There are some tools I find myself adding to every machine I work on. Some of these come from Scott Hanselmans’ Ultimate Tools List. Currently I install the following on every machine :-
I also use a bunch of others (Cropper, Magnifixer, Snippet Compiler etc), but the first list is my ‘MUST HAVES’ on every machine. To make it all a bit easier I put together a short script to copy the apps over to the new machine, install all the apps, do the necessary with reg entries etc. Code is as follows :-
Dim objFS, WshShell, link, bDebug, sDestinationFolder
bDebug = false
sDestinationFolder = "C:WindowsKensTools"
Set objFS = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
' Create the new folders (dont care about errors)
On Error Resume Next
objFS.CreateFolder sDestinationFolder
Err.Clear
' Copy the files over
objFS.CopyFolder ".*.*", sDestinationFolder, true
If Err then
Log ("Failed to copy folder over:" & vbcrlf & vbCrlF & err.description)
Err.Clear
Else
if bDebug then Log "Copied folder over"
End If
objFS.CopyFile ".*.*", sDestinationFolder, true
If Err then
Log ("Failed to copy files over:" & vbcrlf & vbCrlF & err.description)
Err.Clear
Else
if bDebug then Log "Copied files over"
End If
' Do the apps
InstallApp "regedit.exe /s " & sDestinationFolder & "Notepad2n2_shell_integration.reg", "Notepad2"
InstallApp "msiexec /i """ & sDestinationFolder & "CmdHere Powertoy For Windows XP.msi""", "CmdHere Powertoy"
InstallApp sDestinationFolder & "VNC-4_1_1-x86_Win32.exe", "VNC"
InstallApp sDestinationFolder & "Winzip90.exe", "Winzip"
InstallApp "msiexec /i " & sDestinationFolder & "CommandBarSetup.msi", "CommandBar for Explorer"
' Create the BG Info shortcut
Set link = WshShell.CreateShortcut("C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersStart MenuProgramsStartupBGinfo.lnk")
link.Arguments = sDestinationFolder & "kens_default.bgi /TIMER:3"
link.Description = "BGinfo"
link.TargetPath = sDestinationFolder & "BGInfo.exe"
link.HotKey = "CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+B"
link.IconLocation = sDestinationFolder & "BGInfo.exe,1"
link.WindowStyle = 1
link.WorkingDirectory = sDestinationFolder
link.Save
If Err then
Log ("Failed to install BGinfo shortcut:" & vbcrlf & vbCrlF & err.description)
Err.Clear
Else
if bDebug then Log "Installed BGinfo shortcut"
End If
Set link = nothing
Set WshShell = nothing
Set objFS = nothing
Sub InstallApp(byval cmdLine, byval appName)
Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Set oExec = oShell.Exec(cmdLine)
Do While oExec.Status = 0
WScript.Sleep 100
Loop
If Err then
Log ("Failed to install " & appName & " :" & vbcrlf & vbCrlF & err.description)
Err.Clear
Else
if bDebug then Log ("Installed " & appName)
End If
Set oExec = nothing
Set oShell = nothing
end Sub
Sub Log(byval Message)
Wscript.echo Message
End Sub