Computer management tool: HelpHTA 1.52

HelpHTA 1.52
http://www.vbshf.com/vbshf/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=263&posts=1





To continue tooting my own horn (since I've not had a chance to check out any new freeware lately), this weeks' entry is about my PC management tool, HelpHTA. I know it's a boring name, but it started out as something very small, and has come leaps and bounds over the last couple years. So I figured, what the heck, I'll tell you about it ;)

What is HelpHTA?

HelpHTA is a centralized console for a variety of information-gathering and administrative tools. For example, our support desk at my company uses it to gather statistics, drive space information, memory, processor, installed programs, etc. and remote control using VNC and Remote Desktop.

By utilizing some VBScript code that accepts various command-line parameters, I am able to integrate otherwise standalone scripts into HelpHTA which allows it to be a launchpad for various support-centric tools.

What does it launch? Among other things:

• Management MMC



• Remote Control (VNC/RDP/Remote Assistance) -VNC can be installed remotely and set to prompt the remote user to accept a connection.



• Shutdown/Restart/Logoff process



• Remote screenshot (via lsgrab.exe - does anyone know of any others that accepts command-line parameters?)



• Remote DOS/Telnet connection



• Customizable web-links via the menu system

Using WMI, HelpHTA can enumerate a wide array of information about a remote/local computer:

• Services (you can stop/start services through the outputted page)



• Processes (you can kill processes through the outputted page)



• System hardware summary: manufacturer & model, timezone, Windows version, SP level, Windows CD product key, domain, user logged in currently, BIOS version, system serial number, last booted time.



• Complete system summary which you can selectively enable/disable parts of the query for faster responses, getting only the information you need (choose between processor, memory, network adapters, monitor (including serial number), audio/video, logical, physical, and network drives, SCSI adapters, tape devices, printers, and shares.



• Startup process information



• Advanced network adapter information

Much of the information is hyperlinked so you can directly browse (from the outputted information) system folders, shares, etc. without having to perform extra steps.

Also, HelpHTA is Active Directory capable, so you can browse your OU structure for the computer you need, or just type in a computer name or IP address in the field provided. The tool has a logfile (new in 1.52) which can keep track of who is performing action against what computer.

Alternates:

• ManagePC (Excellent tool, and Matt has a .Net 2.0 version available!)
• AdvancedRemoteInfo