Welcome to How to Cheat at Windows System Administration Using Command-Line Scripts. This book is designed to help you learn the power of Windows command shell. There was a time in the history of computers when there was no graphical user interface (GUI), and every small and big task was performed using the commands and batch files. With every new version of Windows, Microsoft is trying to ease administrators jobs by adding more and more layers of GUI or configuration wizards (dialog boxes). Although these wizards are interactive and make the administrator s job easier, they are not always the most convenient and efficient way to accomplish the everyday administration tasks. These wizards are time-consuming and, at times, may seem a bit confusing. There is certainly a way to avoid these wizards and still accomplish a given task using the command-line utilities included with the operating system.

Consider a situation where you wish to add a user to the Active Directory using the Windows wizards or the GUI, assign him/her appropriate permissions to access certain resources, and restrict access to others. It would take roughly one hour to complete the job. By using command line the same task could be done in about half the time. That not only saves you time but also increases your productivity as an administrator.

Although the importance of Windows GUIs should not be underrated, the command-line tools have their own importance and utility when it comes to increasing efficiency, boosting effectiveness, and saving time.