Automating OS Configurations

[psychonaut2000]

I find myself routinely repeating certain configurations on the workstations in our enterprise. I'd like to be able to create a batch file, script, or some other method of automating the process. When I talk about configurations I mean simple things like setting a fixed pagefile of a certain size, turning off various foo-foo effects found under display properties...things of that nature.

I've never done any scripting but I'd like to learn. Any good online resources? Also, I'd imagine someone has developed a utilitie (an autoscripter of sorts) that provides a GUI front end to allow you to configure your settings and then compile a script for you.

Finally, anyone know where I can find a list of command line arguments that will do some of these things so that I can include them in batch files. There must be some useful batch programming tools available?

Thanks in advance!

 

[bcastner]

Every example you gave requires a registry change. The recommended way to handle this issue is through the customization of the Default User Profile:

http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/q305/7/09.asp&NoWebContent=1

 

[psychonaut2000]

Thanks for the info. One question though: Will customizing the Default User Profile affect users who already have accounts on that workstation? If there is a discrepancy which Profile wins the argument...the User's personal profile or the newly altered Default Profile?

 

[bcastner]

The default profile is used only the first time a user logs on to a machine.

 

[psychonaut2000]

Just out of curiosity, is it possible to create a regfile that will add entries to the current_user hive for *another* user???

 

[bcastner]

Yes.

Use the logon script feature to merge the .reg file. You use the regedit command to do the merge:

regedit /s name_of_file.reg

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310516

http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/q310/5/16.asp&NoWebContent=1

Tutorial:

http://www.windowsitlibrary.com/Con...w2kmag01/html/DistributingRegistryChanges.asp

How to distribute registry changes:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...w2kmag01/html/DistributingRegistryChanges.asp

 

[sophic]

Kixtart is designed to handle most things during logon.

http://www.scriptlogic.com/kixtart/default.asp

sophic@uboot.com