Tech Blog

Some stupid software needs Active X controls to work, here’s a basic script for that to work:

The following batch file can be configured as a computer startup script to install the components:

@Echo Off
Setlocal

If exist C:\Windows\System32\STUPIDSOFTWARE.dll Goto End

XCOPY /Y "\\FileServer\Software\STUPIDSOFTWARE\STUPIDSOFTWARE.dll" "C:\Windows\System32\"

XCOPY /Y "\\FileServer\Software\STUPIDSOFTWARE\MORESTUPIDSOFTWARE.dll" "C:\Windows\System32\"

REM Does it need registering?
regsvr32.exe /s "C:\Windows\System32STUPIDSOFTWARE.dll"
regsvr32.exe /s " C:\Windows\System32\MORESTUPIDSOFTWARE.dll"

:End
Exit

Recently I needed to install some software on a bunch of machines but being the lazy git that I am I decided I couldn’t be bothered to walk upstairs, run the installer as me and install the software…so instead I created three convoluted batch scripts to do it:

Few things to note: I’m using PS Tools to run the scripts with my domain admin account, this is the same as shift right clicking the software as running as me!

I’m also using PS Tools to specify a list of PC’s!

Script one:

Copies an installation exe file from a server to a PC:

xcopy "\\SERVER\Software\LOnline.exe" "c:\"  /Y /R

Script two:

Looks at a list of PC’s and runs the above script for each PC in the list:

PsExec.exe @c:\Computers.txt -u DOMAIN\USER -p PASSWORD -c  "c:\CopyToPC.bat" > c:\commands1.log

Script three:

Looks at a list of PC’s then remotely installs the file LOnline.exe that you just copied to the pc remotely, I’m running the exe interactively when it’s done it pops a message to tell the user its done!!:

psexec.exe @C:\Computers.txt -d -i -u DOMAIN\USERNAME -p PASSWORD c:\LOnline.exe /i

I’m sure there is a much easier way of doing the above in one script but this was a very quick solution I put together!!

'********************************************************************************
' Description: Exports all distribution lists to CSV
'********************************************************************************

dim filename, props
filename = "2003DistributionLists.csv"
props = array("displayName","sAMAccountName",”Mail”,”mailNickname”)

'********************************************************************************
' Helper Functions
'********************************************************************************

function RetrieveUsers()

    dim rootDse, defaultNamingContext, ldapQuery, ldap, conn, rs

    set rootDse = GetObject("LDAP://RootDSE")
    defaultNamingContext = rootDse.Get("defaultNamingContext")
    ldapQuery = "(&(objectClass=group)(mailNickname=*)(mail=*))"
    ldap = "<LDAP://" & defaultNamingContext & ">;" & ldapQuery & ";adspath;subtree"

    set conn = CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
    conn.Provider = "ADsDSOObject"
    conn.Open "Active Directory Provider"
    set RetrieveUsers = conn.Execute(ldap)

end function

function ArrayToString(value)

    dim firstValue, result
    firstValue = true
    result = ""

    for i=0 to UBound(value)
        if not firstValue then
            result = result + ";"
        end if
        result = result + value(i)
        firstValue = false
    next

    ArrayToString = result

end function

function DnToEmailAddress(dn)

    dim ldap, mail

    mail = ""
    ldap = "LDAP://" & dn
    set user = GetObject(ldap)
    on error resume next
    mail = user.Get("mail")
    on error goto 0

    DnToEmailAddress = mail

end function
function Main()

    dim value, fso, shell, users, firstProp, dns, firstDn, memberEmail, emailAddress

    set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    set csv = fso.CreateTextFile(filename)
    if not err.number = vbEmpty then
        msgbox err.message, 0, "ExportError"
        exit function
    end If

    comma = false
    for each prop in props
        if comma then
            csv.Write(",")
        end if
        csv.Write("""")
        csv.Write(prop)
        csv.Write("""")
        comma = true
    next
    csv.WriteLine(",""memberEmail""")

    set users = RetrieveUsers()
    while not users.EOF
        set user = GetObject(users.Fields(0).Value)

        memberEmail = ""
        firstProp = true
        for each prop in props
            if not firstProp then
                csv.Write(",")
            end if
            csv.Write("""")
            value = ""
            on error resume next
            value = user.Get(prop)
            if IsArray(value) then
                value = ArrayToString(value)
                if "member" = prop then
                    dns = Split(value, ";")
                    firstDn = true
                    for i=0 to UBound(dns)
                        emailAddress = DnToEmailAddress(dns(i))
                        if not "" = emailAddress then
                            if not firstDn then
                                memberEmail = memberEmail + ";"
                            end if
                            memberEmail = memberEmail + emailAddress
                            firstDn = false
                        end if
                    next
                end if
            end if
            csv.Write(value)
            on error goto 0
            csv.Write("""")
            firstProp = false
        next
        csv.WriteLine(",""" & memberEmail & """")

        users.MoveNext
    wend

    csv.Close

    set csv = nothing
    set fso = nothing

    Set shell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
    shell.run ("Explorer" & " ." )
end function

Main

Import-Csv user2.csv |
foreach {New-DistributionGroup -Alias $_.mailnickname -DisplayName $_.displayName
-Type Distribution -Name $_.displayName -PrimarySmtpAddress $_.mail
-OrganizationalUnit "OU=Users,OU=Sites,DC=DOMAIN,DC=local" }

Notice I added PsExec.exe – You must do this or batch script won’t run!

I used a logo just to make it look nicer for the end user:

Default Options:

Done, give it a test and let me know how you got on!!!!