Blog Posts

Retrieving Software Inventory for a ConfigMgr Site with PowerShell

In my last post, I demonstrated how we can retrieve software inventory information for a single ConfigMgr client or an array of clients, using PowerShell.  In this post, we will change the scope from the client to the entire site.  Using this script, you can query for all installations of a specific software/s in your ConfigMgr site, … Continue reading Retrieving Software Inventory for a ConfigMgr Site with PowerShell

Instant Client Software Inventory with ConfigMgr and PowerShell

Here's a simple but handy PowerShell script I wrote that uses the ConfigMgr database to retrieve software inventory information for any client.  You can return the entire inventory for the client, or search for specific software.  You can also pass the computer name and/or software name along the pipeline to the script, so you can … Continue reading Instant Client Software Inventory with ConfigMgr and PowerShell

Retrieving ConfigMgr Status Messages with PowerShell

Did you know you can retrieve status messages from ConfigMgr, including the message descriptions, using PowerShell? I pieced together some code I found on the internet with some of my own code, and came up with the following script.  Essentially, it's the equivalent of running the "All Status Messages from a Specific System" from the status message … Continue reading Retrieving ConfigMgr Status Messages with PowerShell

Create a Database of Error Codes and Descriptions for Windows and ConfigMgr

In a recent post, I described different ways to translate error codes for Windows and Configuration Manager into their friendly descriptions.  In this post, I will show you how to create a SQL database of known error codes and descriptions that you can join to in your SQL queries, to help simplify your troubleshooting, and … Continue reading Create a Database of Error Codes and Descriptions for Windows and ConfigMgr

Translating Error Codes for Windows and Configuration Manager

As a Windows and Configuration Manager administrator, I often come across error codes that need translating into their more friendly descriptions.  In Configuration Manager, sometimes these codes are translated for you in the log files, reports and the ConfigMgr console, but sometimes they are not.  Sometimes they will be in decimal format, and sometimes hexadecimal. … Continue reading Translating Error Codes for Windows and Configuration Manager

Checking for New Versions of Common Software with Powershell

In any enterprise environment there will be some common software that you will install on all your computers, and some of these are frequently updated to new versions, such as Adobe Flash Player, or the Java Runtime for example.  So I wrote a little script that runs as a scheduled task every day and checks … Continue reading Checking for New Versions of Common Software with Powershell

Setting the Default Windows Wallpaper during OS Deployment

Note: For a Windows 10 Version, see this blog instead: https://smsagent.wordpress.com/2017/07/06/setting-the-default-wallpaper-for-windows-10-during-configmgr-osd/ Recently I was given an interesting task - set the default wallpaper on new computer builds with ConfigMgr OSD, but don't lock it such that users can't change it.  It turns out it is simple enough to do, but it requires changing the default wallpaper … Continue reading Setting the Default Windows Wallpaper during OS Deployment

Calculate the Total Size of all Packages in a ConfigMgr Task Sequence

Today I got an interesting question - Is it possible to gather the sizes for all packages referred by a OS deployment task sequence?  I have a script that will find all package sizes for any group of packages you select, but not specifically for a task sequence. But I found it can be done quite … Continue reading Calculate the Total Size of all Packages in a ConfigMgr Task Sequence

New book! Deploy, Manage and Update Java Runtime with Configuration Manager and PowerShell. Available on Amazon.

I'm pleased to announce the release of my first IT Solution Guide - Deploy, Manage and Update Java Runtime Environment in the Enterprise with System Center Configuration Manager and PowerShell.  (Wow that's a mouthful!) This step-by-step guide demonstrates how Configuration Manager can be used together with PowerShell to create a solution for managing the Java … Continue reading New book! Deploy, Manage and Update Java Runtime with Configuration Manager and PowerShell. Available on Amazon.

Run ConfigMgr Client Cycle Actions on Multiple Clients with PowerShell

Not a script that hasn't been done before, but this is my version which allows pipeline input of the computer name so that you can run one of the ConfigMgr Client Cycle actions on multiple computers, or include it as a function in a script etc. The following actions are supported and are equivalent to … Continue reading Run ConfigMgr Client Cycle Actions on Multiple Clients with PowerShell