Windows Admin Scripting Little Black Book: A Concise Guide to Essential Scripting for Administrators [Paperback]

Jesse M. Torres (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 22, 2000 | Series: Little Black Books (Coriolis)

This concise book takes the reader through the very basics of scripting all the way up to advanced topics such as debugging and integrating with other applications and scripting languages. Teaches the Windows administrator to quickly write complex logon scripts without requiring any expertise in programming. Explains commands and keywords, using KiXtart and Windows Host Scripting (WHS) as the example scripting tools, while providing examples to illustrate functions. Illustrates how to use scripting to make key registry changes for today's most popular programs and system settings (such as MSIE, Netscape, Office, desktop settings, and anti-virus programs).

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Windows Admin Scripting Little Black Book, 3rd Edition, shows Windows users and administrators how to perform Windows management and administrative tasks using powerful scripts for just about every important task imaginable. It covers techniques for working with files, input/output, text files, and performing various network administrative tasks through scripting. It presents the necessity of logon scripts, the backbone structure of a good logon script, and how to implement these scripts in an everyday environment to automate repetitive tasks such as inventory, file modifications, installations, and system updates. It also provides an in-depth look into the registry and registry editing tools including locating the important registry keys and values, and modifying them. The book features example scripts on every new topic covered to reinforce what the reader has just learned. Key scripting topics include manipulating the Windows XP file system, using powerful third-party scripting tools, creating scripts for installing service packs and new applications, automating applications from the command line, and setting up security features for Windows XP. Everything is included in this book, and users can easily modify or combine the scripts to perform myriad tasks. And the author has included all the scripts on his website for easy reference. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Author

Features new power scripts for Windows XP administrators to automate frequent operations with simple commands
Features a new chapter on WMIC available on XP and Windows Server 2003. WMIC extends WMI for operation from several command-line interfaces and through batch scripts.
Features expanded scripts and command-line applications to help administrators perform essential security operations and maintenance
Contains essential tips and techniques for using Log Parser used to search for data, create and export logs to a SQL database, input and output formatting and more
Covers cluster management scripting to perform a wide variety of tasks
Uses the latest scripting languages and tools including shell scripting, Kixtart, Windows Script Host (WMI, LDAP, WinNT), VBA, and AutoIT, with expanded focus on WMI --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Coriolis Technology Press; Book edition (November 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576108813
• ISBN-13: 978-1576108819
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,826,487 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Little about a Lot, July 1, 2001

By 

Jase T. Wolfe - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Windows Admin Scripting Little Black Book: A Concise Guide to Essential Scripting for Administrators (Paperback)

This book is a lot like a smorgasbord. You walk up to the counter, and before you are tons of dishes and you get to sample them all. It isn't long, however, before you realize that the items from each style of food are few and simple, and you wish they had a different type of this, or an expanded selection of that. This title has 14 chapters, 353 pages, more scripting languages than you can shake a stick at (most with code samples), plus many scattered references for command line switches on quite a few OS applications (from Defrag to Media Player) - and when all is said and done, you will be exposed to a lot, and wishing for more detail.

This book can open many doors and show you many great things. I don't think that anyone at any administrative level can read this book and not discover something new. The only problem is that this book was a monumental undertaking. You are introduced to a concept, given the general gist, and moved right along regardless if you get it or have questions. You are often left wondering how to get it to work on your computer and where to turn to get clarification.

When all is said and done, this book is a good buy. Read it with the expectation of being an introduction to many topics, but don't expect it to be your primary reference book, or to master any of the presented material without additional reading.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars COOL BOOK!, February 18, 2001

By 

Yari Rischkin (Windows 2000/NT Administrator) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Windows Admin Scripting Little Black Book: A Concise Guide to Essential Scripting for Administrators (Paperback)

Summed in one sentence: YOU HAVE TO GET THIS BOOK!!! I have bought about 3 other over-priced scripting books, and they are so fluffed with fillers. Briefly: - Covers Windows Script Host, KiXtart, Shell Scripting, AutoIt, ScriptIt, and more. - First book to cover and actually explain WMI and ADSI scripting. - Packed with examples that administrators will use daily! - Great for begginers (both to administrating, Windows 2000, and scripting). - First book I actually read front to back! This book isn't filled with examples like 'writing HELLO WORLD', but with awesome ones like 'Automating installs, updating antivirus files, creating logon scripts'. I am gonna start using them at work and pass them off as my own. To the author: One sentence - YOU ROCK!

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME BOOK!, December 8, 2000

By 

Raymond K. (WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Windows Admin Scripting Little Black Book: A Concise Guide to Essential Scripting for Administrators (Paperback)

I've never seen a book like this! This guy must be an admin because everything here is what I do on a daily basis. Managing user/groups, inventory, imaging, messaging - you name it - its in here. And since my job is forcing Windows 2000 down my throat, its great that this book covers Windows 9x/ME/NT and 2000!!!

Also whats the other cool part is that I just bought it for Windows Scripting Host and know I can learn Kixstart and shell scripting all in the same shot!

Definately worth it!