Systems administrator tools

Writing a BGINFO like Script: Displaying IP Address settings with WMI via the Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration class

I recently had to provide the information displayed with BGINFO on a number of systems. Unfortunately, BGInfo only generates a bitmap, so far as I know, so I decided to write a script to generate the information and use this displayed information to send back to the person who requested it.

The function below is a part of the script I mentioned. It retrieves and returns text that represents the IP address settings for the network cards installed in a system.

You can view all the scripts in this BGINFO series here.

Here is the code:

Function GetIPAddresses(strComputer)
Dim colItems, objItem, address
Dim StrQuery
Dim objWMIService
Dim IP

StrQuery = “SELECT * FROM Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration WHERE IPEnabled = True”
Set objWMIService = GetObject(”winmgmts:\\” & strComputer & “\root\CIMV2″)
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery(strQuery,,48)

For Each objItem in colItems
For Each address In objItem.ipaddress
IP = replace(address,”:”,””)
‘IP = Replace(IP,vbnull,”No IP Assigned”)
GetIPAddresses = GetIPAddresses & vbTab & mid(objItem.caption,InStr(objItem.caption,”]”)+2) & “: ” & IP & vbcrLF
Next
Next
End Function

Writing a BGINFO like Script: Displaying Operating System Information with WMI via the Win32_OperatingSystem class

I recently had to provide the information displayed with BGINFO on a number of systems. Unfortunately, BGInfo only generates a bitmap, so far as I know, so I decided to write a script to generate the information and use this displayed information to send back to the person who requested it.

The function below is a part of the script I mentioned. It retrieves and returns text that represents the operating system and service pack information installed on a system.

You can view all the scripts in this BGINFO series here.

Here is the code:

Function GetOSVersion(strComputer)
Dim colItems, objItem, address
Dim StrQuery
Dim objWMIService
GetOSVersion = VbCrLfStrQuery = “SELECT * FROM Win32_OperatingSystem”
Set objWMIService = GetObject(”winmgmts:\\” & strComputer & “\root\CIMV2″)
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery(strQuery,,48)

For Each objItem in colItems
GetOSVersion = GetOSVersion & vbTab & replace(objItem.caption,”(R)”,””) & VbCrLf
GetOSVersion = GetOSVersion & vbTab & “Service Pack ” & objitem.ServicePackMajorVersion & VbCrLf
Next
End Function

Writing a BGINFO like Script: Displaying Page File information with WMI via the Win32_Pagefile class

I recently had to provide the information displayed with BGINFO on a number of systems. Unfortunately, BGInfo only generates a bitmap, so far as I know, so I decided to write a script to generate the information and use this displayed information to send back to the person who requested it.

The function below is a part of the script I mentioned. It retrieves and returns text that represents the total page file space allocated in a system.

You can view all the scripts in this BGINFO series here.

Here is the code:

Function GetPageFile(strComputer)
Dim colItems, objItem, address
Dim StrQuery
Dim objWMIService
GetPageFile = VbCrLfStrQuery = “SELECT * FROM Win32_PageFile”
Set objWMIService = GetObject(”winmgmts:\\” & strComputer & “\root\CIMV2″)
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery(strQuery,,48)

For Each objItem in colItems
GetPageFile = GetPageFile & vbTab & ((objItem.filesize/1024)/1024) & ” Mb” & vbcrlf
Next
End Function

Writing a BGINFO like Script: Displaying Memory information via WMI using the Win32_PhysicalMemory class

I recently had to provide the information displayed with BGINFO on a number of systems. Unfortunately, BGInfo only generates a bitmap, so far as I know, so I decided to write a script to generate the information and use this displayed information to send back to the person who requested it.

The function below is a part of the script I mentioned. It retrieves and returns text that represents the total amount of physical memory in a system.

You can view all the scripts in this BGINFO series here.

Here is the code:

Function GetPhysicalMemory(strComputer)
Dim colItems, objItem, address
Dim StrQuery
Dim objWMIService, RAM
GetPhysicalMemory = VbCrLf
RAM = 0

StrQuery = “SELECT * FROM Win32_PhysicalMemory”
Set objWMIService = GetObject(”winmgmts:\\” & strComputer & “\root\CIMV2″)
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery(strQuery,,48)

For Each objItem in colItems
RAM = RAM + objItem.capacity
Next
GetPhysicalMemory = GetPhysicalMemory & vbTab & (((RAM/1024)/1024)/1024) & ” Gb” & VbCrLf
End Function

Writing a BGINFO like Script: Displaying Processor information with WMI via the Win32_Processor class

I recently had to provide the information displayed with BGINFO on a number of systems. Unfortunately, BGInfo only generates a bitmap, so far as I know, so I decided to write a script to generate the information and use this displayed information to send back to the person who requested it.

The function below is a part of the script I mentioned. It retrieves and returns text that represents the Processor information in the system and teh number of processors in the system. (Note: At this time I don’t have a dual core system to test it with, I believe that it will diplay the number of cores in the system. So, 4 dual core processors will be displayed as 8 processors/cores.)

You can view all the scripts in this BGINFO series here.

Here is the code:

StrQuery = “SELECT * FROM Win32_Processor”
Set objWMIService = GetObject(”winmgmts:\\” & strComputer & “\root\CIMV2″)
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery(strQuery,,48)

For Each objItem in colItems
If Replace objItem.name,”GHz”,””) = objItem.name then
GetCPUs =(round(objItem.CurrentClockSpeed/1024,1)) & “GHz” & ” ” & objItem.name & VbCrLf
Else
GetCPUs = objItem.name & VbCrLf
end if
Cores = Cores + 1
Next
GetCPUs =  vbTab & Cores & ” Processors/Cores that are: ” & GetCPUs
End Function

Writing a BGINFO like Script: Displaying MAC Address information with WMI via the Win32_NetworkAdapter class

I recently had to provide the information displayed with BGINFO on a number of systems. Unfortunately, BGInfo only generates a bitmap, so far as I know, so I decided to write a script to generate the information and use this displayed information to send back to the person who requested it.

The function below is a part of the script I mentioned. It retrieves and returns text that represents the total space and the total free space on all the physical hard drives in a system.

You can view all the scripts in this BGINFO series here.

Here is the code:

Function GetMACAddress(strComputer)
Dim colItems, objItem, address
Dim StrQuery
Dim objWMIService

StrQuery = “SELECT * FROM Win32_NetworkAdapter”
Set objWMIService = GetObject(”winmgmts:\\” & strComputer & “\root\CIMV2″)
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery(strQuery,,48)

For Each objItem in colItems
if objitem.MACAddress <> vbnull Then
GetMACAddress = GetMACAddress & vbTab & objItem.name & “: ” & objItem.MACAddress & VbCrLf
End If
Next
End Function

Writing a BGINFO like Script: Displaying DNS Server settings with WMI via the Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration class

I recently had to provide the information displayed with BGINFO on a number of systems. Unfortunately, BGInfo only generates a bitmap, so far as I know, so I decided to write a script to generate the information and use this displayed information to send back to the person who requested it.

The function below is a part of the script I mentioned. It retrieves and returns text that represents the DNS Server settings for the network adapters in the system.

You can view all the scripts in this BGINFO series here.

Here is the code:

Function GetDNSAddress(strComputer)
on error resume next
Dim colItems, objItem, address
Dim StrQuery
Dim objWMIService
Dim IP

StrQuery = “SELECT * FROM Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration WHERE IPEnabled = True”
Set objWMIService = GetObject(”winmgmts:\\” & strComputer & “\root\CIMV2″)
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery(strQuery,,48)

For Each objItem in colItems
For Each address In objItem.DNSServerSearchOrder
IP = replace(address,”:”,””)
‘IP = Replace(IP,vbnull,”No IP Assigned”)
GetDNSAddress = GetDNSAddress & vbTab & mid(objItem.caption,InStr(objItem.caption,”]”)+2) & “: ” & IP & vbcrLF
Next
Next
On Error GoTo 0
End Function

Writing a BGINFO like Script: Displaying Network Adapter Speed with WMI via the Win32_NetworkAdapter class

I recently had to provide the information displayed with BGINFO on a number of systems. Unfortunately, BGInfo only generates a bitmap, so far as I know, so I decided to write a script to generate the information and use this displayed information to send back to the person who requested it.

The function below is a part of the script I mentioned. It retrieves and returns text that represents the speed of teh network adapters in a system.

You can view all the scripts in this BGINFO series here.

Here is the code:

Function GetNetworkSpeed(strComputer)
Dim colItems, objItem, address
Dim StrQuery
Dim objWMIService

StrQuery = “SELECT * FROM Win32_NetworkAdapter”
Set objWMIService = GetObject(”winmgmts:\\” & strComputer & “\root\CIMV2″)
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery(strQuery,,48)

For Each objItem in colItems
GetNetworkSpeed = GetNetworkSpeed & vbTab & objItem.ProductName & vbCr
Next
End Function

Writing a BGINFO like Script: Displaying Disk Statistics with WMI via the Win32_LogicalDisk class

I recently had to provide the information displayed with BGINFO on a number of systems. Unfortunately, BGInfo only generates a bitmap, so far as I know, so I decided to write a script to generate the information and use this displayed information to send back to the person who requested it.

The function below is a part of the script I mentioned. It retrieves and returns text that represents the total space and the total free space on all the physical hard drives in a system.

You can view all the scripts in this BGINFO series here.

Here is the code:

Function GetDiskInfo(strComputer)
Dim colItems, objItem, address
Dim StrQuery
Dim objWMIService

StrQuery = “SELECT * FROM Win32_logicaldisk”
Set objWMIService = GetObject(”winmgmts:\\” & strComputer & “\root\CIMV2″)
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery(strQuery,,48)
GetDiskInfo = VbCrLf

For Each objItem in colItems
if objitem.MediaType = 12 Then
GetDiskInfo = GetDiskInfo & vbTab & objItem.Caption & “\ ” & Round((((objItem.size/1024)/1024)/1024),2) & ” GB Total with ” & Round((((objItem.Freespace/1024)/1024)/1024),2) & ” GB free” & ” (” & objitem.filesystem & “)” & VbCrLf
End If
Next
End Function

Essential Tools: A free undelete utility that actually recovers files effectively

Please note: This is a re-posting of a previously deleted post, details to come. 

The next tool I’d like to share with you in my Essential Tools series is another useful tool from a company called Piriform, who created a free drive defragmenter tool in the series, Defraggler.

This tool, Recuva, is an excellent file recovery tool— hence the name Recuva, which is pronounced like recover. Recuva is easy to use and quite impressive in it’s ability to recover files.

It first presents you with a wizard that, if you chose to use it, will guide you through the selection, scanning, and recovery process. Once it has scanned your drive it presents you with a list of files that were deleted– along with their recover ability in plain English! Simply select the files you need to recover and then choose to recover them and your on your way to getting back to that game of Halo with your co workers!

So why not take a second an run over and download the application and give it a shot– It’s FREE!!!

Know of a tool that you think is essential? Post a comment here and if I don’t already have it in my tool belt, I’ll add it and give it a shot. If it makes the grade– I’ll add it to the list of tools to review. The only criteria are:

1. The tool must be free, or inexpensive with a “Per User” type license. (No pay per installation licenses, please)
2. The tool (or it’s installation file) must be small enough to fit on a 256Mb flash drive for portability.
3. Command line run time options are beneficial, but not required.
4. If it has ads… it needs be truly INVALUABLE.
5. It should make the user’s job easier by gathering information or preforming a task that a typical Network or Systems Administrator would preform.

Enjoy!