PowerShell – BGInfo Automation script for Windows Server 2019

PowerShell – BGInfo Automation script for Windows Server 2019

January 23, 2019 at 8:04 pm in BgInfo, Hyper-V, PowerShell, PowerShell Script, Sysinternals, VM Template, Windows Server 2019, WS2019 by Wim Matthyssen

Probably everyone knows the Sysinternals tool BGInfo (currently version 4.26). For those who don’t, it’s a great free tool from Microsoft which captures system information form a workstation or server (probably where it is the most useful) and displays that relevant data directly on the desktop of that particular machine. It can show useful information like, DNS settings, used IP Addresses, computer name, domain name, OS version, memory, service pack version, etc.

Whenever I create a new Windows Server 2019 Virtual Machine (VM) template for customers, I mostly add this tool in the base image (also called golden image) and set it so it starts up automatically whenever a user logs on to the server. To automate this process, I wrote a PowerShell script which automates the complete BGInfo installation and configuration.
This script will do all of the following:

• Create the BGInfo folder on the C: drive if the folder does not already exist.
• Download the latest BGInfo tool from the Sysinternals webpage.
• Extract and cleanup the BGInfo.zip file in the BGInfo folder.
• Download the logon.bgi file which holds the preferred settings.
• Extract and cleanup the LogonBgi.zip file in the BGInfo folder.
• Create the registry key (regkey) to AutoStart the BGInfo tool in combination with the logon.bgi config file.
• Start BGInfo for the first time.
• Exit the PowerShell window upon completion.

Prerequisites

• Windows PowerShell 5.1
• Run PowerShell as Administrator

PowerShell script

##---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ## Author: Wim Matthyssen ## Date: 23/01/19 ## File Name: BGInfo_Automated_Windows_Server_2019.ps1 ## Usage: BGInfo Automated Windows Server_2019 ## Note: Change variables were needed for your preference ## Requires: PowerShell version 5.1 ## Version: 1 ## Updated: / ##---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #Requires -RunAsAdministrator ## Variables $writeEmptyLine = "`n" $writeSeperator = " - " $global:currenttime = Set-PSBreakpoint -Variable currenttime -Mode Read -Action {$global:currenttime= Get-Date} $foregroundColor1 = "Red" $foregroundColor2 = "Yellow" $bgInfoFolder = "C:\BGInfo" $itemType = "Directory" $bgInfoUrl = "https://download.sysinternals.com/files/BGInfo.zip" $bgInfoZip = "C:\BGInfo\BGInfo.zip" $bgInfoEula = "C:\BGInfo\Eula.txt" $logonBgiUrl = "http://scug.be/wim/files/2017/02/LogonBgi.zip" $logonBgiZip = "C:\BGInfo\LogonBgi.zip" $bgInfoRegPath = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" $bgInfoRegKey = "BGInfo" $bgInfoRegType = "String" $bgInfoRegKeyValue = "C:\BGInfo\Bginfo64.exe C:\BGInfo\logon.bgi /timer:0 /nolicprompt" ##---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ## Write Download started Write-Host ($writeEmptyLine + "# BGInfo download started" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)` -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor1 $writeEmptyLine ##---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ## Create BGInfo folder on C: if not exists If(!(Test-Path -Path $bgInfoFolder)) { New-Item -ItemType $itemType -Force -Path $bgInfoFolder Write-Host ($writeEmptyLine + "# BgInfo folder created" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)` -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor2 $writeEmptyLine } Else { Write-Host ($writeEmptyLine + "# BGInfo folder already exists" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)` -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor2 $writeEmptyLine } ##---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ## Download, save and extract latest BGInfo software to C:\BGInfo Function Get-BginfoZip { Import-Module BitsTransfer Start-BitsTransfer -Source $bgInfoUrl -Destination $bgInfoZip Expand-Archive -LiteralPath $bgInfoZip -DestinationPath $bgInfoFolder -Force Remove-Item $bgInfoZip Remove-Item $bgInfoEula Write-Host ($writeEmptyLine + "# bginfo.exe available" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)` -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor2 $writeEmptyLine } Get-BginfoZip ##---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ## Download, save and extract logon.bgi file to C:\BGInfo Function Get-LogonBgiZip { Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $logonBgiUrl -OutFile $logonBgiZip Expand-Archive -LiteralPath $logonBgiZip -DestinationPath $bgInfoFolder -Force Remove-Item $logonBgiZip Write-Host ($writeEmptyLine + "# logon.bgi available" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)` -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor2 $writeEmptyLine } Get-LogonBgiZip ##---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ## Create BGInfo Registry Key to AutoStart Function Add-BginfoRegKey { New-ItemProperty -Path $bgInfoRegPath -Name $bgInfoRegKey -PropertyType $bgInfoRegType -Value $bgInfoRegKeyValue -Force Write-Host ("# BGInfo regkey added" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)` -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor2 } Add-BginfoRegKey ##---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ## Run BGInfo C:\BGInfo\Bginfo64.exe C:\BgInfo\logon.bgi /timer:0 /nolicprompt Write-Host ($writeEmptyLine + "# BGInfo has run" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)` -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor1 $writeEmptyLine ##---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ## Exit PowerShell window 3 seconds after completion Write-Host ($writeEmptyLine + "# Script completed, the PowerShell window will close in 3 seconds" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)` -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor1 $writeEmptyLine Start-Sleep 3 Stop-Process -Id $PID ##----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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##----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ## Author: Wim Matthyssen   ## Date: 23/01/19   ## File Name: BGInfo_Automated_Windows_Server_2019.ps1   ## Usage: BGInfo Automated Windows Server_2019   ## Note: Change variables were needed for your preference   ## Requires: PowerShell version 5.1   ## Version: 1   ## Updated: /   ##----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   #Requires -RunAsAdministrator   ## Variables   $writeEmptyLine = "`n"   $writeSeperator = " - "   $global:currenttime = Set-PSBreakpoint -Variable currenttime -Mode Read -Action {$global:currenttime= Get-Date}   $foregroundColor1 = "Red"   $foregroundColor2 = "Yellow"   $bgInfoFolder = "C:\BGInfo"   $itemType = "Directory"   $bgInfoUrl = "https://download.sysinternals.com/files/BGInfo.zip"   $bgInfoZip = "C:\BGInfo\BGInfo.zip"   $bgInfoEula = "C:\BGInfo\Eula.txt"   $logonBgiUrl = "http://scug.be/wim/files/2017/02/LogonBgi.zip"   $logonBgiZip = "C:\BGInfo\LogonBgi.zip"   $bgInfoRegPath = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"   $bgInfoRegKey = "BGInfo"   $bgInfoRegType = "String"   $bgInfoRegKeyValue = "C:\BGInfo\Bginfo64.exe C:\BGInfo\logon.bgi /timer:0 /nolicprompt"   ##----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ## Write Download started   Write-Host ($writeEmptyLine + "# BGInfo download started" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)`   -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor1 $writeEmptyLine   ##----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ## Create BGInfo folder on C: if not exists   If(!(Test-Path -Path $bgInfoFolder))   {   New-Item -ItemType $itemType -Force -Path $bgInfoFolder   Write-Host ($writeEmptyLine + "# BgInfo folder created" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)`   -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor2 $writeEmptyLine   }   Else   {   Write-Host ($writeEmptyLine + "# BGInfo folder already exists" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)`   -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor2 $writeEmptyLine   }   ##----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ## Download, save and extract latest BGInfo software to C:\BGInfo   Function Get-BginfoZip   {   Import-Module BitsTransfer   Start-BitsTransfer -Source $bgInfoUrl -Destination $bgInfoZip   Expand-Archive -LiteralPath $bgInfoZip -DestinationPath $bgInfoFolder -Force   Remove-Item $bgInfoZip   Remove-Item $bgInfoEula   Write-Host ($writeEmptyLine + "# bginfo.exe available" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)`   -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor2 $writeEmptyLine   }   Get-BginfoZip   ##----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ## Download, save and extract logon.bgi file to C:\BGInfo   Function Get-LogonBgiZip   {   Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $logonBgiUrl -OutFile $logonBgiZip   Expand-Archive -LiteralPath $logonBgiZip -DestinationPath $bgInfoFolder -Force   Remove-Item $logonBgiZip   Write-Host ($writeEmptyLine + "# logon.bgi available" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)`   -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor2 $writeEmptyLine   }   Get-LogonBgiZip   ##----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ## Create BGInfo Registry Key to AutoStart   Function Add-BginfoRegKey   {   New-ItemProperty -Path $bgInfoRegPath -Name $bgInfoRegKey -PropertyType $bgInfoRegType -Value $bgInfoRegKeyValue -Force   Write-Host ("# BGInfo regkey added" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)`   -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor2   }   Add-BginfoRegKey   ##----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ## Run BGInfo   C:\BGInfo\Bginfo64.exe C:\BgInfo\logon.bgi /timer:0 /nolicprompt   Write-Host ($writeEmptyLine + "# BGInfo has run" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)`   -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor1 $writeEmptyLine   ##----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ## Exit PowerShell window 3 seconds after completion   Write-Host ($writeEmptyLine + "# Script completed, the PowerShell window will close in 3 seconds" + $writeSeperator + $currenttime)`   -foregroundcolor $foregroundColor1 $writeEmptyLine   Start-Sleep 3   Stop-Process -Id $PID   ##----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To use the script copy and save the above as BGInfo_Automated_Windows_Server_2019.ps1 or download it from the TechNet Gallery. Afterwards run the script with Administrator privileges from the server you wish to use for your VM template.






If you want to change any configuration setting (for example the font style or published info), just open the logon.bgi file and adjust the settings to your preferences. Click OK to save and set the new settings.


Hope this script comes in handy for you. If you have and questions or recommendations about it, feel free to contact me through my Twitter handle.

fonte: http://scug.be/wim/2019/01/23/powershell-bginfo-automation-script-for-windows-server-2019/