Software Tools
Sometimes, we are given a set of instructions but not enough tools in the box. Luckily, we can grab additional ones elsewhere. The links below outline tools I use everyday. The second link will show you a practical example of how these tools can be used.
Pliers may not help your AD environment…
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Active Directory/Group Policy
- ADM to ADMX Convertor
- This guide covers creating the Group Policy Central Store and how to get rid of those lingering ADM files.
- MSIManager: Allows you to selectively reinstall applications deployed through Group Policy. It was originally available on this page.
- Specops GPUpdate Free Edition: Allows for remote GPUpdate (from ADUC) along with restarting, Wake On LAN, etc
- WMI Filter Validation: Allow you to test WMI filters against objects.
Deployment/MDT
- Dell Client Configuration Toolkit: Allows for domain wide changes to BIOS settings.
- CMTrace (formally Trace32): Part of the SCCM 2012 toolkit, CMTrace makes reading logs files so much simpler!
Desktop Management
- BGInfo: Used to display data on a user’s desktop. Very useful for displaying the computer name.
- PsTools: A great selection of tools that allow remote execution, a combust shutdown option, plus so much more!
- Setting up Concurrent RDP: Allowing More than One RDP Client Connection
- What’s Changed: Shows where programs store settings and how you can change them.
Scripting/PowerShell
- MDT Database CMDLETS: Adds the MDT PowerShell cmdlets to PowerShell
Software Packaging
- 7-Zip: A free tool used to open EXEs and extract MSIs.
- Find Uninstall String: a fast way to find out how an application can be uninstalled automatically.
- Orca: Used to directly edit MSIs.
- Ultimate Silent Switch Finder: Lists EXE information and silent switch information