This small Powershell script prompts for a computername and tries to determine the installed version and edition of SQL using WMI.

$comp = Read-Host "Enter Computername:"
Get-WmiObject -ComputerName $comp -Namespace root\Microsoft\SqlServer\ComputerManagement -Class SqlServiceAdvancedProperty | Where-Object {($_.PropertyName -eq 'VERSION') -or ($_.PropertyName -eq 'SKUNAME')} | Format-Table ServiceName, PropertyName, PropertyStrValue -AutoSize
Get-WmiObject -ComputerName $comp -Namespace root\Microsoft\SqlServer\ComputerManagement10 -Class SqlServiceAdvancedProperty | Where-Object {($_.PropertyName -eq 'VERSION') -or ($_.PropertyName -eq 'SKUNAME')} | Format-Table ServiceName, PropertyName, PropertyStrValue -AutoSize
Get-WmiObject -ComputerName $comp -Namespace root\Microsoft\SqlServer\ComputerManagement12 -Class SqlServiceAdvancedProperty | Where-Object {($_.PropertyName -eq 'VERSION') -or ($_.PropertyName -eq 'SKUNAME')} | Format-Table ServiceName, PropertyName, PropertyStrValue -AutoSize
Get-WmiObject -ComputerName $comp -Namespace root\Microsoft\SqlServer\ComputerManagement14 -Class SqlServiceAdvancedProperty | Where-Object {($_.PropertyName -eq 'VERSION') -or ($_.PropertyName -eq 'SKUNAME')} | Format-Table ServiceName, PropertyName, PropertyStrValue -AutoSize

Batch script to detect CD/DVD-rom drive

REM Check if we have a CDROM drive
Setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion

echo list vol > diskpart.txt
diskpart /s diskpart.txt > dp_volumes.txt
set hascdrom=0
FOR /F "delims=," %%v in (dp_volumes.txt) do (
rem echo %%v
set str1=%%v
rem echo Line is !str1!
rem echo "x!str1:ROM=!"
rem echo "x!str1!"
if not "x!str1:ROM=!"=="x!str1!" set hascdrom=1
rem echo !hascdrom!
)
if "!hascdrom!"=="0" GOTO nocdrom

:cdrom
echo We have a CD/DVD-rom
goto :EOF

:nocdrom
echo No CD/DVD-rom drive available
goto: EOF

Example of how to join a computer (Windows 8) to a domain using PowerShell.

$Credential = New-Object -TypeName System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -ArgumentList @('ALTIRIS\srv_altiris', (ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force 'P@ssw0rd' ))
Add-Computer -DomainName altiris.local -OUPath 'OU=CORPORATE_COMPUTERS,OU=BELGIUM,DC=altiris,DC=local' -PassThru -Verbose -Credential $credential

I was searching for a solution to launch and suspend VMWare Workstation VMs on a CentOS 5-machine during boot/shutdown.
A script script for launching VirtualBox VMS during boot inspired me to create one for VMWare Workstation.
In this example I have teamed my VMs in a team /vms/my_team.vmtm, it could as well be a single VM (.vmx) that is being launched.
The VM Team will be launched with a different user account as VMWare not allows root to launch VMs.
During shutdown root however can suspend the VM Team, and this is also the action being used during system shutdown.

1. Create a user vmuser
   useradd vmuser
   passwd vmuser
2. Create the VMHeadless script. I have teamed all my VMS and will launch/suspend the team /vms/my_team.vmtm
   vi /etc/init.d/vmheadless

   #!/bin/bash
   ### BEGIN INIT INFO
   # Provides:          vmheadless.sh
   # Required-Start:    $remote_fs $syslog
   # Required-Stop:     $remote_fs $syslog
   # Default-Start:     2 3 4 5
   # Default-Stop:      0 1 6
   # chkconfig: 2345 99 20
   # Short-Description: Start VM
   # Description:       Start/stop the virtual machines
   ### END INIT INFO
    
   MACHINE_NAME="/vms/my_team.vmtm"
   VM_USER="vmuser"
   RETVAL=0
   LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/vmware:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
   PATH=/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin
    
   id=`id -u`
   if  [ "$id" != "0" ] ; then
      echo "This script must be run as root" 1>&2
      exit 1
   fi
    
   # Load the VERBOSE setting and other rcS variables
    [ -f /etc/default/rcS ]  && . /etc/default/rcS
    
   # Load the VERBOSE setting and other rcS variables
   #. /lib/init/vars.sh
    
   # Define LSB log_* functions.
   # Depend on lsb-base (>= 3.0-6) to ensure that this file is present.
   . /lib/lsb/init-functions
    
   # Get function from functions library
   . /etc/init.d/functions
    
   # Load network defaults. Use this if there is any extra network stuff to do first.
    
   case "$1" in
   start)
      su $VM_USER -c "/usr/bin/vmrun start $MACHINE_NAME nogui"
           RETVAL=0
     echo "Started VM Headless RETVAL=($RETVAL)"
           ;;
   stop)
     /usr/bin/vmrun suspend "$MACHINE_NAME"
           RETVAL=$?
    echo "Suspended VM Headless RETVAL=($RETVAL)"
           ;;
   status)
     ps=`ps -ef | grep vmware-vmx | grep -v grep | wc -l`
     if  [ "$ps" -gt 0 ]  ; then
       echo "$ps VMS started"
       RETVAL=1
     else
       echo "VMS not running"
       RETVAL=0
     fi
           ;;
   restart)
     /usr/bin/vmrun suspend "$MACHINE_NAME" nogui
           RETVAL=$?
    echo "Suspended VM Headless RETVAL=($RETVAL)"
     su backup -c "/usr/bin/vmrun -T ws start $MACHINE_NAME nogui"
           RETVAL=$?
     echo "Started VM Headless RETVAL=($RETVAL)"
           ;;
   *)
           echo "Usage: $0 { start | stop }"
           RETVAL=1
           ;;
   esac
   exit $RETVAL
   

3. Enable VMHeadless during boot
   chkconfig –add vmheadless
   chkonfig –level 2345 vmheadless on
4. Launch the VMHeadless daemon, and thus launching the VM Team
   service vmheadless start

This script adds the *NdisDeviceType registry value with value 1 to the keys of the VMWare network cards.
Afterwards it disables and enables the networkcards to let the changes take effect.

$nics = gci "HKLM:\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\Class\\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
$nics | foreach-object -process {
    $devInstanceId = $_.getvalue("DeviceInstanceID")
    if($devInstanceId -match "VMWARE"){
        Write-Host $_.Name
        $regpath = ( $_.name ) -replace("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE","HKLM:")
        new-itemproperty -path $regpath -name "*NdisDeviceType" -value 1 -PropertyType "DWORD"
    }
}
 
 $wminics = get-wmiobject win32_networkadapter | where-object {$_.name -like "*vmware*" }
 $wminics | foreach-object -process { 
        
     write-host -nonew "Disabling $($_.name) ... "
     $result = $_.Disable() 
     if ($result.ReturnValue -eq -0) { write-host " success." } else { write-host " failed." } 
        
     write-host -nonew "Enabling $($_.name) ... "
     $result = $_.Enable() 
     if ($result.ReturnValue -eq -0) { write-host " success." } else { write-host " failed." } 
 }

I synchronize my Windows Mobile Device with my corporate-exchange account. This way my calendar stays nicely up to date and gives me reminders for the tasks I have to do.

However I find it rather a hassle that I receive reminders for certain activities like holidays. Therefore I have written a small macro that disables the reminders for all future calendar entries with a certain subject.

Private Sub RemoveReminders(sProject As String)
Dim fldMailbox As MAPIFolder
Dim fldCalendar As MAPIFolder
 
Dim objItem As AppointmentItem
Dim iCntr As Integer
iCntr = 0
 
Set fldMailbox = Session.Folders(sMailboxName)
Set fldCalendar = fldMailbox.Folders("Calendar")
Set mcolCalItems = fldCalendar.Items
 
For Each objItem In mcolCalItems
If objItem.start > Now() Then
If objItem.ReminderSet = True Then
    If InStr(objItem.Body, sProject) > 0 Then
    iCntr = iCntr + 1
With objItem
.ReminderSet = False
.Save
End With
 
objItem.Save
End If
End If
End If
Next
 
MsgBox "Modified " & iCntr & " calendar entries"
End Sub
 
Public Sub RemoveHolidayReminders()
RemoveReminders ("Holiday")
End Sub

After some testing I managed to create a dualboot setup with ESXi 3.5 and Windows Server 2003.

1. Install ESXi to harddisk 1
2. Install Windows Server 2003 to harddisk 2. Delete the existing partition on harddisk 2 if ESXi has created one.
   On the first reboot during the installation you should get an error “NTLDR is missing”
3. Boot with a live linux cd-rom, eg KNOPPIX
4. (Re-)install syslinux bootloader to boot partition (Hypervisor0)

   sudo syslinux /dev/hda1
   file is read only. overwrite anyway (y/n)? y
   sudo mkdir /mnt/Hypervisor0
   sudo mount /dev/hda1 /mnt/Hypervisor0
   vi /mnt/Hypervisor0/syslinux.cfg
   
   

   original:

   default safeboot.c32
   
   

   modified:

   default menu.c32
   menu title Dual boot
   timeout 100
   label esx
   menu label ESXi 3.5
   COM32 safeboot.c32
   LABEL win
   MENU LABEL MS Windows Server 2003
   COM32 chain.c32
   APPEND boot ntldr=/NTLDR
   
   

5. Copy syslinux modules menu.c32 and chain.c32 to boot partition (Hypervisor0)
   Use locate to find the folder on the live cd that contains the modules, eg locate menu.c32

   cp /usr/lib/syslinux/menu.c32 /mnt/Hypervisor0
   cp /usr/lib/syslinux/chain.c32 /mnt/Hypervisor0
   
   

6. Reboot

This is an example in PowerShell of how you can schedule the installation a software package by Altiris DS.
Instead of using the API, the command-line tool axsched is being called to schedule the software package.

function DeploySoftware
{
    param( [String] $pcname,  [String] $package,  [String] $nexttime,  [String] $folder)
    #Write-Host "Deploy $pcname '$package' /t $nexttime /f '$folder'"
    #\\ALTIRIS\express\axsched.exe "$pcname" "$package" / t "$nexttime" / f "$folder"
         
    $StartInfo = New-Object System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo
    $StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = $true
    $StartInfo.UseShellExecute = $false
    $StartInfo.FileName = "\\ALTIRIS\express\axsched.exe"
    $StartInfo.WorkingDirectory = "C:\Temp"
    $StartInfo.Arguments = "`"$pcname`" `"$package`" /t `"$nexttime`" /f `"$folder`""
    $p =  [System.Diagnostics.Process] ::Start($StartInfo)
    $p.WaitForExit()
    if ($p.ExitCode -eq 0) { $TRUE } else { $FALSE }
}
#This function adds a number of minutes to the given date time and outputs the addition in the right format for AxSched.
function Get-ScheduleTime
{
    param( [System.DateTime]  $starttime,  [int] $minutes)
    #$minutes = 12
    $tspan = New-Object System.TimeSpan(0, 0, $minutes, 0)
    $addtime =  [System.DateTime] ::op_Addition($starttime, $tspan)
    #"2008-10-20 15:00"
    $y = $addtime.Year
    $mo = $addtime.Month
    $d = $addtime.Day
    $h = $addtime.Hour
    $mi = $addtime.Minute
    $schedtime = "$y"
    $schedtime += "-"
    $schedtime += TwoDecimal("$mo")
    $schedtime += "-"
    $schedtime += TwoDecimal("$d")
    $schedtime += " "
    $schedtime += TwoDecimal("$h")
    $schedtime += ":"
    $schedtime += TwoDecimal("$mi")
    $schedtime
}
#Simple function to convert a single decimal to a two decimal, eg 7 becomes 07
function TwoDecimal
{
    param( [String] $Number)
    while ($number.Length -lt 2) { $number = "0$number" }
    $number
}
$now =  [System.DateTime] ::Now
$pcname = "COMP007"
$jobname = "Install Outlook 2007"
$jobfolder = "Software"
#The installation of the package needs to be started after 5 minutes.
$nexttime = Get-ScheduleTime $now 5
DeploySoftware $pcname $jobname $nexttime $jobfolder

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")