectory = "C:\Temp"
$StartInfo.Arguments = "`"$pcname`" `"$package`" /t `"$nexttime`" /f `"$folder`""
$p = [System.Diagnostics.Process] ::Start($StartInfo)
$p.WaitForExit()
if ($p.ExitCode -eq 0) { $TRUE } else { $FALSE }
}
#This function adds a number of minutes to the given date time and outputs the addition in the right format for AxSched.
function Get-ScheduleTime
{
param( [System.DateTime] $starttime, [int] $minutes)
#$minutes = 12
$tspan = New-Object System.TimeSpan(0, 0, $minutes, 0)
$addtime = [System.DateTime] ::op_Addition($starttime, $tspan)
#"2008-10-20 15:00"
$y = $addtime.Year
$mo = $addtime.Month
$d = $addtime.Day
$h = $addtime.Hour
$mi = $addtime.Minute
$schedtime = "$y"
$schedtime += "-"
$schedtime += TwoDecimal("$mo")
$schedtime += "-"
$schedtime += TwoDecimal("$d")
$schedtime += " "
$schedtime += TwoDecimal("$h")
$schedtime += ":"
$schedtime += TwoDecimal("$mi")
$schedtime
}
#Simple function to convert a single decimal to a two decimal, eg 7 becomes 07
function TwoDecimal
{
param( [String] $Number)
while ($number.Length -lt 2) { $number = "0$number" }
$number
}
$now = [System.DateTime] ::Now
$pcname = "COMP007"
$jobname = "Install Outlook 2007"
$jobfolder = "Software"
#The installation of the package needs to be started after 5 minutes.
$nexttime = Get-ScheduleTime $now 5
DeploySoftware $pcname $jobname $nexttime $jobfolder
The web-interface of Altiris Notification Server can sometimes be a bit sluggish.
Certainly if you have to add a computer to 10 or more collections.
To speed things a bit up I have written this Powershell script, which uses the Altiris ASDK to perform queries to Altiris NS.
This script was intended to ensure that a new workstation receives the same software as the old workstation.
It also can be used to just clone the software of a workstation to a new workstation.
#Active Directory Domain
$domain = "LCODE"
#Host name of Altiris Notification Server
$nsserver = "ALTIRISNS"
#Major resource collection
$maincollection = "LCODE Software Collections"
#Sub resource collection
$softinstallcollection = "Software Installation"
#This is a schematic of the structure maintained in Notification Server
#The major resource collection is a child of Software Management
#The name of the sub resource collection is just the first part of the full name (Software Installation)
# as this is being matched with the children of the major resource collection
# all children beginning with that name are being enumerated
# eg. "Software Installation" causes "Software Installation 1" and "Software Installation 2" to be enumerated
#
#Resources tab
# Resource Management
# [-] Collections
# [-] Software Management
# [-] LCODE Software Collections
# [-] Software Installation 1
# [] SW Package 1
# [] SW Package 2
# [-] Software Installation 2
# [] SW Package 3
# [] SW Package 4
#
#Load Altiris ASDK
$coll = New-Object -comObject Altiris.ASDK.NS.CollectionManagement
$item = New-Object -comObject Altiris.ASDk.NS.ItemManagement
$res = New-Object -comObject Altiris.ASDK.NS.ResourceManagement
$report = New-Object -comObject Altiris.ASDK.NS.ReportManagement
#Establish connections to Altiris Notification Server
$report.targetserver = $nsserver
$report.authenticate()
$item.targetserver = $nsserver
$item.authenticate()
$coll.targetserver = $nsserver
$coll.authenticate()
$res.targetserver = $nsserver
$res.authenticate()
#Retrieve GUID of the Major resource collection
$maincollectionguid = ($item.getItemsByName($maincollection)).GetValue(0).Guid
#Ask user to enter hostnames of old and new pc
$oldpc = Read-Host "Old PC"
$newpc = Read-Host "New PC"
#Retrieve GUIDs of computers
$oldpcguid = $res.getComputerByNameAndDomain($oldpc,$domain)
$newpcguid = $res.getComputerByNameAndDomain($newpc,$domain)
#Check if we don't have an empty GUID for one of the computers
if(($oldpcguid.length -gt 0) -and ($newpcguid.length -gt 0)){
#Retrieve all software collections
$softwarecoll = $item.GetItemsInFolder($maincollectionguid) | foreach-object -process { $item.GetItemsInFolder($_.Guid) | where-object { $_.parentfoldername -match $softinstallcollection } }
#Enumerate all software collections
$softwarecoll | foreach-object -process{
$softguid = $_.guid
#Check if OldPC is in software collection
$result = $coll.getinclusions($softguid,"Resource") | where-object { $_.name -eq $oldpc}
if($result -ne $null){
$softname = $_.Name
#Display and log that OldPC has this piece of software
Write-Host "$oldpc $softname"
Add-Content ".\$newpc.txt" -value "$oldpc $softname"
#Add NewPC to software collection
$coll.addinclusions($softguid,$newpcguid)
#Check if NewPC is in software collection
$result = $coll.getinclusions($softguid,"Resource") | where-object { $_.name -eq $newpc}
if($result -ne $null){
#Display and log that NewPC has this piece of software
Write-Host "$newpc $softname"
Add-Content ".\$newpc.txt" -value "$newpc $softname"
}
#Refresh the software collection
$coll.updatecollections($softguid)
}
#Write-Host "Result:$result"
}
}else{
#One of the GUIDs could not be found. Most likely computername is wrong or it does not exist in Notification Server
Write-Host "Problem finding GUID for Old/New PC"
Write-Host "Old PC: $oldpcguid"
Write-Host "New PC: $newpcguid"
}
Currently I am using a test-environment to become familiar with Exchange 2007.
Today I tried to upgrade from Exchange 2007 RTM to SP2.
Whilst trying to upgrade my CAS-server I encountered the following error
The virtual directory ‘owa’ already exists under ‘ExchCAS/Default Web Site’ Parameter name: VirtualDirectoryName
The solution that I used to solve this was to delete the offending virtual directory and all other Exchange related virtual directories by issuing the following lines in the Exchange Management Shell.
Get-OwaVirtualDirectory| foreach-object -process { $id=$_.server.tostring() + ‘\’ + $_.name.tostring(); write-host ‘Going to remove $id’; Remove-OwaVirtualDirectory -Identity $id }
Get-OabVirtualDirectory | foreach-object -process { $id=$_.server.tostring() + ‘\’ + $_.name.tostring(); write-host ‘Going to remove $id’; Remove-OabVirtualDirectory -Identity $id }
Get-AutodiscoverVirtualDirectory | foreach-object -process { $id=$_.server.tostring() + ‘\’ + $_.name.tostring(); write-host ‘Going to remove $id’; Remove-AutodiscoverVirtualDirectory -Identity $id }
Get-UMVirtualDirectory | foreach-object -process { $id=$_.server.tostring() + ‘\’ + $_.name.tostring(); write-host $id;
Remove-UMVirtualDirectory -Identity $id }
Get-ActiveSyncVirtualDirectory | foreach-object -process { $id=$_.server.tostring() + ‘\’ + $_.name.tostring(); write-host $id; Remove-ActiveSyncVirtualDirectory -Identity $id }
Get-WebServicesVirtualDirectory | foreach-object -process { $id=$_.server.tostring() + ‘\’ + $_.name.tostring(); write-host $id;
Remove-WebServicesVirtualDirectory -Identity $id }
Batch-scripting is not as powerful as WSH-scripting or PowerShell.
But with some tools you can perform some simple but useful actions.
One tool I often use is robocopy.
1. Asking for values in a batch-script
@echo off @set /P pctocheck=Enter name of pc: @cscript.exe "script.vbs" %pctocheck% pause
2. Copy non-existing folders back to C-drive
@echo off rem Check if the script was called with parameter RUN IF "%1"=="RUN" GOTO run rem Since we are not running the script with parameter RUN, start it using cmd whilst enabling delayed environment variable expansion (/V:ON) cmd /V:ON /C H:\copy_c-drive.cmd RUN GOTO :EOF :run echo ...Copying extra folders on C-drive rem List all existing files and directories on the C-drive, including hidden ones. dir /a:d /b C:\ >C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\rc_existsystemdirs.txt dir /a:hd /b C:\ >>C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\rc_existsystemdirs.txt dir /a:-d /b C:\ >C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\rc_existsystemfiles.txt dir /a:h-d /b C:\ >>C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\rc_existsystemfiles.txt rem Build up variables set existingdirs= FOR /F "delims=," %%i IN (C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\rc_existsystemdirs.txt) do set existingdirs=!existingdirs! /XD "%%i" set existingfiles= FOR /F "delims=," %%i IN (C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\rc_existsystemfiles.txt) do set existingfiles=!existingfiles! /XF "%%i" rem Do the copy thing robocopy /COPYALL /E X:\ C:\ /TEE /LOG+:C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\rc_system.log /XO /R:1 /W:3 %existingdirs% %existingfiles%
Using WSH with WMI enables you to query lots of information of a system.
Here are some examples of code that I regularly use.
1. Determine UpTime of a computer
strComputer = InputBox("Enter computername","Determine Uptime",".")
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
& "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colOperatingSystems = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
("Select * From Win32_PerfFormattedData_PerfOS_System")
intSystemUptime = 0
For Each objOS in colOperatingSystems
Dim intSystemUptimeSec
Dim intSystemUptimeMin
Dim intSystemUptimeHour
Dim intSystemUptimeDay
intSystemUptimeDay = Int(objOS.SystemUpTime / 86400)
intSystemUptimeHour = Int(objOS.SystemUpTime / 3600) - (intSystemUptimeDay*24)
intSystemUptimeMin = Int(objOS.SystemUpTime / 60) - (intSystemUptimeHour*60) - (intSystemUptimeDay*24*60)
intSystemUptimeSec = Int(objOS.SystemUpTime) - (intSystemUptimeMin*60) - (intSystemUptimeHour*60*60) - (intSystemUptimeDay*24*60*60)
intSystemUptime = Int(objOS.SystemUpTime / 60)
MsgBox("Uptime for " & strcomputer & " = " & intSystemUptimeDay & "d " & intSystemUptimeHour & "h " & intSystemUptimeMin & "m " & intSystemUptimeSec & "s")
Next
2. Ping a computer
strComputer = InputBox("Enter computername","Ping a computer",".")
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
& "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set objPing = GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}")._
ExecQuery("select * from Win32_PingStatus where address = '"_
& strComputer & "'")
For Each objStatus in objPing
If IsNull(objStatus.StatusCode) or objStatus.StatusCode<>0 Then
MsgBox("Ping failed")
else
MsgBox("Ping succeeded")
End If
Next
3. Map a Networkdrive
Set oNet = CreateObject("wscript.network")
oNet.MapNetworkDrive "X:", "\\" & strComputer & "\c$"
4. Get Computers from an OU in Active Directory
Set ObjOU = GetObject("LDAP://OU=Desktops,OU=Computers,DC=corp,DC=contoso,DC=com")
ObjOU.Filter = Array("Computer")
For Each ObjComp in ObjOU
5. List running processes
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
& "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" _
& strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colProcess = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
("Select * from Win32_Process")
For Each objProcess in colProcess
WScript.Echo objProcess
Next
6. Count DiskErrors
Set colLoggedEvents = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
("Select * from Win32_NTLogEvent Where Logfile = 'System'" _
& " and SourceName = 'disk'")
iDiskErrors = colLoggedEvents.count
7. Show logged on user
Set Users = objWMIService.InstancesOf("Win32_ComputerSystem")
for each User in Users
If isNull(User.UserName) then
WScript.Echo "No User is logged on"
else
WScript.Echo User.UserName
end if
Next
8. Enumerate all profiles stored in Documents and Settings
Set objFolder = objFSO.GetFolder("\\" & strComputer & "\c$\Documents And Settings")
valStoredprofiles = ""
For Each Subfolder in objFolder.SubFolders
If IsStandardUserProfile(SubFolder.Path) then
arrPath = split(Subfolder.Path,"\")
'sSize = Round(SubFolder.Size/1024/1024,2)
'valStoredprofiles = valStoredprofiles & arrPath(UBound(arrPath,1)) & " [" & sSize & "MB] " & " - "
valStoredprofiles = valStoredprofiles & arrPath(UBound(arrPath,1)) & " - "
end if
Next
Function IsStandardUserProfile(sFolder) Dim iMatches iMatches = 0 If Instr(sFolder,"Administrator") > 0 then iMatches = iMatches + 1 If Instr(sFolder,"All Users") > 0 then iMatches = iMatches + 1 If Instr(sFolder,"Default User") > 0 then iMatches = iMatches + 1 If Instr(sFolder,"LocalService") > 0 then iMatches = iMatches + 1 If Instr(sFolder,"NetworkService") > 0 then iMatches = iMatches + 1 If iMatches = 0 then IsStandardUserProfile= true Else IsStandardUserProfile= false end if End Function
9. Read and write an XML-file
Set objXML = CreateObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM")
objXML.load "result.xml"
'WScript.Echo objXML.parseError.errorCode
If (objXML.parseError.errorCode <> 0) Then
Dim myErr
Set myErr = objXML.parseError
MsgBox("You have error " & myErr.reason)
Else
'WScript.Echo objXML.xml
'WScript.Echo objXML.documentElement.attributes.item(0).nodeValue
Dim i
i = 1
ReDim PreServe arrPcs(i+1)
Set pcs = objXML.getElementsByTagName("pc")
'WScript.Echo pcs
for each pc in pcs
arrPcs(i-1) = pc.getAttribute("id") & ";" & pc.getAttribute("location")
i=i+1
ReDim PreServe arrPcs(i)
next
End If
for each pc in pcs
pcID = pc.getAttribute("id")
if pcID = current PC then
'<ip>192.168.1.19</ip>
'<uptime>0</uptime>
'<diskerrors>0</diskerrors>
'<user>NONE</user>
'<storedprofiles>0</storedprofiles>
'WScript.Echo pc.childNodes.length
pc.childNodes.Item(0).firstChild.nodeValue = valIP
pc.childNodes.Item(2).firstChild.nodeValue = valUptime
pc.childNodes.Item(3).firstChild.nodeValue = valDiskerrors
'WScript.Echo valUser
pc.childNodes.Item(4).firstChild.nodeValue = valUser
pc.childNodes.Item(5).firstChild.nodeValue = valStoredprofiles
exit for
end if
next
objXML.documentElement.Attributes.Item(0).nodeValue = now
objXML.save("result.xml")
.gif){kind=logo}
