Batch-scripting is not as powerful as WSH-scripting or PowerShell.
But with some tools you can perform some simple but useful actions.
One tool I often use is robocopy.

1. Asking for values in a batch-script
   @echo off
@set /P pctocheck=Enter name of pc:
@cscript.exe "script.vbs" %pctocheck%
pause
2. Copy non-existing folders back to C-drive
   @echo off
rem Check if the script was called with parameter RUN
IF "%1"=="RUN" GOTO run
rem Since we are not running the script with parameter RUN, start it using cmd whilst enabling delayed environment variable expansion (/V:ON)
cmd /V:ON /C H:\copy_c-drive.cmd RUN
GOTO :EOF
:run
echo ...Copying extra folders on C-drive
rem List all existing files and directories on the C-drive, including hidden ones.
dir /a:d /b C:\ >C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\rc_existsystemdirs.txt
dir /a:hd /b C:\ >>C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\rc_existsystemdirs.txt
dir /a:-d /b C:\ >C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\rc_existsystemfiles.txt
dir /a:h-d /b C:\ >>C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\rc_existsystemfiles.txt
rem Build up variables
set existingdirs=
FOR /F "delims=," %%i IN (C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\rc_existsystemdirs.txt) do set existingdirs=!existingdirs! /XD "%%i"
set existingfiles=
FOR /F "delims=," %%i IN (C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\rc_existsystemfiles.txt) do set existingfiles=!existingfiles! /XF "%%i"
rem Do the copy thing
robocopy /COPYALL /E X:\ C:\ /TEE /LOG+:C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\rc_system.log /XO /R:1 /W:3 %existingdirs% %existingfiles%

Using WSH with WMI enables you to query lots of information of a system.
Here are some examples of code that I regularly use.

1. Determine UpTime of a computer

   strComputer = InputBox("Enter computername","Determine Uptime",".")
   Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
   & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
   Set colOperatingSystems = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
   ("Select * From Win32_PerfFormattedData_PerfOS_System")
   intSystemUptime = 0
   For Each objOS in colOperatingSystems
   Dim intSystemUptimeSec
   Dim intSystemUptimeMin
   Dim intSystemUptimeHour
   Dim intSystemUptimeDay
   intSystemUptimeDay = Int(objOS.SystemUpTime / 86400)
   intSystemUptimeHour = Int(objOS.SystemUpTime / 3600) - (intSystemUptimeDay*24)
   intSystemUptimeMin = Int(objOS.SystemUpTime / 60) - (intSystemUptimeHour*60) - (intSystemUptimeDay*24*60)
   intSystemUptimeSec = Int(objOS.SystemUpTime) - (intSystemUptimeMin*60) - (intSystemUptimeHour*60*60) - (intSystemUptimeDay*24*60*60)
   intSystemUptime = Int(objOS.SystemUpTime / 60)
   MsgBox("Uptime for " & strcomputer &  " = " & intSystemUptimeDay & "d " & intSystemUptimeHour & "h " & intSystemUptimeMin & "m " & intSystemUptimeSec & "s")
   Next

2. Ping a computer

   strComputer = InputBox("Enter computername","Ping a computer",".")
   Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
   & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
   Set objPing = GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}")._
   ExecQuery("select * from Win32_PingStatus where address = '"_
   & strComputer & "'")
   For Each objStatus in objPing
   If IsNull(objStatus.StatusCode) or objStatus.StatusCode<>0 Then
   MsgBox("Ping failed")
   else
   MsgBox("Ping succeeded")
   End If
   Next

3. Map a Networkdrive

   Set oNet = CreateObject("wscript.network")
   oNet.MapNetworkDrive "X:", "\\" & strComputer & "\c$"

4. Get Computers from an OU in Active Directory

   Set ObjOU = GetObject("LDAP://OU=Desktops,OU=Computers,DC=corp,DC=contoso,DC=com")
   ObjOU.Filter = Array("Computer")
   For Each ObjComp in ObjOU

5. List running processes

   Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
   & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" _
   & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
   Set colProcess = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
   ("Select * from Win32_Process")
   For Each objProcess in colProcess
   WScript.Echo objProcess
   Next

6. Count DiskErrors

   Set colLoggedEvents = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
   ("Select * from Win32_NTLogEvent Where Logfile = 'System'" _
   & " and SourceName = 'disk'")
   iDiskErrors = colLoggedEvents.count

7. Show logged on user

   Set Users = objWMIService.InstancesOf("Win32_ComputerSystem")
   for each User in Users
   If isNull(User.UserName) then
   WScript.Echo "No User is logged on"
   else
   WScript.Echo User.UserName
   end if
   Next

8. Enumerate all profiles stored in Documents and Settings

   Set objFolder = objFSO.GetFolder("\\" & strComputer & "\c$\Documents And Settings")
   valStoredprofiles = ""
   For Each Subfolder in objFolder.SubFolders
   If IsStandardUserProfile(SubFolder.Path) then
   arrPath = split(Subfolder.Path,"\")
   'sSize = Round(SubFolder.Size/1024/1024,2)
   'valStoredprofiles = valStoredprofiles & arrPath(UBound(arrPath,1)) & "  [" & sSize & "MB] " & " - "
   valStoredprofiles = valStoredprofiles & arrPath(UBound(arrPath,1)) & " - "
   end if
   Next

   Function IsStandardUserProfile(sFolder)
   Dim iMatches
   iMatches = 0
   If Instr(sFolder,"Administrator") > 0 then iMatches = iMatches + 1
   If Instr(sFolder,"All Users") > 0 then iMatches = iMatches + 1
   If Instr(sFolder,"Default User") > 0 then iMatches = iMatches + 1
   If Instr(sFolder,"LocalService") > 0 then iMatches = iMatches + 1
   If Instr(sFolder,"NetworkService") > 0 then iMatches = iMatches + 1
   If iMatches = 0 then
   IsStandardUserProfile= true
   Else
   IsStandardUserProfile= false
   end if
   End Function

9. Read and write an XML-file

   Set objXML = CreateObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM")
   objXML.load "result.xml"
   'WScript.Echo objXML.parseError.errorCode
   If (objXML.parseError.errorCode <> 0) Then
   Dim myErr
   Set myErr = objXML.parseError
   MsgBox("You have error " & myErr.reason)
   Else
   'WScript.Echo objXML.xml
   'WScript.Echo objXML.documentElement.attributes.item(0).nodeValue
   Dim i
   i = 1
   ReDim PreServe arrPcs(i+1)
   Set pcs = objXML.getElementsByTagName("pc")
   'WScript.Echo pcs
   for each pc in pcs
   arrPcs(i-1) = pc.getAttribute("id") & ";" & pc.getAttribute("location")
   i=i+1
   ReDim PreServe arrPcs(i)
   next
   End If
   for each pc in pcs
   pcID = pc.getAttribute("id")
   if pcID = current PC then
   '<ip>192.168.1.19</ip>
   '<uptime>0</uptime>
   '<diskerrors>0</diskerrors>
   '<user>NONE</user>
   '<storedprofiles>0</storedprofiles>
   'WScript.Echo pc.childNodes.length
   pc.childNodes.Item(0).firstChild.nodeValue = valIP
   pc.childNodes.Item(2).firstChild.nodeValue = valUptime
   pc.childNodes.Item(3).firstChild.nodeValue = valDiskerrors
   'WScript.Echo valUser
   pc.childNodes.Item(4).firstChild.nodeValue = valUser
   pc.childNodes.Item(5).firstChild.nodeValue = valStoredprofiles
   exit for
   end if
   next
   objXML.documentElement.Attributes.Item(0).nodeValue = now
   objXML.save("result.xml")