Script Zombie v0.85 Released
Batch files and scripts are crucial tools for Windows Systems Administrators. Think of the last time that you needed to touch multiple systems in your Windows infrastructure. If you were lucky it involved running a script pulling workstation names from a text file–worse, it could have involved visits to individual systems. Here lies the problem, the traditional scripting functionality in Windows is robust but the limitations start becoming obvious when you involve multiple remote systems.
Enter Script Zombie. This powerful tool, provided free of charge by Nerdcentric Software, allows for advanced functions like spawning a script to 10 remote systems at once. The ability to check network connectivity, pull system information, restart systems, remote desktop, and even check the event viewer on a single or many systems with a few clicks. All of these features without needing a client installation on the remote machine.
Don’t have a current list of the systems on your network? Script Zombie will quickly scan your network and populate the host list for you.
Are you a scripting genius? Script Zombie will pass hostnames to your scripts making site tailored functionality a breeze. To be sure the batch job is completed quickly; the Zombie Engine first checks a remote system verifying it’s online. The Zombie also includes Script Timeout functionality to gracefully end a stalled process.
Script Zombie includes a few sample scripts to get you started and be sure to take advantage of our message forums. Not only as a reference to get help with scripting questions, but also to share cool ideas with colleagues. 
With its vast feature set, Script Zombie is a fantastic tool that further empowers a skilled Systems Administrator.
New with version 0.85
- Added toggle in options to disable host check (ping) prior to running the script.
- Users can set script directory in options. No more directory navigation each time you want to load a script!
New with version 0.83
- Added a File Menu and Toolbar option to create a new host list.
- Corrected two logging issues (descriptions missing).
- Updated two icons to better depict their function.
New with version 0.81
- Now with improved graphics look and feel thanks to the art work of TheDarkCloak.com
- Zombie engine now supports .VBS scripting
- Automatically switches to using CScript when a .VBS script is loaded
- sComputer = WScript.Arguments.Item(0) <–Sample passing of the hostname to s VBS script
- Script Zombie now has the ability to spawn up to 25 tasks simultaneously
- Editor can be set for the hostname and script editing functions (I suggest Notepad++)
- Added ability to automatically spawn a monitor process when a script is running.
- Bug was corrected with the monitor process that would cause a loop if too many systems were offline at once.
13 Comments on “Script Zombie v0.85 Released”
Hi, It’s a very nice tool, but there are two major issues: 1. The using of the tool requires the installation source. If’ I delet the install source, the application does not longer work (missing files etc). 2. Unfortunately it’s only possible to add hosts with a list. Please add the feature that it would be also possible to add a host without a list.
Thanks.
JOML,
I agree Script Zombie should have a way to start a new hostlist. So, I added the feature this evening and posted a new version of the application (v0.83). You can access the new feature by selecting the far right icon on the toolbar or by selecting File\New Host List. Thanks for the suggestion!
For the second part, I have not seen an issue where the source is required after completing an installation (under the Vista/XP test systems I have used). What OS are you seeing this problem in? Also, if you point it to the install once does it keep asking for it? Just courious if the first install didn’t fully complete?
Is there a way to set the default path to something other than \program files\nerdcentric software\script zombie? I have a scripts folder on the root of my D: drive and would like to be able to open directly to that folder to access my scripts. Currently, I’d have to open, then navigate each time to that drive and folder.
This is something I have on my list for a future version of Script Zombie. In the mean time you can create a shortcut in your Script Zombie directory that is linked to your script directory. That will allow you to get there with a single click.
Select your script folder and right click on it and select “Copy”, then navigate to your Script Zombie application folder and right click and select “Paste Shortcut”.
Hope that helps.
Nothing more to say but…AWESOME!
Wow, I am forever in your debt! I am continually impressed by folks that have the ability to write software creating things that are useful for others! Just wish I had ANY talent in programming. Alas I have less than NONE!
Thanks so much!
This application goes a very long way towards running multiple threads of a script for me, great time saver over me finishing my own Psuedo Multi-Threader. I have one very big issue however, the tool decides when a destination is unreachable that it will not run the script. That is not desirable in most of my cases, I want my script to report this data, and not ScriptZombie. Can an option be added to run the script regradless of ping results? Thanks!
Grabs,
I actually ran into an issue recently where having Script Zombie ping the “destination” caused me an issue as well. I have already coded a toggle in the configuration and it will be included in the next release–
which I expect to be in the middle of February. The request was easy to add, so I added it and released a new version of Script Zombie for ya. Let me know if you run into any more issues.Thanks for the feedback and the idea!
-Rob
Nice program, I’m using it with the scripts you posted to work with updatehf.vbs.
I noticed that the psexec process never ends on the machine I’m running script zombie on. Any idea why the process isn’t closing?
PSExec will not finish until the patch completes on the remote system. But, you do not have to wait for it to finish. Once the script is executed on your remote workstation/server it is good to go. You can feel free to let ScriptZombie kill the process at the time out limit.
If your looking for new features to add, it would be great to be able to enter a username and password in script zombie for the script to run as.
So what if I wanted to schedule SZ to to the Windows Update script in batches based on my hosts.ini file? Is there a way to run SZ from the command line with switches (script, and selected hosts?) Then I could do my Windows Updates via SZ in batches nightly! Hands free!
Actually with the idea of scripting updates I have been playing around with a new setup for patching. It uses at to schedule the batch process on the remote machine. I will post an example this weekend for you to take a look at.
Also, I have a new version of Script Zombie about ready for release. The new version includes a batch mode, but instead of launching from command line it allows you to send commands via email. Basically Script Zombie watches an email box via POP3, when it gets a properly formatted message (including a password), it will load and run a hostlist and script. It also includes the ability to send the logs back out to you via SMTP.
Hey Rob,
I checked back, and didn’t see where you posted the example you were referring to.
Anxiously awaiting your update though, Feel free to shoot straight over to me, I would be glad to be a beta tester for you.
Thanks!