Disable Edge Browser Initial Questions

 cls

# Parameters

$registryPath = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge"

$registryName = "HideFirstRunExperience"

$registryValue = 1

# Function to disable Edge initial questions

function Disable-EdgeFirstRunExperience {

    # Check if the registry key exists

    if (-Not (Test-Path $registryPath)) {

        # Create the registry key if it doesn't exist

        New-Item -Path $registryPath -Force

    }

    # Set the registry value to disable the first-run experience

    Set-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name $registryName -Value $registryValue

}

# GUI Design

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

$form = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form

$form.Text = "Disable Edge Initial Questions"

$form.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(300,150)

$form.StartPosition = "CenterScreen"

$button = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button

$button.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(75,40)

$button.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(150,30)

$button.Text = "Disable Questions"

$button.Add_Click({

    Disable-EdgeFirstRunExperience

    [System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox]::Show("Edge initial questions have been disabled.", "Success")

})

$form.Controls.Add($button)

$form.ShowDialog()

Set new WINS in Windows with PoSH GUI script

It is a good GUI script which checks if the new WINS IP is the same as the previous, and checks if the IP is kosher. You can't use 1.2.3.4.5.6 or 900.900.900.900 or 10.10, for example.

cls

# Load necessary assemblies for GUI

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

# Function to get current WINS IP

Function GetCurrentWINS {

    $currentWinsInfo = netsh interface ip show config "Ethernet" | Select-String "WINS"

    $currentWinsIP = if ($currentWinsInfo) { ($currentWinsInfo -split ":")[1].Trim() } else { "Not Set" }

    return $currentWinsIP

}

# Function to validate IP address

Function Validate-IPAddress {

    param (

        [string]$IPAddress

    )

    return ([System.Net.IPAddress]::TryParse($IPAddress, [ref]0))

}

# Initial Old WINS IP

$oldWINS = GetCurrentWINS

# Create the main form

$form = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form

$form.Text = "Set WINS IP Address"

$form.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(400, 250)

$form.StartPosition = "CenterScreen"

$form.BackColor = [System.Drawing.Color]::LightBlue

# Create a GroupBox for Old WINS IP

$groupOld = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.GroupBox

$groupOld.Text = "Old WINS IP for adapter `Ethernet`:"

$groupOld.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 10)

$groupOld.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(370, 50)

$form.Controls.Add($groupOld)

# Create a label for Old WINS IP address

$labelOldWINS = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label

$labelOldWINS.Text = $oldWINS

$labelOldWINS.AutoSize = $true

$labelOldWINS.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 20)

$groupOld.Controls.Add($labelOldWINS)

# Create a text box for WINS IP address input

$textBoxWINS = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.TextBox

$textBoxWINS.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 70)

$textBoxWINS.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(260, 20)

$textBoxWINS.Text = GetCurrentWINS

$textBoxWINS.Add_KeyDown({

    if ($_.KeyCode -eq 'Enter') {

        $buttonSet.PerformClick()

    }

})

$form.Controls.Add($textBoxWINS)

# Create a GroupBox for New WINS IP

$groupNew = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.GroupBox

$groupNew.Text = "New WINS IP for adapter `Ethernet`:"

$groupNew.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 100)

$groupNew.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(370, 50)

$form.Controls.Add($groupNew)

# Create a label for displaying the new WINS IP

$labelNewWINS = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label

$labelNewWINS.AutoSize = $true

$labelNewWINS.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 20)

$groupNew.Controls.Add($labelNewWINS)

# Create a button to set the WINS IP address

$buttonSet = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button

$buttonSet.Text = "Set WINS IP"

$buttonSet.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(280, 70)

$buttonSet.Add_Click({

    $newWINS = $textBoxWINS.Text

    if (Validate-IPAddress $newWINS) {

        if ($newWINS -eq $oldWINS) {

            $labelNewWINS.Text = "IP is the same as Old WINS. No changes made."

        } else {

            netsh interface ip set wins "Ethernet" static $newWINS

            $labelNewWINS.Text = $newWINS

            $oldWINS = $newWINS

        }

    } else {

        $labelNewWINS.Text = "Invalid IP address. No changes made."

    }

})

$form.Controls.Add($buttonSet)

# Create an Exit button

$buttonExit = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button

$buttonExit.Text = "Exit"

$buttonExit.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(280, 160)

$buttonExit.Add_Click({

    $form.Close()

})

$form.Controls.Add($buttonExit)

# Show the form

$form.ShowDialog()

Enable Shared PC with registry

We need to check if this script really enables Shared PC mode.
It works with registry, but there is also a way to work with Cim/WMI.
In the next few days I will check what is better. 

###START###

cls

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

# Set form size and positioning variables

$mainFormWidth = 365

$mainFormHeight = 210

$margin = 20

$verticalSpacing = 30

$marksRightShift = 55

$boxSpacing = 20

$checkBoxSize = 20

$numericUpDownWidth = 70

$numericUpDownHeight = 20

$formFont = 'Microsoft Sans Serif, 10'

# Calculate positions

$label_X = $margin

$checkBox_X = $mainFormWidth / 2 + $boxSpacing

$numericUpDown_X = $mainFormWidth / 2 + $boxSpacing

$okButton_X = ($mainFormWidth - $numericUpDownWidth) / 2 - 80

$cancelButton_X = ($mainFormWidth + $numericUpDownWidth) / 2 -30

$button_Y = $mainFormHeight - $margin - $numericUpDownHeight - $verticalSpacing

# Create the main form

$mainForm = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form

$mainForm.Text = 'SharedPC Mode Configuration'

$mainForm.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size($mainFormWidth, $mainFormHeight)

$mainForm.StartPosition = 'CenterScreen'

$mainForm.Font = $formFont

# Create a label and checkbox for enabling SharedPC Mode

$enableSharedPCLabel = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label

$enableSharedPCLabel.Text = 'Enable SharedPC Mode:'

$enableSharedPCLabel.AutoSize = $True

$enableSharedPCLabel.Location = [System.Drawing.Point]::new($label_X, $margin)

$enableSharedPCCheckBox = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox

$enableSharedPCCheckBox.Location = [System.Drawing.Point]::new($checkBox_X + $marksRightShift, $margin)

$enableSharedPCCheckBox.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size($checkBoxSize, $checkBoxSize)

$mainForm.Controls.Add($enableSharedPCLabel)

$mainForm.Controls.Add($enableSharedPCCheckBox)

# Create a label and numeric updown box for setting maintenance start time

$maintenanceLabel = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label

$maintenanceLabel.Text = 'Maintenance Start Time (0-23 hours):'

$maintenanceLabel.AutoSize = $True

$maintenanceLabel.Location = [System.Drawing.Point]::new($label_X, $margin + $verticalSpacing)

$maintenanceNumericUpDown = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.NumericUpDown

$maintenanceNumericUpDown.Location = [System.Drawing.Point]::new($numericUpDown_X + $marksRightShift, $margin + $verticalSpacing)

$maintenanceNumericUpDown.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size($numericUpDownWidth, $numericUpDownHeight)

$maintenanceNumericUpDown.Minimum = 0

$maintenanceNumericUpDown.Maximum = 23

$mainForm.Controls.Add($maintenanceLabel)

$mainForm.Controls.Add($maintenanceNumericUpDown)

# Create a label to display the result (SharedPC Mode enabled/disabled or AutoConfigURL value)

$resultLabel = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label

$resultLabel.Text = "Result will be displayed here..."

$resultLabel.AutoSize = $False

$resultLabel.Width = $mainFormWidth - $margin * 2

$resultLabel.Height = 60

$resultLabel.Location = [System.Drawing.Point]::new($margin, $margin + $verticalSpacing * 2)

$mainForm.Controls.Add($resultLabel)

# Create an Execute button

$executeButton = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button

$executeButton.Text = 'Execute'

$executeButton.Location = [System.Drawing.Point]::new($okButton_X, $button_Y)

$executeButtonWidth = $numericUpDownWidth + 20

$executeButtonHeight = $numericUpDownHeight + 5

$executeButton.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size($executeButtonWidth, $executeButtonHeight)

# Create a bold font and assign it to the Execute button

$boldFont = New-Object System.Drawing.Font("Microsoft Sans Serif", 10, [System.Drawing.FontStyle]::Bold)

$executeButton.Font = $boldFont

$mainForm.Controls.Add($executeButton)

# Create a Cancel button

$cancelButton = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button

$cancelButton.Text = 'Cancel'

$cancelButton.Location = [System.Drawing.Point]::new($cancelButton_X, $button_Y)

$cancelButton.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size($executeButtonWidth, $executeButtonHeight)

$cancelButton.Font = $boldFont

# Add an event handler to close the form when Cancel is clicked

$cancelButton.Add_Click({

    $mainForm.Close()

})

$mainForm.Controls.Add($cancelButton)

# Incorporate the provided short code to check SharedPC mode status

$wmiObj = Get-WmiObject -Namespace "root\cimv2\mdm\dmmap" -Class "MDM_SharedPC"

$sharedPCStatus = $wmiObj.EnableSharedPCMode

if ($sharedPCStatus) {

    $enableSharedPCCheckBox.Checked = $true

    $resultLabel.Text = "SharedPC Mode is currently enabled."

} else {

    $enableSharedPCCheckBox.Checked = $false

    $resultLabel.Text = "SharedPC Mode is currently disabled."

}

# Add an event handler for the Execute button click

$executeButton.Add_Click({

    # Check if the SharedPC status matches the checkbox state

    if ($enableSharedPCCheckBox.Checked -eq $sharedPCStatus) {

        $resultLabel.Text = "SharedPC Mode is already in the selected state."

        return

    }

    # Disable buttons during execution

    $executeButton.Enabled = $false

    $cancelButton.Enabled = $false

    $okButton.Enabled = $false

    # This is where you can use the user's inputs in your script

    $isSharedPCModeEnabled = $enableSharedPCCheckBox.Checked

    $maintenanceStartTime = $maintenanceNumericUpDown.Value

    # Enable or Disable SharedPC Mode based on the checkbox state

    if ($isSharedPCModeEnabled) {

        Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CloudStore\Store\Cache\DefaultAccount' -Name "DefaultStoreAccountStatus" -Value 1

        $resultLabel.Text = "SharedPC Mode has been enabled."

    } else {

        Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CloudStore\Store\Cache\DefaultAccount' -Name "DefaultStoreAccountStatus" -Value 0

        $resultLabel.Text = "SharedPC Mode has been disabled."

    }

    # Get the updated SharedPC status

    $sharedPCStatus = $wmiObj.EnableSharedPCMode

    # Enable buttons after execution is completed

    $executeButton.Enabled = $true

    $executeButton.Text = 'Execute'

    $cancelButton.Enabled = $true

    $okButton.Enabled = $true

})

# Create an OK button

$okButton = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button

$okButton.Text = 'OK'

$okButton.Location = [System.Drawing.Point]::new($cancelButton_X, $button_Y)

$okButton.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size($executeButtonWidth, $executeButtonHeight)

$okButton.Font = $boldFont

$okButton.Enabled = $false

# Add an event handler to close the form when OK is clicked

$okButton.Add_Click({

    $mainForm.Close()

})

$mainForm.Add_FormClosed({

    # Close the form if the user closes it using the window close button (X)

    $mainForm.Close()

})

$mainForm.Controls.Add($okButton)

# Show the form

$mainForm.ShowDialog()

###END###

Delete local users if not current and not Admin

 # Get the username of the currently logged in user

$current_username = [Environment]::UserName

# Get all local users

$local_users = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_UserAccount -Filter  "LocalAccount='True'" | Where-Object { $_.SID -notlike "S-1-5-21-*" }

# Iterate over the local users

foreach ($user in $local_users) {

    # If the user is not the currently logged in user

    if ($user.Name -ne $current_username) {

        # Delete the user

        net user $user. Name /delete

    }

}

Delete LocalAdmin users for SharedPC

 cls

# Get all local users named "LocalAdmin"

$local_users = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_UserAccount -Filter "LocalAccount='True'" | Where-Object { $_.Name -like "LocalAdm*" }

# Iterate over the local users

foreach ($user in $local_users) {

    $user.Name

    # Delete the user if its name starts with "LocalAdmin"

    net user $user. Name /delete

}

Create LocalAdmin for Shared PC

cls

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

$form = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form

$form.Text = 'New Admin User'

$form.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(400,250) # Reduced form size

$form.StartPosition = "CenterScreen"

# Status label

$statusLabel = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label

$statusLabel.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10,10)

$statusLabel.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(360,150) # Reduced the height here

$statusLabel.Font = New-Object System.Drawing.Font("Arial",12,[System.Drawing.FontStyle]::Bold)

$statusLabel.ForeColor = [System.Drawing.Color]::DarkBlue

$statusLabel.Text = ""

$form.Controls.Add($statusLabel)

# add button

$button = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button

$button.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(120,40)

$button.Font = New-Object System.Drawing.Font("Arial",12)

$button.Text = 'Add User'

$button.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point([int](($form.ClientSize.Width - $button.Width) / 2), [int]($form.ClientSize.Height - $button.Height - 10)) # Change the margin here

$button.Add_Click({

    $adminName = "LocalAdmin"

    $adminPass = 'Password123'

    #$adminPass = 'Pa$$word123'

    $suffix = ""

    while (Get-WmiObject Win32_UserAccount -filter "Name='$adminName$suffix'" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {

        if ($suffix -eq "") {

            $suffix = 1

        } else {

            $suffix++

        }

    }

    $adminName += $suffix

    invoke-expression "net user /add $adminName $adminPass"

    $user = New-Object System.Security.Principal.NTAccount($adminName) 

    $sid = $user.Translate([System.Security.Principal.SecurityIdentifier]) 

    $sid = $sid.Value;

    New-Item -Path "HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedPC\Exemptions\$sid" -Force

    $statusLabel.Text = "User $adminName`nhas been created."

})

$form.Add_Resize({

    $button.Top = $form.ClientSize.Height - $button.Height - 10 # Change the margin here

    $button.Left = ($form.ClientSize.Width - $button.Width) / 2

})

$form.Controls.Add($button)

# Check user on form load

$adminName = "LocalAdmin"

if (Get-WmiObject Win32_UserAccount -filter "Name='$adminName'" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {

    $statusLabel.Text = "User $adminName already exists. `nRecommended not to create."

} else {

    $statusLabel.Text = "User $adminName does not exist."

}

$form.ShowDialog()

GUI to set Proxy in Windows

Adjust the Proxy URL as needed.

### START ### 

cls

# Set Proxy

# Define properties

$fontName = "Arial"

$fontSize = 10

$formWidth = 450

$formHeight = 350

$labelWidth = 570

$labelHeight = 20  

$formText = 'Set Proxy AutoConfigURL'

$currentLabelLocation = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10,20)

$textBoxLocation = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10,45)  

$futureLabelLocation = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10,70)

$setButtonLocation = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(40,100)  

$cancelButtonLocation = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(130,100)

$removeButtonLocation = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(220,100)  

$buttonSize = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(75,23)

$autoConfigURL = 'http://pac.domain:8080/pac.pac'

$currentAutoConfigURL = 'Not set' 

$registryPath = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings'

# Load necessary assemblies

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

# Create the form

$form = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form

$form.Text = $formText

$form.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size($formWidth,$formHeight)

$form.StartPosition = 'CenterScreen'

# Define the font

$font = New-Object System.Drawing.Font($fontName, $fontSize)

# Get the current AutoConfigURL value, if it exists

try {

    $currentAutoConfigURL = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name AutoConfigURL -ErrorAction Stop).AutoConfigURL

} catch {

    # The AutoConfigURL property does not exist

}

# Create label for current AutoConfigURL

$currentLabel = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label

$currentLabel.Location = $currentLabelLocation

$currentLabel.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size($labelWidth,$labelHeight)

$currentLabel.Text = 'Current AutoConfigURL: ' + $currentAutoConfigURL

$currentLabel.Font = $font

$form.Controls.Add($currentLabel)

# Create TextBox for input

$inputTextBox = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.TextBox

$inputTextBox.Location = $textBoxLocation

$inputTextBox.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size($labelWidth,$labelHeight)

$inputTextBox.Text = $autoConfigURL

$form.Controls.Add($inputTextBox)

# Create Set button

$setButton = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button

$setButton.Location = $setButtonLocation

$setButton.Size = $buttonSize

$setButton.Text = 'Set'

$setButton.DialogResult = [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::OK

$form.AcceptButton = $setButton

$form.Controls.Add($setButton)

# Create cancel button

$cancelButton = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button

$cancelButton.Location = $cancelButtonLocation

$cancelButton.Size = $buttonSize

$cancelButton.Text = 'Cancel'

$cancelButton.DialogResult = [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::Cancel

$form.CancelButton = $cancelButton

$form.Controls.Add($cancelButton)

# Create remove button

$removeButton = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button

$removeButton.Location = $removeButtonLocation

$removeButton.Size = $buttonSize

$removeButton.Text = 'Remove'

$removeButton.Add_Click({

    # Set the AutoConfigURL to an empty string

    Set-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name AutoConfigURL -Value ''

    # Disable proxy use in Internet Explorer settings

    Set-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name ProxyEnable -Value 0

    $form.Close()

})

$form.Controls.Add($removeButton)

# Create a group box

$groupBox = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.GroupBox

$groupBox.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10,150)

$groupBox.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(410,105)  # Adjust the size as necessary

$groupBox.Text = 'Instructions'

$groupBox.Font = $font

$form.Controls.Add($groupBox)

# Create instructions

$instructions = @(

    '1. Enter the new AutoConfigURL in the text box.',

    'Click Set to set the new AutoConfigURL and enable the proxy.',

    '2. Click Remove to clear the AutoConfigURL and disable proxy.',

    '3. Clear the textbox and click Set to disable the proxy.'

)

$labelLocation = 20

foreach ($instruction in $instructions) {

    $instructionLabel = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label

    $instructionLabel.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10,$labelLocation)

    $instructionLabel.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(410,20)  # Adjust the size as necessary

    $instructionLabel.Text = $instruction

    $instructionLabel.Font = $font

    $groupBox.Controls.Add($instructionLabel)

    $labelLocation += 20  # Adjust the spacing as necessary

}

# Show the form

$form.Topmost = $true

$result = $form.ShowDialog()

# If user clicks Set, set the AutoConfigURL

if ($result -eq [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::OK) {

    Set-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name AutoConfigURL -Value $inputTextBox.Text

    Set-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name ProxyEnable -Value 1

}

### END ### 

**Docker-Commands**

 

• Image Creation with Dockerfile: 
  docker image build.
  
  
• Image Tagging and Versioning: 
  docker image tag.
  
  
• Image Distribution: 
  docker image push.
  
  
• Image Sharing: 
  docker login,
  docker tag,
  docker push.
  
  
• Image Pulling:
  docker image pull.
  
  
• Running Containers: 
  docker container run.

• Containers Management: 
  docker container ls, 
  docker container start,
  docker container stop,
  docker container rm.
  
  
• Containers Show:
  Show all running containers: docker ps.
• Show all containers (running or stopped): docker ps -a.
• Show the logs of a container: docker logs <container_name>.
• Show the details of a container: docker inspect <container_name>.
• Show the disk usage of Docker objects: docker system df.

• Image Updates and Maintenance: 
  docker image pull,
  docker image build,
  docker image push.
  
  
• Rollbacks and Version Control: 
  docker image history,
  docker image tag.

Image Cleanup: 
docker image rm.

Cisco switch - add a port to VLAN

## Add port Gi4/0/50 to VLAN 333

enable

conf t

int gi4/0/50

no switchport access vlan 444

switchport access vlan 333

exit

exit

show run

copy run start

## Remove port Gi4/0/50 from VLAN

conf t

int gi4/0/50

no switchport access vlan 333

##Remove VLAN##

conf t

no vlan 333

## Save configuration 

copy run start

Comparing Terminal Emulators

I have created this table with the assistance of ChatGPT and Bard.

My primary concern is to include all three connection options: SSH, RDP, and Web. However, none of the five completely free options can connect using all three options simultaneously.

If you require SSH and RDP connectivity, mRemote could be considered the best choice. For Web access, Hyper is a viable option as it offers both SSH and Web connectivity.

If you only need SSH access, SuperPutty is a viable choice, especially considering its password memory feature, which is not available in its closest competitor, MTPutty.

For a comprehensive set of access options, MobaXterm or Devolution RDM can be considered. Both provide SSH, RDP, and Web connectivity even in their free versions. However, they do have limitations on the number of sessions or connections allowed. MobaXterm permits up to 12 connections, while Devolution RDM allows up to 10.

RoyalTS also offers all three connection options, but Web access is only available in the paid version. Hence, if you prefer a free option, mRemote is comparable to RoyalTS in terms of features, and mRemote does not have any limitations on the number of connections.

In summary, the two winners among the free options are MobaXterm and Devolution RDM, considering their limitations on the number of connections.

Here are some additional details about each program:

• mRemote: mRemote is a free and open-source remote desktop connection manager that supports a wide range of protocols, including SSH, RDP, VNC, and Telnet. It has a simple interface and is easy to use.
• Hyper: Hyper is a free and open-source terminal emulator that supports a wide range of protocols, including SSH, RDP, and Websockets. It has a modern interface and supports a wider range of features than mRemote, such as tabs, split panes, and macros.
• SuperPutty: SuperPutty is a free and open-source SSH client that supports a wide range of features, such as saved sessions, password management, and tunneling. It is a good option if you only need SSH access.
• MobaXterm: MobaXterm is a freemium remote desktop connection manager that supports a wide range of protocols, including SSH, RDP, VNC, and Telnet. It has a powerful feature set and is a good option for users who need more than the basic features offered by mRemote or Hyper.
• Devolution RDM: Devolution RDM is a freemium remote desktop connection manager that supports a wide range of protocols, including SSH, RDP, VNC, and Telnet. It has a similar feature set to MobaXterm, but it is a bit less powerful.
• RoyalTS: RoyalTS is a paid remote desktop connection manager that supports a wide range of protocols, including SSH, RDP, VNC, and Telnet. It has a powerful feature set and is a good option for users who need more than the basic features offered by the free options.

**Identifying Computer's Disk and RAM Memory: A Comprehensive Guide**

**Introduction:**

Understanding your computer's hardware specifics, such as RAM and disk drive details, is essential for efficient system upgrades, maintenance, and troubleshooting. This need became particularly apparent to me when I recently acquired a new Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast Kit computer. I transferred my old 1TB Crucial disk to the new system and set out to document its specifications, but I quickly encountered challenges identifying some components.

Here are the specifications of my new Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast Kit computer:

OS: Windows 11 Education 64-bit

Motherboard Model: NUC12SNKi72 (U3E1)

CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H

Memory Size: 64 MBytes - KINGSTON

Hard Drives:
KINGSTON SKC3000D2048G (SSD/NVMe) 2TB
Crucial CT1000MX500SSD4 (SSD) SATA-III 6.0Gb/s

Graphics: AW2521HFA on Intel Arc A770M Graphics + Iris Xe Graphics

The Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) and third-party tools offer convenient methods to fetch this kind of information. However, I found that their efficacy varied, and each tool had its own strengths and limitations. This article delves into my experiences and findings.

**Identifying RAM and Disk Drives with WMIC:**

WMIC commands are a quick and direct way to gather hardware information:

- wmic memorychip get devicelocator, manufacturer
offers details about your RAM modules, including the slot in which each memory chip is installed and the manufacturer.

- wmic diskdrive get model, serialNumber, size, mediaType
provides the model number, serial number, size, and media type of your disk drives.

Though generally reliable, WMIC may struggle with certain SSD models, like Crucial, leading to misrepresented serial numbers.

**Analyzing Third-Party Tools:**

Third-party tools can complement WMIC commands to provide a fuller picture. The following table summarizes their performance:

The tools are sorted by their overall effectiveness in identifying the three main parameters. WMIC commands, HWiNFO64, and Speccy tied in first place with 2 out of 3. Here's a deeper dive into each tool:

- **WMIC**: Reliable for identifying RAM manufacturers and Kingston disk drives, but struggles with Crucial disk serial numbers.

- **HWiNFO64**: Accurately identifies RAM manufacturers and Kingston NVMe SSDs, but falls short with Crucial SSDs.

- **Speccy**: Exceptionally good at identifying disk drives, including Crucial models, but it doesn't identify RAM manufacturers.

- **CPUID HWMonitor**: Identifies many disk drives, including those from Kingston, but struggles with Crucial SSDs and memory manufacturers.

- **CPU-Z**: While it doesn't identify either memory manufacturers or disk drives, CPU-Z shines in providing detailed information about the system's main devices, especially the CPU.

**Conclusion:**

Determining the specifics of your computer's RAM and disk memory might present certain complexities, given the wide array of hardware and the variable effectiveness of different identification tools. However, by gaining a solid understanding of your hardware specifications, you can enhance your decision-making process concerning system upgrades, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

To help you navigate this process, the table provided offers a quick reference guide to select the tool that best suits your needs. If a comprehensive and GUI-based overview is your preference, a combination of HWiNFO64 for RAM identification, Speccy for disk drive detection, and CPU-Z for CPU information can provide a well-rounded picture of your system's components.

Exploring beyond the tools mentioned in this article can open the doors to a multitude of third-party utilities, each boasting its unique features for identifying your computer's hardware. A little research can lead you to the tools that best align with your needs and budget.

Armed with the right tools and knowledge, the task of identifying the RAM and disk memory in your computer becomes straightforward. This newfound information can serve as the linchpin for maintaining your machine's performance and efficiency.

If uncertainty about the choice of tool persists, initiating your journey with WMIC commands is a recommended step. They provide a swift and simple method for gaining basic information about your hardware. For a more in-depth understanding, consider using one of the third-party tools highlighted in this article. However, if identification challenges remain, your computer's manual or manufacturer support can serve as an invaluable resource.

This understanding of your system's specifics can streamline your troubleshooting efforts, optimize performance, and guide your future hardware decisions. So, continue to explore, learn and harness the full potential of your machine.

Dynamic menu script to run other scripts

 # Get scripts in a folder, create a GUI menu and run the chosen script

# "Path_To_Scripts_Directory\" - it's not where this launching script is located, it's where the bunch of scripts you want to create the menu from is.

$PathToScripts = "Path_To_Scripts_Directory\"

$FilesInPath = $PathToScripts+"*"

# get a list of scripts/files

$Scripts = Get-ChildItem -File $FilesInPath | sort Name

# choosing the script for run 

$SelectedScript = $Scripts.Name | OGV -Title "Menu" -PassThru

$FullPathToScript = $PathToScripts+$SelectedScript

# launching selected script

&amp; $FullPathToScript

vCloud - Export Template to OVF

 #ScriptDescription : =Export from Template to OVF=

cls

Write-Host "Export from vCloud Template to OVF with help of vCenter" -BackgroundColor DarkRed -foreground Yellow

Write-Host "(Check lease and renew if needed)" -BackgroundColor Black

$TemplateName = ""

$DestVAppName = ""

$SubStringLength = "10"

Import-Module VMware.PowerCLI | Out-Null

# Import-Module VMware.PowerCLI 3&gt;$null

Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore -confirm:$false | Out-Null

$ErrorActionPreference = 'SilentlyContinue'

$WarningActionPreference = 'SilentlyContinue'

$ErrorPreference = 'SilentlyContinue'

$WarningPreference = 'SilentlyContinue'

##== Defining general parameters ==##

[Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName('Microsoft.VisualBasic') &gt; $NULL

$TemplateName = [Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction]::InputBox("Put Template name `n(otherwise the script will exit...)", "Template Name")

IF(-not$TemplateName){Write-Host "You did not provide Template name, the script is exiting..." -BackgroundColor Black; Break}

if  ($TemplateName.Length -gt $SubStringLength)

    # {$ShortTemplateName = $TemplateName.SubString(0,25); $DestVAppName = $ShortTemplateName+"(OVF)"}

    {$DestVAppName = ($TemplateName.SubString(0,$SubStringLength))+"(OVF)"}

else{$DestVAppName = $TemplateName+"(OVF)"}

Write-Host "Destination VApp name is '$DestVAppName'" -BackgroundColor Green

$UpperFolder = "D:\OVF"

$DestFolder = -join($UpperFolder+"\"+$DestVAppName+"\")

MD $DestFolder

$TestPath = Test-Path -Path $DestFolder

If($TestPath){Write-Host "Path '$DestFolder' exists!" -BackgroundColor Red} Else{ "Path isn't created. The script will exit..."; Break } 

##== Defining vCloud/vCenter connection parameters ==##

$vCloud = 'vCloud'

$vCenter = 'VCRD'

$UserName = $env:UserName

$SecurePass = Read-Host -AsSecureString "Please enter password for $UserName and wait..."

$ClearPass = [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::PtrToStringAuto([System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::SecureStringToBSTR($SecurePass))

##== Connecting to vCenter/vCloud ==##

Write-Host

Write-Host "Connecting to vCenter/vCloud" -BackgroundColor DarkRed

Disconnect-VIServer * -Confirm:$false -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Connect-VIServer -Server $vCenter -User $UserName -Password $ClearPass -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Out-Null

Write-Host You are connected to vCenter -BackgroundColor Green

Disconnect-CIServer * -Confirm:$false | Out-Null

Connect-CIServer -Server $vCloud -User $UserName -Password $ClearPass -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Out-Null

Write-Host "You are connected to vCloud" -BackgroundColor Green

$global:DefaultVIServers | select Name, User, Version

$global:DefaultCIServers | select Name, User, Version, Org

##== Real Work - Converting Template to vApp ==##

##==Checking Template existence

$VAppTemplateOBJ = Get-CIVAppTemplate $TemplateName

If(!$VAppTemplateOBJ){Write-Host "Template '$TemplateName' does not exists!" -BackgroundColor DarkRed; Break}

$VAppTemplateOBJ | FT Name, Status, Owner, OrgVdc, Catalog, StorageUsedGB -AutoSize

$OrgVdcOBJ = $VAppTemplateOBJ.OrgVdc

$OrgVdcName = $OrgVdcOBJ.Name

Write-Host "Defined Template name: '$TemplateName'"  -BackgroundColor Green

Write-Host "OrgVdc Name: '$OrgVdcName'" -BackgroundColor Green

Write-Host "Destination VApp name is '$DestVAppName'" -BackgroundColor Green

Write-Host "Destination Path: '$DestFolder'" -BackgroundColor Green

Write-Host

Write-Host "We are going to create a new vApp '$DestVAppName'..." -BackgroundColor Black -ForegroundColor Yellow

$NewVApp = New-CIVApp -Name $DestVAppName -OrgVdc $OrgVdcName -VAppTemplate $VAppTemplateOBJ

Write-Host "You have created a new vApp '$NewVApp'" -BackgroundColor Black -ForegroundColor Yellow

$NewVApp

Write-Host "Getting vCloud vApp properties" -BackgroundColor Green

$vAppObj = Get-CIVApp -Name $DestVAppName

$vAppObj | FT Name, Status, Org, Owner, Shared, SizeGB -AutoSize

#== Stopping the vApp (It is not nessessary because a new vApp is not running, but to be sure)

Stop-CIVApp $vAppObj -Confirm:$false

##== Converting vApp VM names to vCenter names ==##

$vAppVMObj = $vAppObj | Get-CIVM

$vAppVMsCount = $vAppVMObj.Count

Write-Host "vApp '$vAppObj' has $vAppVMsCount VMs :" -BackgroundColor Green

$vAppVMObj | FT Name, Status, CpuCount, MemoryGB, Description, GuestOSFullName, VApp -AutoSize

Write-Host "Select VMs for exporting to OVF :" -BackgroundColor Green

$vAppVMObjChosen = $vAppVMObj | OGV -PassThru

Write-Host "You selected $vAppVMObjChosen VMs"

# Action

ii $DestFolder

Write-Host "Wait for several hours until the process finish....." -ForegroundColor Green -Background DarkRed

ForEach ($CloudVM in $vAppVMObjChosen)

{

Get-Date

$vCenterVMName = (Get-View –RelatedObject $CloudVM.ExtensionData).Name

Write-Host "'$CloudVM' = '$vCenterVMName'" -BackgroundColor Green

Write-Host "We are exporting VMs to the '$DestFolder'" -BackgroundColor Green

$VMPath = -join($DestFolder+$vCenterVMName)

Export-VApp -Destination $DestFolder -VM $vCenterVMName -Format OVF

}

ii $DestFolder

Write-Host "Now I am going to remove a new vApp '$NewVApp'" -BackgroundColor Green

#Remove-CIVApp $vAppVMObj

Get-Date

VEEAM - Export Job Sessions (logs) by Keyword

 cls

Write-Host "VEEAM - Export Job Sessions by Keyword" -BackgroundColor DarkRed -ForegroundColor Yellow

Write-Host "Wait...Wait...Wait..."

Write-Host

# Define the keyword that is common to all the jobs, date and path to file

$Keyword = "DB"

$date = (Get-Date).ToString('yyyy-MM-dd')

$folderPath = "C:\Backup\"

 

# Get the date for desired days ago

$OneYearAgo = (Get-Date).AddYears(-1)

 

# Get all jobs that contain the keyword in their name

$Jobs = Get-VBRJob | Where-Object {$_.Name -like "*$Keyword*"}

# Get all sessions

$AllBackupSessions = Get-VBRBackupSession # The longest part of the script

Write-Host "I'm going to export all jobs with keyword $Keyword" -ForegroundColor Green

foreach ($Job in $Jobs) {

    $BackupSessions = ""

    $filePath = ""

    $JobName = $Job.name

    Write-Host

    Write-Host "JobName: $JobName"

    # Get all sessions for the specified job from the past specified days

    $BackupSessions = $AllBackupSessions | Where-Object {$_.JobName -eq $JobName -and $_.CreationTime -gt $OneYearAgo} | Select-Object OrigJobName, CreationTime, EndTime, Result, State, LogsSubFolder, LogName, Description

    # Export sessions to a CSV file

    $filePath = $folderPath+$JobName+"_"+$date+"."+"csv"

    $BackupSessions | Export-Csv -Path $filePath -NoTypeInformation

}

start $folderPath

Write-Host

Write-Host "END!"

VEEAM GUI - single Tape Job sessions.1.0

 cls

Write-Host "VEEAM GUI - single Tape Job sessions.1.0" -BackgroundColor DarkRed -ForegroundColor Yellow

Write-Host "Wait...Wait...Wait..."

 

# Importing necessary .NET Assembly

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

[System.Windows.Forms.Application]::EnableVisualStyles()

 

# Main Form

$MainForm = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form

$MainForm.Text = 'Veeam Tape Backup Job'

$MainForm.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(350, 400)

$MainForm.StartPosition = 'CenterScreen'

$MainForm.TopMost = $true

 

# Prepare for CSV Export

$OutputPath = 'C:\Veeam-Tape-Logs'

if (!(Test-Path -Path $OutputPath -PathType Container)) {

    $null = New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $OutputPath

}

 

# Fetch all tape jobs upfront

$TapeJobs = Get-VBRTapeJob

 

# GUI elements

 

# Jobs ListBox

$ListBoxJobs = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.ListBox

$ListBoxJobs.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 10)

$ListBoxJobs.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(300, 100)

 

# Checkbox for OGV output

$CheckboxOgvOutput = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox

$CheckboxOgvOutput.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 130)

$CheckboxOgvOutput.Text = 'Enable OGV Output'

$CheckboxOgvOutput.AutoSize = $true

 

# Checkbox for sending only Error output

$CheckboxOnlyError = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox

$CheckboxOnlyError.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 160)

$CheckboxOnlyError.Text = 'Only send Error output'

$CheckboxOnlyError.AutoSize = $true

 

# Email Label

$LabelEmail = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label

$LabelEmail.Text = 'Email'

$LabelEmail.AutoSize = $true

$LabelEmail.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 200)

 

# Email TextBox

$TextBoxEmail = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.TextBox

$TextBoxEmail.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 230)

$TextBoxEmail.Width = 300

$TextBoxEmail.BackColor = 'LightGray'

 

# Checkbox to include other recipients

$CheckboxIncludeOthers = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox

$CheckboxIncludeOthers.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 260)

$CheckboxIncludeOthers.Text = 'Include other recipients'

$CheckboxIncludeOthers.AutoSize = $true

 

# Export Button

$ButtonExport = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button

$ButtonExport.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 310)

$ButtonExport.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(100, 30)

$ButtonExport.Text = 'Export CSV'

$ButtonExport.BackColor = 'Blue'

$ButtonExport.ForeColor = 'White'

 

# Send Mail Button

$ButtonSendMail = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button

$ButtonSendMail.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(120, 310)

$ButtonSendMail.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(100, 30)

$ButtonSendMail.Text = 'Send Mail'

$ButtonSendMail.BackColor = 'Blue'

$ButtonSendMail.ForeColor = 'White'

 

# Open CSV Folder Button

$ButtonOpenFolder = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button

$ButtonOpenFolder.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(230, 310)

$ButtonOpenFolder.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(100, 30)

$ButtonOpenFolder.Text = 'Open Folder'

$ButtonOpenFolder.BackColor = 'Blue'

$ButtonOpenFolder.ForeColor = 'White'

 

# Label for authoring information

$LabelAuthoring = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label

$LabelAuthoring.Text = "Created by Vladisla2000 and ChatGPT"

$LabelAuthoring.AutoSize = $true

$LabelAuthoring.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 360)

 

# Add controls to MainForm

$MainForm.Controls.AddRange(@($ListBoxJobs, $CheckboxOgvOutput, $CheckboxOnlyError, $LabelEmail, $TextBoxEmail, $CheckboxIncludeOthers, $ButtonExport, $ButtonSendMail, $ButtonOpenFolder, $LabelAuthoring))

 

# Fill the ListBox with job names when the MainForm is loaded

$MainForm.Add_Load({

    foreach ($Job in $TapeJobs) {

        $ListBoxJobs.Items.Add($Job.Name)

    }

})

 

# Define the action for the button click to export CSV

$ButtonExport_Click = {

    $SelectedJob = $ListBoxJobs.SelectedItem

    if ($null -ne $SelectedJob) {

        # Get job information

        $Job = $TapeJobs | Where-Object { $_.Name -eq $SelectedJob }

 

        # Define date one year ago

        $OneYearAgo = (Get-Date).AddYears(-1)

 

        # Filter backup sessions for the selected job from the last year

        $JobSessions = Get-VBRTapeBackupSession -Job $Job | Where-Object { $_.CreationTime -gt $OneYearAgo }

 

        # Prepare CSV Export

        $CsvExport = $JobSessions | ForEach-Object {

            [PSCustomObject]@{

                'JobName' = $Job.Name

                'SessionName' = $_.Name

                'Result' = $_.Result

                'CreationTime' = $_.CreationTime

            }

        }

 

        # Define the output filename to include date and hour

        $OutputFileName = "$($Job.Name)_$(Get-Date -Format "yyyyMMdd_HHmm").csv"

 

        # Export to CSV

        $CsvExport | Export-Csv -Path "$OutputPath\$OutputFileName" -NoTypeInformation

 

        # If CheckboxOgvOutput is checked, output the CSV content to Out-GridView

        if ($CheckboxOgvOutput.Checked) {

            $CsvExport | Out-GridView

        }

 

        # If CheckboxOnlyError is checked, filter the jobs with 'Failed' status

        if ($CheckboxOnlyError.Checked) {

            $CsvExport = $CsvExport | Where-Object { $_.Result -eq 'Failed' }

        }

 

        # Show Export Completed message

        [System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox]::Show("Export completed", "Information")

    } else {

        [System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox]::Show("Please select a job from the list", "Information")

    }

}

 

$ButtonExport.Add_Click($ButtonExport_Click)

 

# Define the action for the button click to send mail

$ButtonSendMail_Click = {

    # Send Email

    if ($TextBoxEmail.Text) {

        $SmtpServer = "your.smtp.server"

        $From = vladsp@gamaf.co.il

        $To = vladsp@gamaf.co.il

        $Subject = "Veeam Tape Backup Job Status"

        $Body = "Please find the attached CSV file for Veeam Tape Backup Job Status."

        $Attachment = "$OutputPath\$($ListBoxJobs.SelectedItem)_$(Get-Date -Format "yyyyMMdd_HHmm").csv"

 

        if ($CheckboxIncludeOthers.Checked) {

            $To += ",additional.email@domain.com"

        }

 

        Send-MailMessage -From $From -To $To -SmtpServer $SmtpServer -Subject $Subject -Body $Body -Attachments $Attachment

 

        # Show Email Sent message

        [System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox]::Show("Email sent", "Information")

    } else {

        [System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox]::Show("Please enter an email address", "Warning")

    }

}

 

$ButtonSendMail.Add_Click($ButtonSendMail_Click)

 

# Define the action for the button click to open the CSV folder

$ButtonOpenFolder_Click = {

    # Open the folder in Explorer

    Invoke-Item -Path $OutputPath

}

 

$ButtonOpenFolder.Add_Click($ButtonOpenFolder_Click)

 

# Show MainForm

$MainForm.ShowDialog()

 

# Dispose MainForm after use

$MainForm.Dispose()