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Module Monday December 19, 2022

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Today’s Module Monday may be targeted towards a certain vendor, but I know there are comparable modules out there for other vendors. I’ll admit I haven’t used this one, but it looks like a great module to use and if you find any issues to let the creator know on their GitHub. Always make sure to open issues on GitHub, no matter how small. The creator probably doesn’t even know there is an issue and will be thankful for you bringing it up and even more if you can tell them how to fix it.

With all that said, I guess you want to know the module? The module is LSUClient. What it does is it allows you automate driver, BIOS/UEFI, firmware and utility software updates for Lenovo computers. Best part is it can be done silently and unattended to remote computers with only the files they need. If you have a bunch of non internet computers, you can save them to a repository on your network that they can reach or even USB drive.

Think the next time you have to update drivers how much easier it will be to grab and push them. You can even run this in SCCM, MDT, PDQ, or any other remote deployment software. Let PowerShell do the heavy lifting of these kind of tasks to give you more time in the day to work on more important projects.

PowerShell Gallery:
LSUClient/1.5.0

GitHub:
LSUClient

Read-Only Friday December 16, 2022

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Today’s Read-Only Friday is a little different, but feel it’s a very important topic to talk about. Do you have co-worker, vendor, or client that you really appreciate? Shoot, not even business wise, what about a family member, friend, or maybe a retail employee that always goes the extra mile? Let them know. I know you may feel that it won’t do anything or feel awkward letting them know, but you don’t know how much that person could need to hear it. Doesn’t matter if they seem like the happiest person in the world and have the best life, let them know you appreciate them or how they have positively impacted your life. Those few words could make there day or even more. Especially this time of year when times can be a lot tougher with the holidays.

That’s all I ask, let at least one person today know that you appreciate them.

One-Liner Wednesday December 14, 2022

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Ever have to migrate a share? Or see who is still accessing a share you need to do work on and want to make sure everyone is off of it so the user doesn’t lose any data? Here is the perfect one liner.

Get-wmiobject -computername ServerName win32_serverconnection | select-object sharename,username,computername

All you have to do is put your Server name in and then this will show all shares that users are connected to with their computer name. You could run it right on your server you want to check the shares on as well. This has been super helpful when doing maintenance and when we’ve had to migrate storage to different servers/locations.

Microsoft Learn:
Get-wmiobject

Module Monday December 12, 2022

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Here we go, another Module Monday, and with the holiday spirit among us, I figured why not do the same for Module Monday.

Today’s module is helps you create the gift of an MSI with PowerShell exactly the way you want!  You can set your own file structure and even have your own custom EULAs and images. Perfect for company branded scripts/installers to give them a more enterprise feel. Another great feature is that you can embed your own PowerShell scripts inside of the MSI and target them to run on install or uninstall depending on the script.

There are really too many features to list here, and if you need to create MSIs, definitely check out Adam’s module. He is super talented and a great person in the community.

PowerShell Gallery:
PSMSI/0.0.1

GitHub:
psmsi

Read-Only Friday December 9, 2022

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I wasn’t going to do this for today, but decided to change it up and do it anyways. What are your thoughts on ChatGPT? I’ve seen strong opinions both ways on this, but curious on your feelings on it. One point I see it being a very useful TOOL that a person can have in their toolbox, but if it is too heavily relied on or trusted, the person can lose some important skill sets such as learning how to learn and putting your own spin on something. Also if the person is looking up completely new information, ChatGPT could make a great case with false information and the person wouldn’t know until they are called out. As long as the person is still verifying the I’m good with ChatGPT and isn’t using it as their only source of research. Then again, I’m aging myself here, people use to site wikipedia which again could be manipulated.

Also right now ChatGPT is free, who knows 6 months down the road if that will be the case. And if it has become a habit for the person, they will pay the money because  “they can’t live without it.” I do really love this type of technology and seeing how it has progressed so much over the years. It will only keep on getting better, and yes bad actors will abuse to too, but that is always the case with any type of technology or process.

And for a quick example, I had it write a “Read-Only Friday” post for me.

“In today’s fast-paced, always-connected business world, it can be hard to step away from our screens and disconnect from technology. But taking a break from technology, even for just one day a week, can have numerous benefits for our mental health, productivity, and overall well-being. That’s why many people are adopting the practice of “read-only Friday,” where they disconnect from technology and spend the day away from screens.

The effects of technology on our mental health and well-being are well-documented. Constant notifications, distractions, and the pressure to always be available can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and even burnout. In fact, a recent study found that excessive screen time can even change the structure of our brains, leading to decreased concentration and problem-solving abilities.

By taking a break from technology and disconnecting from screens, we give our brains a much-needed rest and allow ourselves to recharge and refocus. This can lead to increased productivity, improved mental clarity, and better overall health.

But disconnecting from technology doesn’t have to mean being unproductive at work. In fact, read-only Friday can be a great opportunity to focus on tasks that require deep concentration and focus, such as brainstorming, strategic planning, or creative problem-solving. You could also use the time to catch up on reading, attend a training or learning session, or even just take a long lunch break to recharge and refocus.

To make the most of your read-only Friday, plan ahead and decide what you want to do with your day. This could include scheduling specific tasks or setting aside time for relaxation and self-care. You could also try setting boundaries for yourself, such as turning off notifications on your phone or limiting your access to certain apps or websites.

Overall, read-only Friday is a great way to disconnect from technology and give your mind and body a much-needed break. So why not encourage your team to try it out and see how it impacts their productivity and well-being? You might be surprised by the benefits.”

That took a matter of seconds…

Project Site:

ChatGPT

One-Liner Wednesday December 7, 2022

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Today’s one liner is another basic one, but very powerful. Ever need to look for a file, or better yet multiple files then need to rename or delete them?

Get-Childitem -Path C:\windows -Recurse -Filter *test* -erroraction SilentlyContinue  | out-gridview -PassThru | Remove-Item -WhatIf

What this one liner will do is search all of the folders/files in the C:\Windows directory that have the word test in the file name or folder. It will even pull things like memtest.efi.mui and Microsoft.Windows.RemoteAttestation.Core.dll. The stars basically tell the search I can’t remember what else is after and/or before the letters I put, but I know there are letters there. Then with its results will put it into a nice window that you can select which file(s) you want to delete. Once you have highlighted the files/folders you want to delete, you can press ok, then they will be deleted(You will need to remove the “-WhatIf” from my code above because I like you, and just in case you just run this without double checking, files don’t get deleted)

Another thing to note is that I put the -Recurse parameter after the folder, this tells PowerShell to search sub directories too. If you remove it, it will only search that current directory.

And this can be used in the registry as well, just make sure that -WhatIf is used until you are 100% the code is working correctly.

Microsoft Learn:
Get-ChildItem