Case Else:

Wherein we take the multithread concept, and run like blazes.

This article uses some of the files from Multithreading in Batch Script, Part 1: An Example; so before you get deep into it, grab the master.bat and computers.csv from there.

This thread script:

1. takes a given PC name, pings it and reverse-resolves it.
2. logs it as responsive or unresponsive (if unresponsive, it quits)
3. maps a drive to the PC, with the same letter as the thread
4. runs arbitrary code against the pc
5. unwinds
6. deletes itself

The drive mapping can take a list of username/password combinations, starting with the user who runs it.

@ECHO OFF
(set ip=%3)
(set pcname=%3)
(set drive=%2)
(set num=00000%1)
(set logfile=logs\%num%.txt)
(set outputname=thread)
(Set outputfile=.\log.csv)

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: 1) Set variables above. This file called as;
:: newletter.bat    count newletter LineFromCSV
:: parameters are     %1      %2      %3,%4...
::
:: 2) Write a batch file that scans what you
:: need locally, and uses the variables above.
::
:: 3) Update the ":::Variable Part:::" section
:: with your batch file.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

ECHO. %*

set num=%num:~-5%
(SET pingnum=1)
set pingtarget=%pcname%
:PINGSTAT
@for /F "delims=" %%A in ('ping -n %pingnum% -a %pingtarget%') do (
 call :log xxxLx "%%A"
 @for /F "tokens=1,3,11" %%B in ("%%A") do (
  @IF "%%B"=="Pinging" (SET resolvedip=%%C)
  @IF "%%B"=="Packets:" (SET percentloss=%%D)
))
if DEFINED percentloss (SET percentloss=%percentloss:~1,-1%)
if DEFINED resolvedip (SET ip=%resolvedip:~1,-1%)

IF NOT "%percentloss%"=="100" GOTO :RESPONSIVE
:: quarter ping failed. Check for partial connectivity.
:: if full ping failed, exit.
call :log xxxLx "%pcname% Failed ping [*%pingnum%]"
@if "%pingnum%"=="1" (
 (SET pingnum=4)
 call :log xxxLx "retrying with 4 pings . . ."
 GOTO :PINGSTAT
)
call :log xxULC "%num%,%pcname%,%ip%,Unavailable. Lost %percentloss% percent of %pingnum% pings"
GOTO :END

:Responsive
call :log xxxLx "%percentloss% percent Loss"
IF ""=="%percentloss%" (
call :log xxULC "%num%,%pcname%,%ip%,Not Found"
GOTO :END
)

:: At this point, the machine is online and available

::::::::::::: connect drive :::::::::::::
if NOT exist %drive%:\nul GOTO ADDDRIVE
:DRIVEEXISTS
call :log xxxLx "%drive% exists . . ."
@for /F "delims=" %%A in ('net use %drive%: /delete /y') do (call :log xxxLx "%%A")
if exist %drive%:\nul (
 ping -n 3 localhost >null
 goto :DRIVEEXISTS
)
call :log xxxLx "%drive%:\nul doesn't exist"

:ADDDRIVE
call :log xxxLx "attaching \\%pcname%\c$ to %drive%:"

FOR %%A in ("%USERID% %PASSWORD%","%pcname%\Administrator Password") do (
  For /F "tokens=1,2" %%B in (%%A) do (
  call :connect %%B %%C
))
IF "%ERR%"=="0" goto :MAIN
call :log xxxLC "%num%,%pcname%,%IP%,Can't Connect"
Goto :End
::::::::::::: /connect drive :::::::::::::

:MAIN
call :log xxxLx "Entering Main . . . "
del netuse%drive%.txt -y

:::::::::::::::::: Variable part ::::::::::::::::::

:: Log success
call :log SxxLC "%num%,%pcname%,%ip%

:::::::::::::::::: /Variable part ::::::::::::::::::
call :log xxxLx "Disconnecting . . . "
net use %drive%: /delete /y

GOTO :END

:log
:: SFUL (Success Failure Unavailable LogDetails CommonOutput) "Message"
(set log=%1)
echo %~2
if "%log:~0,1%"=="S" ECHO.%~2>>%outputname%.Updated.log
if "%log:~1,1%"=="F" ECHO.%~2>>%outputname%.Noupdate.log
if "%log:~2,1%"=="U" ECHO.%~2>>%outputname%.Unavail.log
if "%log:~3,1%"=="L" if defined logfile ECHO.%~2>>%logfile%
if "%log:~4,1%"=="C" if defined outputfile ECHO.%~2>>%outputfile%
Goto :EOF

:connect
if EXIST %drive%:\nul Goto :EOF
call Set USER=%1
call Set PWD=%2
call :log xxxLx "connecting as %USER%"
if "%USER%"=="" (
 net use %drive%: \\%pcname%\c$ > netuse%drive%.txt 2>&1
) ELSE (
 net use %drive%: \\%pcname%\c$ /USER:%USER% %PWD% > netuse%drive%.txt 2>&1
)
(set ERR=%ERRORLEVEL%)
call :log xxxLx "netuse returns '%ERR%'"
type netuse%drive%.txt
if defined logfile type netuse%drive%.txt>>%logfile%
IF "%ERR%"=="0" (
 call :log xxxLx "Connected as %USER%."
 del netuse%drive%.txt -y
 goto :EOF
)
FOR /F "tokens=3 skip=1" %%p IN ('Find /I "System Error" netuse%drive%.txt') DO (SET NETUSEERR=%%p)
call :log xxxLx "NETUSEERR = %NETUSEERR%"
FOR /F "delims==" %%p IN ('net helpmsg %NETUSEERR%') DO (
SET NETUSEDESC=%%p
)
(SET NETUSEERR=[%NETUSEERR%] %NETUSEDESC:,=%)
del netuse%drive%.txt -y
call :log xxULx "%num%,%pcname%,%ip%,Doesn't Connect as %USER%. '%NETUSEERR%'"
Goto :EOF

:END
call :log xxxLx "Done."
del %0

download thread2.bat

This code does nothing to the target machines; it assumes that if it’s made it as far as a mapped drive, it’s finished. You can actually run just about anything against the machines: write a batch file to do *stuff* and use the variables listed in the block at the beginning of this script. When it works, plug it into this script, in the section marked

:::::::::::::::::: Variable part ::::::::::::::::::

if you need to execute a process on the target machines, you can do so with psexec or beyondexec. You can with rclient, also, but it’s turning into a security liability, at this age.