Scripting Blog

A place to learn about PowerShell and share stories of automation

Hey, Scripting Guy! How Does Windows PowerShell Make It Easier to Work with SQL Server 2008?

Hey, Scripting Guy! I am a SQL database administrator, and in the past I have enjoyed using VBScript for many tasks related to my computers that are running SQL Server. What capabilities does Windows PowerShell provide to make working with SQL Server 2008 easier?- OS Hi OS,Ed is neck deep in work for the 2009 Summer Scripting Games. He is ...

Hey, Scripting Guy! Why Should I Use Windows PowerShell with SQL Server 2008?

Hey, Scripting Guy! I recently saw that SQL Server 2008 has Windows PowerShell built into it. I looked at, but I am not really impressed. Why should I be interested in using Windows PowerShell with SQL Server 2008?- JJHi JJ,For some unknown reason, it has turned cool down here in Charlotte, North Carolina, in the United States. Not that ...

Hey, Scripting Guy! Quick-Hits Friday: The Scripting Guys Respond to a Bunch of Questions (05/22/09)

How Can I Determine if a Particular Windows Feature Is Installed?  Hey, Scripting Guy! I am new to Windows PowerShell scripting and have a little experience with WMI thanks to your Windows PowerShell Scriptomatic tool.  I'm trying to determine whether a particular optional Windows component or feature is installed (Freecell, for ...

Hey, Scripting Guy! How Can I Perform More Than One Action with the Win32_Printer WMI Class?

Hey, Scripting Guy! The Win32_Printer WMI class has several methods that are listed in it. But I am not sure how to best use these methods from inside a Windows PowerShell script. I do not want to create four different scripts to send a test page, clean out print jobs, and to cycle the print queue. Do you have an example of how I might do ...

Hey, Scripting Guy! How Can I Use Windows PowerShell to Remove Old Printer Connections, List Printers, and Set New Default Printers?

Hey, Scripting Guy! Well it finally happened. Our budget request for new printers was approved. We have gotten them unboxed, distributed, and hooked up to the LAN. We have even downloaded the latest drivers from the Internet, and updated the firmware on several of the printers. The drivers are installed on the print servers, and the shares ...