The Official Scripting Guys Forum! announcement

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  Posting Guidelines
  Marco Shaw Friday, September 23, 2011 3:30 PM

  You may have been redirected to this post by a moderator or user.  Thank you for posting to the Scripting Guys Forum.  We are here to help you with your scripting questions.  However, we are not here to write solutions to your scripting questions.  Questions like "I can't get this script to work that I've copied below, and here is the error I'm having" are welcome.  However, questions like "I don't have time to learn this myself, so I need someone to write me a script that does these 10 things" are typically not welcome.  In the latter case, ther eare various "freelance" web sites that you can search for with your favorite search engine full of people that would be willing to write scripts for you and they may charge you a fee.  After reading this, you may want to delete your post, as it may not be answered at all, except for a link being provided to this message.
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  Moderators' names and brief scripting autobiographies last names N-Z (last Updated October 25, 2012)
  IamMred Microsoft Employee Tuesday, December 21, 2010 11:02 PM

  ·         Laerte's unedited profile:

  This is a running list of all moderators on The Official Scripting Guys Forum! They are listed

  alphabetically by last name. N-Z

  Aaron Nelson (forum user name: SQLvariant)

  Aaron Nelson ( blog | twitter ) is a Senior SQL Server Architect with over 10 years of experience in Architecture, Business Intelligence, Development, and Performance Tuning of SQL Server. He has experience managing enterprise wide data needs in both transactional and data warehouse environments.  Aaron holds certifications for MCITP: Business Intelligence Developer, Database Administrator, Database Developer; as well as MCTS: Windows Server Virtualization, Configuration (meaning Hyper-V).  He is also a Microsoft MVP for SQL Server

  Chris O’Prey (forum user name: cjoprey)

  I’m a self-confessed geek who has been a developer for longer than I care to remember (let’s just say I remember writing BASIC in the 70s). In my latest guise as a developer and tester at Microsoft, I am a heavy user of Windows PowerShell for automation of testing, build, and integration. I use Windows PowerShell on a daily basis, and I have no intention of weaning myself off it!

  Travis Page (forum user name: pagerwho)

  I have been in IT for about 7 years now, the past year has been primarily focused on scripting in Windows PowerShell.  I utilize Windows PowerShell quite a bit to help me in my routine tasks, and have come to be known at my employer as the scripting guy.  In my current role I work with Exchange, Active Directory, Server systems and Desktops and have been working to develop scripts to assist me in troubleshooting faster, and fix problems faster with Windows PowerShell.  I am active in PASS at the local level and can be reached on Twitter via http://twitter.com/pagerwhoor on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/travispage

  Thiyagarajan Parthiban (forum user name: Thiyagu14)

  I work for a large Investment Bank, as a Exchange Administrator. I have been scripting for more than 7 years now. I am good at VBscript, but when I first laid my eyes on Powershell, I realized this is the coolest thing ever in scripting. I automate Exchange/AD tasks, am also good at WMI, ADSI and generating reports. I blog at www.myExchangeWorld.com. I have developed custom apps in C# for automation. I love to automate things. Scripting and Exchange Server is really my passion.

  Jason Premo (forum user name: LikeToCode)

  I have been in IT for 12 years. I started with installing and troubleshooting radio and data transmission networks for the government, and then I moved into the private sector as a lead IT project engineer, which is when I was first exposed to VBScript. To me, it was the coolest thing since sliced bread. Now I use VBScript, VB.NET, AutoIT, HTAs, and ORCA to engineer enterprise software deployments and manage Active Directory.

  Rich Prescott (forum user name: Rich Prescott)

  I am currently working as an Infrastructure Architect/Windows Engineer at a large media company, with my main areas of focus being automation and Active Directory.  The automation responsibilities allow me to work with a wide-range of technologies including virtualization, storage and monitoring.  I started learning PowerShell in 2009 while working as a Desktop Engineer and am the lead scripting guy for my organization.
  
  Blog: blog.RichPrescott.com
  Twitter: @Rich_Prescott

  Boe Prox (forum user name: Boe Prox)

  I have been working as an IT Pro since 2003 as contractor for the Department of Defense and started into scripting with VBscript in early 2008. I then started getting into Windows PowerShell in early 2009 and haven’t stopped using it since. I use Windows PowerShell on a daily basis at work for automation, reporting and anything else I can think of. My main focus areas are in ADSI and WMI and I am also learning more about .NET to further my Windows PowerShell experience. One of my favorite things about Windows PowerShell no matter what you know, you will always learn something new. My blog is at http://boeprox.wordpress.com/

  Mark Schill (forum user name: Meson3902)

  I live in Atlanta, Georgia, where I work as a contractor for the federal government. I began scripting with VBScript in 1999 and now work exclusively with Windows PowerShell.  My current areas of specialization are automated Windows system builds and Citrix environments.  VMWare is also of major interest to me. I work in development on a part-time basis and this has provided ease within the .NET Framework. I also serve as a resident advisor on the #PowerShell IRC channel on freenode.net. You can find me on my blog:  http://www.cmschill.net/stringtheory  .

  Andy Schneider (forum user name: Andy Schneider)

  I am a systems engineer at Avanade, Inc. I am on Avanade’s Internal IT team that works with Compute Utility and Storage infrastructure. I’ve been a professional in the IT industry since 1999. I remember the first time I started playing with VBScript. I ran into by boss’s office exclaiming “Holy Schnikees! Look what we can do with this stuff!” Seeing what I could do with automation, my view of IT changed forever. Now I am pretty much a pure Windows PowerShell fanatic. Windows PowerShell has provided me with a fairly smooth glide path into the world of development with .NET and C#. I’m not a developer, but I have a strong passion for bridging the world of development and systems engineering together by being able to interface with developers and other systems engineers. Learning Windows PowerShell has really given me the tools I need to become more educated about the world of development. You can find my blog at http://get-powershell.com/.

  Marco Shaw (forum user name: Marco Shaw)

  ·         Microsoft MVP, Windows PowerShell: https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Marco.Shaw

  ·         Co-Author of Sams Windows PowerShell Unleashed 2nd Edition

  ·         PowerShell Co-Community Director: http://www.powershellcommunity.org

  Brandon Shell (forum user name: BSonPosh)

  I have been in the IT industry since 1994. I spent the early years as a PC tech and general fix-it guy for numerous companies. I started a consulting company in 1999 to build, design, and support networks and Windows infrastructure. I offered Microsoft training as well. In 2000 I joined Microsoft as contractor for the Directory Services team (the first of several times). I joined Microsoft in 2002 as a full-time rapid response field engineer doing mostly Directory Service support for companies in the northeast. In 2004 the onsite travel requirement became too much, and I left for a finance firm where I am today.
  Blog: www.bsonposh.com.
  
  

  Bhargav Shukla (forum user name: Bhargav Shukla - MSFT)

  My name is Bhargav Shukla, and I am a premier field engineer (PFE) at Microsoft. Computers always fascinated me. By education I am a civil engineer but my passion for IT lead my way and I became what I am today. As a PFE, I represent Microsoft and provide dedicated support to enterprise customers.

  In my 14 years of IT experience, I have had the opportunity to work on many technologies including messaging, Directory Services, information security, virtualization, and others. As I progressed through my career stages, I also earned industry certifications from Microsoft, VMware, RSA and Citrix. When not working with Enterprise clients, I am leading Exchange User Group in the Philadelphia area, contributing to TechNet forums, and reviewing books. I am one of the reviewers of Roberta Bragg’s Windows Server 2003: A Technical Reference. I also help Clint Huffman on his open source tool Performance Analysis of Logs (PAL) when time permits. Besides my passion for IT and messaging, I love playing chess. You can find me on the Free Internet Chess Server; my handle is “bhargavs”.

  ·         Blog: http://marcoshaw.blogspot.com

  Glenn Sizemore (forum user name: glnsize)

  I have been in IT for the last 8 years, during that time I have held just about every job one could hold. I started scripting early in my career, and had mastered VBScript by the time Windows PowerShell arrived. Being a scripter, I was an early adopter of Windows PowerShell, and have since become a fanatic. Professionally I work as a virtualization administrator, and use VBScript, BAT, and Windows PowerShell to automate all levels of the infrastructure. In my free time, I run www.Get-Admin.com, and contribute to various scripting communities.

  Bill Stewart (forum user name: AbqBill)

  I first began automating computers in 1985 using batch files in MS-DOS 3.0. My first experience with an enhanced command shell was with 4DOS (a Command.com replacement) in 1989, and this whet my appetite for more powerful automation. When Windows 2000 came with baked-in WSH, I was hooked. I learned VBScript first, but I came to appreciate JScript's power and flexibility also. I also enjoy using Windows PowerShell and have applied it to numerous automation tasks. I have written numerous articles for Windows IT Promagazine as well as a number of freeware utilities to help scripters, which you can download from my Web site: http://www.westmesatech.com/. 

  Trevor Sullivan (forum user name: Trevor Sullivan)

  I started learning to write scripts back in 2004. I started out as a desktop support person, and quickly realized that an understanding of programming would be essential to pursuing a career in technology. At the time, VBScript was the best cross between ease of learning and scripting power, so I started there. A couple years later, Windows PowerShell came around, and although I was quite keen on it, I didn't adopt it right away. I took some time to study C#/.NET because I wanted to understand programming a little bit deeper. Over the past year, I have picked up Windows PowerShell, largely built on my previous knowledge of the Microsoft .NET platform, and I write primarily in Windows PowerShell today.

  Jakob Svendsen (forum user name: Jakob Svendsen)

  I began my scripting/programming career when I got my first computer, at age 8. Later on I got the C64, and progressed toward writing small games. I studied C++, PHP, HTML, CSS, ASM, and others during my technical education. In the past 2 years, I have worked at Coretech A/S, Denmark (http://blog.coretech.dk) as an IT Consultant and Microsoft Certified Trainer. I spend most of my workdays scripting, programming, or teaching Windows PowerShell, VBScript, and .NET applications (VB or C#).

  Jonathan Tyler (forum user name: Jonathan Tyler)

  Jonathan Tyler is a senior software engineer employed by one of the world’s leading providers of commercial transport solutions. Jonathan has been in the IT industry since 1997. He currently supports the global SharePoint farm for the company’s Internet, extranet, and intranet solutions. Since working as a consultant, Jonathan started working with VBScript to automate tasks. He has done work in Visual Basic, C#, and Windows PowerShell. Check out his blog, PowerShell Reflections.

  Fredrik Wall (forum user name: Fredrik Wall)

  I have been scripting since 1997. Since then I have been scripting with batch files, VBScript, KiXtart and Windows PowerShell. I work with Active Directory, Web servers, SQL servers, Windows Servers and Clients, Deployment, and more. So I script against most of Microsoft’s applications. My blog: http://powershell.se/blog. My Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/walle75. I’m the co-founder of the Scandinavian PowerShell User group.

  Brian Wilhite (forum user name: Brian Wilhite)

  Brian Wilhite works as a Windows System Administrator for a large health care provider in North Carolina.  He has over 15 years of experience in IT.  In his current capacity as a Windows SysAdmin, he leads a team of individuals that have responsibilities for Microsoft Exchange, Windows Server Build, Management and System Performance.  Brian also supports and participates in the Charlotte PowerShell Users Group.  He can be found on twitter.com/bwilhite1979

  Andrew Willett (forum user name: Andrew Willett)

  I am the projects manager for the IT department of a Steinhoff group company. Based in London, I spend most of my time deploying, designing, and developing Microsoft-based architectures.

  
  
  
• Link
  Moderators
  Thomas Lee MVP Tuesday, December 21, 2010 10:54 PM

  ·         Laerte's unedited profile:

  This is a running list of  moderators on The Official Scripting Guys Forum! They are listed alphabetically by last name. A-M

  Andrew Barnes (forum user name: Andrew Barnes)

  I have more than 15 years of experience ranging from desktop support to third line/server specialist. My first program was on the BBC Micro in 1982. I wrote:

  10 PRINT "ANDREW IS COOL!"

  20 GOTO 10.

  I remember thinking, “Wow, Andrew is cool!” I continued scripting in enterprise environments with DOS batch files on a boot floppy, KIX in logon scripts, and then VBScripts in Active Directory. Now as a Microsoft Certified IT Professional, I'm taking on Windows Powershell for today’s automation. I have always used scripting to automate everyday IT tasks, reduce workloads, and resolve technical issues. After all, why do it when you can script it?

  Bartek Bielawski (forum user name: Bartek Bielawski)

  Bartek has been working in IT for more than 10 years for one company, PAREXEL, a global organization with headquarters in the U.S. Before he got a real job, he was big Linux fan and amateur Linux admin, with some bash scripting and all kinds of awking, seding, cutting, and greping. That's why one of his first tasks at work (other than putting out fires all around) was to improve backup scripts (done in cmd back then). That forced him to get to know cmd.exe better. The experience was bad when compared to bashing, but it paid the bills...

  A few years later, he tried to automate some tasks, which required something that cmd could not provide. His options were VBScript or Windows PowerShell. Even though he knows VBScript a bit, he always preferred the interactive Windows PowerShell. In his opinion, Windows PowerShell is the best product from Microsoft.

  Kai Bluesky (forum user name: kai.bluesky)

  VBScript is one of the most powerful tools that I have. I am used to scripting in WMI and ADSI. At the beginning, it just did my boring daily job automatically. Later, more complex tools—such as an inventory system and an application deployment tool—were implemented without costing my boss any money. Now, scripting has enabled me to join a professional team and my job has become more challenging.

  Uros Cala (forum user name: urkec)

  My first couple of years as a system and DB administrator were really painful. My tasks kept piling up, I kept losing my head, and just when I was about to quit, I stumbled upon the Microsoft Script Center. I made use of a couple of simple scripts I found there, and for the first time I felt I was in control. My second big discovery was WMI—along with VBScript, it completely changed the way I do my job. I am currently exploring the .NET Framework and Windows PowerShell, trying to make my administrator life even easier.

  Rob Campbell (forum user name: mjolinor)

  I work at a medium-to-large corporate financial institution, as an AD and Exchange administrator. I have worked in IT for over 35 years, starting as a night operator on IBM System 3 and 360 series mainframes. I never really got the hang of VB, but love Windows PowerShell. I have done a few large-scale scripts, but most of my scripting work is ad-hoc, on-demand reports and maintenance changes. I do not know that I can lay claim to any particular area of specialization. The nearest I ever came up with for a good job description was “tactical logician”. 

  Marc Adam Carter  (forum user name: marcadamcarter)

  I am currently a senior systems administrator with the Department of the Army.  I started in the IT industry in 1996 with DOS and various flavors of *NIX.  I was introduced to VBScript in 2000 and scripting became a regular obsession sometime in 2005.  In 2008 I made the move to Windows PowerShell and have never looked back.  My daily responsibilities keep me involved with Active Directory, supporting Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint, and various ASP.NETapplications.  In 2011, I founded the Corpus Christi PowerShell User Group and try to help bring others up to speed on PowerShell.

   

  Ravikanth Chaganti (forum user name: Ravikanth.Chaganti)

  I have 9+ years of experience in IT and mostly in the Windows Server operating system  related areas. My scripting experience dates back to my school days where I used to write DOS batch files to automate a few things on Windows 3.1. I did a lot of VBScripting, and a few popular ones include HVS2008 UI (http://hvs2008ui.codeplex.com), VHDShell Extensions (http://code.msdn.com/VHDShellExt), and a few other scripts on my blog. I primarily work on Hyper-V and SharePoint technologies. I use Windows PowerShell these days to automate a  lot of activities around these two technologies.

  Daniel Cruz (forum user name: Cruz_Daniel)

  In the past five years as an IT Professional, I have focused on Microsoft products and have earned my MCSE 2003 and MCITP: Server Administrator 2008 Certifications. Windows PowerShell is my primary scripting language and I use it on a daily basis with Active Directory, Exchange and for other admin tasks. I mostly use Cmdlets, WMI and .NET in my scripts and have recently been focused on reusable code and automation. I have learned a ton from the Windows PowerShell community and am now doing my best to give some back. You can learn more about me on Twitteror my Blog.

  Jeremy Engel (forum user name: engelj@labcorp.com)

  I started coding at the age of 10, writing games in BASIC for my lightning-fast Commodore 64. From there I ventured into the high-tech world of text-based online gaming, affectionately known as MUDs—specifically EverDark. Later, I made the jump to systems engineering, and it was there that I discovered VBScript. I currently use VBScript for access into all sorts of namespaces and frameworks: WMI, ADSI, SQL, Office, .NET, etc. I also write in HTML and C#, and I am currently casting a wary eye at Windows PowerShell.

  Niklas Goude (forum user name: Niklas Goude)

  I'm from Stockholm, Sweden, where i work at Enfo Zipper, a company that concentrates on client infrastructure. When I started scripting, i mainly focused on HTML and Javascript. Over time i got into PHP and finally VBScript, for managing the Windows environment. When I started at Enfo Zipper, one of the developers handed me a book on Windows PowerShell (PowerShell in Action, Bruce Payette ) and from that day on, I've been living Windows PowerShell. I also run a blog, http://www.powershell.nu,  where I post scripts, ideas, and guides on Windows PowerShell.

  Shane Hoey (forum user name: Shane Hoey)

  My scripting experience started back when Windows XP was the new kid on the block, and I soon found myself scripting on a daily basis with VBScript, WMI, and ADSI. Fast forward to the 2009 Summer Scripting Games, and I finally discovered Windows PowerShell. I’ve been hooked ever since. One of the things I like most about Windows PowerShell is its ability to easily automate, especially my daily repetitive tasks. My background is system and network administration, but at work they just call me the PowerShell Geek these days. By the way, I also run the Powershell Usergroup Brisbane.

  Matt Johnson (forum user name: MWJComputing)

  Matt Johnson (MWJComputing) is a system administrator and founder of the SE Michigan PowerShell Script club. Matt has been scripting for eight years and is proficient in Windows PowerShell, Perl, Python, and several other languages. He currently specializes in WMI, ADSI, and the .NET Framework. You can find Matt on Twitter (@mwjcomputing) and online at http://www.mwjcomputing.com or http://www.michiganpowershell.com.

  Laerte Junior (forum user name: Laerte Junior)

  I started programming computers in clipper. I went through the stage of visual basic and SQL SERVER DBA am 10 years or so. In addition to tuning and development(C#, TSQL), like a lot to automate processes in SQL SERVER. 1 year ago I have been developing scripts in Powershell with SQL Server to facilitate automation.I have a blog in Portuguese www.laertejuniordba.spaces.live.comwhere I put my progress in PowerShell with SQL Server and I am a guest blogger at www.simple-talk.com.

   

  Sean Kearney (forum user name: ye110wbeard@hotmail.com)

  I am a network administrator, a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist in Windows Server Virtualization and Configuration, and a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer. I’m a devoted and passionate computer enthusiast from the early 80s to the present day, having used just about every microcomputer ever. I taught myself computer programming with 65xx machine code, working with many technologies―but primarily Microsoft. I deal with “anything thrown at me,” from gnawed keyboards to recovery of Exchange servers, to networking setups and isolating the realm of the unknown. Currently, I test and deploy just about any new Microsoft Technology; I also deal with users in an enterprise class environment. I love Windows Powershell, Windows 7, and Hyper-V, in that order.

   

  Tom Lavedas (forum user name: Tom Lavedas)

  I built my first computer in 1980 (a Sinclair, ZedX80) to replace my programmable HP calculator and realized how useful personal computing could be.  I've never held an IT position in my career, though as a staff engineer in a small manufacturing company I was pressed into service for a while.  I worked out the transition from the company's antiquated mini-computer inventory system onto a WinNT file server based system just before Y2K made the mini inoperable.  Rather, I'm an electrical engineer who scripts. Sometimes the scripts handle small engineering computations, but usually I use them to automate redundant desktop management tasks. I'm fluent in a few obsolete languages (or used to be), like FORTRAN, Algol, Pascal and PL1, conversant in C and JScript, but mostly I stick with the command console (aka batch), VBScript and VBA in Excel and PowerPoint. I especially like building user interfaces in HTML/HTA to make my scripts more versatile.

   

  Thomas Lee (forum user name: Thomas Lee)

  I've been scripting pretty much forever. I used to be pretty hot at JCL on the IBM 360 in the late 1960s, did a ton of shell scripting in the 70s on ICL VME. I learned batch scripting with DOS 2.0. I never really grokked VBS (and never got infected with *ix). But I truly “got” Monad when I first saw it in September 2003 and never looked back. I'm proficient in Windows PowerShell 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0. I specialise in the .NET and WMI aspects. My one interesting fact is that I was the first person to blog about Monad - at least I think so!

  Shay Levy (forum user name: Shay Levi)

  I'm from Israel. I've been working in IT since 1998 as a system administrator, mostly using Microsoft Server technologies. I started to script HTML pages (JavaScript and ASP) and soon enough I converted Web pages scripting to system scripting using VBScript, WMI, ADSI, etc. Since the first days when PowerShell was introduced, I found myself diving into this new technology and I couldn't stop using it. For quite some time I wondered if one could fall in love with a piece of software. Now I know that's possible! Most of the time I like to hang out in the Windows PowerShell newsgroup and scripting related forums . They provide real world problems where I can help and learn from users alike. I also run a blog at http://blogs.microsoft.co.il/blogs/ScriptFanatic  , so stop by and say hello.

   

  Oliver Lipkau (forum user name: Oliver Lipkau)

  I have been scripting for more than 10 years. I started with Batch at the age of 13 by modifying the school’s PC. Today my main scripting language is Windows PowerShell. It allows me to automate the majority of my routine management of servers and clients. My specializations are ADSI and WMI.

  I also code in vbs, ahk, html, js, batch, php, and asp . But Windows PowerShell is my favorite. My blog: http://oliver.lipkau.net/blog.

  Salvador Manaois III (forum user name: Salvador Manaois III)

  I have been writing scripts for 10 years in my role as an IT administrator. In my day-to-day work, I extensively make use of VB scripts, with a bit of .NET programming and Windows PowerShell on the side. Being in charge of ensuring compliance to our standard operating environment, I make use of a great deal of WMI, ADSI, and other wsh objects (registry, file streams, etc) to ensure that the majority, if not all, of the machines under my care adhere to our standards.

  Michael Moore (forum user name: lizaoreo)

  My name is Michael Moore; I was born in Greenville, TX and moved to Georgia when I was five because of my dad’s work. I like long walks on the beach and the occasional … oh you didn’t want that did you?

  I live in Calhoun, GA and work at Mohawk Industries, one of the world’s largest flooring manufacturers.  I started working with batch files in 2008 when I started a new job where they had a Batch file that I improved, and then continuously added tasks to. I later moved to Windows PowerShell in 2010 when I started trying to do stuff that just couldn’t be done in Batch and before I even got a handle on VBScript I ran across Windows PowerShell several times in the Hey Scripting Guys Blog.

  I have pretty much been hooked since then.

  Richard Mueller (forum user name: Richard Mueller)

  I worked for a large electric utility for many years where I managed IT budgets, developed mainframe applications, and coded batch files for administrative tasks, including logon scripts, desktop configuration, and tracking computers and users . Now I do consulting and application development for small organizations such as schools. I write programs using ADSI, WMI, ADO, SQL Server, VBScript, classic Visual Basic, and VB.NET. I've been a Microsoft MVP since 2003, first in Windows Server and now Directory Services. My Web site is http://www.rlmueller.net/and is dedicated to scripts for administering Windows Active Directory networks.

  
  
• Link
  October 25, 2012 Please welcome our new moderator, Brian Wilhite
  IamMred Microsoft Employee Monday, November 22, 2010 5:40 PM

  Brian Wilhite works as a Windows System Administrator for a large health care provider in North Carolina. He has over 15 years of experience in IT. In his current capacity as a Windows SysAdmin, he leads a team of individuals that have responsibilities for Microsoft Exchange, Windows Server Build, Management and System Performance. Brian also supports and participates in the Charlotte PowerShell Users Group. He can be found on twitter.com/bwilhite1979