Network tweaks to make things better

[Ambient]

This thread is all about the little tweaks you've built into your network (usually in the form of scripts, customs policy's etc) which make your life as the support person, and that of your customers (staff and students) much easier.

 

The idea of this thread is so that we can share what tweaks we have, and maybe get ideas for others which other use.

 

So far, I have the following:

 

A VBS script to delete old network printers from roaming profiles of teachers.

 

A VBS script to log all web pages and documents opened visited by all users.

 

A VBS script to install printers depending which computer room/office they're in (a popular one I think).

 

A VBS script/.Msi to change the Ctrl+Alt+Delete background of all computers.

 

A VBS script to change the desktop background at logon of every user to a standard wallpaper with the school logo.

 

A VBS script to set the Ctrl+Alt+Delete screensaver of every computer to a set one, and to come on after 10 seconds (I’m a freak for having machines sat on a static image) of being sat on the Ctrl+Alt+Delete screen (i.e. when a user logs off).

 

A BAT script which deletes the profiles on all our computers (well, the ones we select) using delprof.exe. Its fully automated in one double click.

 

A VBS script to edit proxy settings (this was a fail safe as our AD went through a phase of not setting this info on user logon)

 

I'm sure there are a few more, but I can't think of them. But, I’ll add when I remember some

 

Add what you've got, and ask questions about others.

Scripts.zip

Edited February 3, 2010 by aaronjwilkinson

[maniac]

Blimy, I could list loads as my enitre system consists of VBS scripts or reg hacks that I've written.

 

My most useful is a bit of programming is the bit that allows students to see how much disk space they are using and how much their quota is when you use Server 2003 disk management to manage disk quotas. Normally with the server 2003 quota system the first the student knows they are running out of space is when the system e-mails them telling them they're at 80% - with this they can check instantly and see how much they are using.

 

A script which disables the physical network cards on my student laptops so FOG registers the logon/logoffs properly on the wireless.

 

My little program that the students use to report a damaged machine, they just double click the icon and it asks if they are sure they want to report this machine as damaged, Y/N - click yes and it e-mails us telling us the machine and username. So far has proved relatively OK, very few false reports and it's more efficient that the staff telling us about damage as they never do!

 

Also written a custom password reset tool which is on this website somewhere. I've never really finished it thou so it's a work in progress, although it is used daily by the IT staff in my school.

 

Mike.

[mac_shinobi]

any chance of each of us zipping all the vbs files into a zip file and uploading them to each post as would be handy to see how some of the things are done.

 

I did a profile vbs cleaner which is on here somewhere and also a printer vbs - would of been nice to work on the printer one a bit more though. It did add printers based on computer names so that it always added the correct printer(s) for the room they were in as all computers were named accordingly so art would be art-001, art-002, etc and the IT room computers had different number for each IT room ie IT1-001 or IT2-001 so obviously different rooms.

 

Would be nice to get a small project together - I did try and put together a proxy hta but never finished that, still need to try and work on an ocx I can access from vbscript that would allow me to use the system tray so it would go into the system tray when running in the background and then allow you to restore it back to a hta when needed etc.

Edited February 3, 2010 by mac_shinobi

[jamesreedersmith]

Go to the advanced editor and add attachment

[andydis]

My little program that the students use to report a damaged machine, they just double click the icon and it asks if they are sure they want to report this machine as damaged, Y/N - click yes and it e-mails us telling us the machine and username. So far has proved relatively OK, very few false reports and it's more efficient that the staff telling us about damage as they never do!

 

would like to see this one :-)

[maniac]

would like to see this one :-)

 

Problem is it's hard coded to my system and is written in VB.NET.

 

I'll zip up and post the project files if you like?

 

Mike.

[jamesreedersmith]

Would love to have a copy off all the vbs scripts at least - they would be very useful.

[Ambient]

Would love to have a copy off all the vbs scripts at least - they would be very useful.

 

See the attachments in my first post for mine

[mac_shinobi]

Problem is it's hard coded to my system and is written in VB.NET.

 

I'll zip up and post the project files if you like?

 

Mike.

 

Yes please

[tommccann]

How come everytime i download an attachment off here the zip file is invaild or currupt!

[Ambient]

How come everytime i download an attachment off here the zip file is invaild or currupt!

 

Yeah, i've had that too. Quite annoying tbh

[maniac]

Here's the VB project folder for the Damage Reporter program.

 

It's only about 10 lines of code, and please don't shoot me down for it not following any sort of programming guidelines as I know it probably doesn't, but it works - that's all I was interested in. Also excuse the fact it's called 'system information' as the origenal project was to serve a different purpose, but ended up as this when I suddenly had the idea.

 

Open it in Visual Basic 2008 Express edition - you should be able to see which bits you need to edit to customise it for your setup. Needless to say it requires the .NET framework to run.

 

Mike.

Damage Reporter.zip

[mac_shinobi]

How come everytime i download an attachment off here the zip file is invaild or currupt!

 

Always works fine on my mac pro

[Cools]

How come everytime i download an attachment off here the zip file is invaild or currupt!

It's you.. your faulty.. lol..

 

Speed up tips network ..

1. Turn of school network.

2. Go home.

3. Enjoy you new found long holiday.

[browolf]

I put a bunch of my stuff on an external site. Mainly so that when the server crashes and I can't remember where I put the backups, there's at least one other copy!

 

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