Event Viewer

Opens the Microsoft Event Viewer and loads the target computer. Equivalent to running eventvwr.exe ComputerName on the local computer.

Manage with MMC

Opens the Microsoft Computer Management Console. Equivalent to running %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\mmc.exe compmgmt.msc /computer:ComputerName on the local computer

PDQ Deploy

Opens the Select PDQ Deploy Packages window within PDQ Deploy to initiate a deployment on the selected PDQ Inventory computer(s) or collection(s). (PDQ Deploy must be installed on the console machine.)

Reboot/Shutdown

Opens the Reboot/Shutdown window for the selected computer(s) or collection(s). Equivalent to running shutdown /r /t n or shutdown /s /t n on the local computer.

Remote Assist

Opens the Windows Remote Assistance window. Remote assistance must be enabled on the remote computer.

Run Command

Opens the Run Command window for the selected computer(s) or collection(s). Additionally in Edit Mode, commands can be saved as custom tool.

Remote Desktop

Initiates a Remote Desktop session on the remote computer. Equivalent to running %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\mstsc.exe /v:ComputerName:3389

VNC

Opens the VNC remote control viewer. (Requires that VNC Viewer is installed on the console machine and that VNC Server is installed and configured on the remote computer)

Wake

Opens the Wake-on-LAN window for the selected computer(s) or collection(s) and starts sending WOL packets to all machines listed in the window.

Open ADMIN$ Share

Opens the ADMIN$ share on the remote computer. Equivalent to running explorer.exe "\\ComputerName\ADMIN$' on the computer. (Enterprise mode required to use this tool)

Rebooting / Shutting Down

The number of computers being targeted by either the Reboot or Shutdown command.

IMPORTANT: If specific computers are not selected prior to opening the tool, all computers listed in the selected collections will be affected.

Countdown Timer

The amount of time from the execution of the tool to the reboot or shutdown of the target computer(s). (Default is 0 seconds).

Reboot

Selected by default, which will reboot the computer(s).

Shutdown

Select to shutdown the computer(s).

Message

A text field that allows you to send a message (using msg.exe) to all targeted computers and their corresponding users notifying them of the reboot/shutdown. Countdown timer must be greater than 0.

Command

The command to run on the target computers. This is equivalent to what would be run from the Windows command or PowerShell.

Insert a variable by selecting the variables button . It can include system, custom, and environment variables (such as %ProgramFiles% or %SystemRoot%). In addition to the normal environment variables, PDQ Inventory provides additional variables specific to computers to which a command would be run. Computer specific variables cannot be used in conjunction with a System Tool. For more details, see Computer Variables.

PDQ Inventory saves the command history of each single-line command run against any computers. You can select the drop-down to choose a previously run single-line command, delete individual single-line commands, or select Clear Command History... to clear the entire history.

Command (cmd)

Select to use Command from within cmd.exe to execute the commands on the target computers

PowerShell

Select to use PowerShell from within PowerShell.exe to execute commands on the target computers

NOTE: Enterprise mode is required.

Multi-line

Expands the command field to allow for multi-line scripts. Multi-line scripts will not be saved in the command history. If you intend to use the same command again, it is recommended you save as a custom tool.

Multi-line allows you to write the path or use the file picker to browse to and select an executable or script file. Using the file picker will display the file name to be run. The script itself will not be displayed in the window.

NOTE: Enterprise mode required for multi-line commands.

Options

This displays a summary of all selected options. Expand the selection to view the various available options.

Run Type

The type of command that will be run either Remote (default) or Local.

Remote

The command runs remotely on computers listed in the window.

Local

The command runs on the local computer, not on the target.This is an important distinction, since a command run through the Tools menu would need to use variables and/or UNC pathnames to be able to perform the command against a target. For example, remotely opening the ADMIN$ share on a target is executed locally with a command, explorer.exe "\\$(Computer:TARGETHOSTNAME)\ADMIN$".

NOTE: Enterprise mode is required for Local Commands.

Run As

Credentials User

Silently executes the tool on the target computers using the credentials specified in the tool. This is the default selection.

This setting is appropriate for the vast majority of tools.

Credentials User (Interactive)

This setting is the same as Credentials User with one important exception—the Windows process running the tool is run in interactive mode.

This setting is most appropriately used for individual tools that require user input, but the overall process still requires Administrator rights that logged on users may not have.

This type of tool requires more processing resources.

Local System

Executes tools using the local System account on the target computer. PDQ Inventory connects to the target computer then runs the tool using Local System credentials.

Logged on User

Attempts to run tools in Interactive mode as the Logged On User of the target machine.

This setting is used for tools that are per user or when the logged on user needs to provide information for the tool to succeed such as a license key.

It can also be used to modify the HKEY-CURRENT-USER registry hive for the logged on user or to access user-specific settings such as %APPDATA% or the logged on user’s User directory.

Timeout

The length of time to run the command before it is automatically aborted (default is 180 seconds).

NOTE: Timeout is only available for a remote command.

Success Codes

By default, 0 is selected, which means the command was successful. You can provide additional success codes in a comma-separated list.

NOTE: Success Codes are only available for a remote command.

NOTE: Enterprise mode is required for Success Codes.

Scan After

Initiates an inventory scan after the command to identify the full inventory on each workstation. A scan is still attempted even if the command fails.

You may choose whichever Scan Profile has been configured. The default Scan Profile is defined in Computer > Scan Profiles. The most commonly used are Standard or Applications.

NOTE: The ability to Scan After is only available for a remote run type.

NOTE: Enterprise mode is required to Scan After.

Credentials

The credentials that will be used for the listed computer(s). The user must be a local administrator on the target computer(s).

NOTE: Credentials are only available for a remote command.

Edit Credentials

Click to edit the existing credentials or add a new set of administrator credentials.

Wake-on-LAN

Initiates a distributed Wake-on-LAN (WOL) event on all listed computers prior to running the remote command.

NOTE: Wake-on-LAN are only available for a Remote run type.

NOTE: Enterprise mode is required for a distributed Wake-on-LAN (WOL).

Computers

(lower left-hand box)

The list of computers against which the command will be initiated. Computers can be added or removed using the Choose Computers button in the toolbar, or right clicking.

Error

Displays any error per computer. To show, hide, and move columns, click the Customize this grid button (upper left corner) or right-click the column header and select Edit Columns.

Is Running

(hidden by default)

Displays the computers that are currently running the command. This column is hidden by default. To show, hide, and move columns, click the Customize this grid button (upper left corner) or right-click the column header and select Edit Columns.

Output

(lower right-hand box)

The results of the command upon its completion. This can include information directly from the output of the command, a success code, or an error code. If the command was run against more than one computer, clicking on the computer name will show the result of the command on that computer.

NOTE: The output can be saved by clicking Save Output in the toolbar.

Wake-on-LAN Timeout

Specifies the amount of time the Wake-on-LAN will attempt before timing out. The default is 20 minutes.

Computer

List of the computer(s) receiving WOL packets. You can open the computer window directly by right-clicking the computer name and selecting Open (or Ctrl+O).

Status

The status of WOL event (pending, waking, the number of wake attempts, errors, etc.).

Elapsed

The total time elapsed from when the WOL event was initiated until stopped.

Sent via

Displays the name of the relay computer used to send the Wake-on-LAN attempt.

NOTE: Enterprise mode required for this column.