pwshguy

Announcements!

• PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025
  The summit starts on Monday! I can’t wait to see a bunch of you there!

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• How to Check CPU Temperature Using PowerShell Command
  Let's check real-time CPU temperature logging using powershell command. In this guide we have discuss best powershell command to monitor CPU temp.
• Duplicate Mail User Objects Created for Guest Accounts
  The February 2025 EX1015484 incident explains why mail user objects with duplicate SMTP addresses are created for guest accounts. That’s a problem because Exchange Online can’t route messages to objects with duplicate email addresses. Fortunately, you can find out if any duplicates exist in your tenant with some PowerShell. Problems happen!
• How to Find Who Assigned Retention Labels to SharePoint Files
  A reader asked if it's possible to discover who made retention label assignments for SharePoint files. The Files Graph API can't tell you who (or what policy) made retention label assignments, but it’s possible to find this information in the audit log and use that data to report the requested information. All with a few lines of PowerShell!

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• TeamViewerPS v 2.2.0
  TeamViewerPS allows to interact with the TeamViewer Web API as well as a locally installed TeamViewer client.
• PSCalendar v2.10.1
  A set of PowerShell commands for displaying calendars in the console. The module is compatible with Windows PowerShell and PowerShell 7.
• Creating a No-Prompt ConfigMgr Boot Image ISO
  Here are two PowerShell scripts that can be used to create a No-Prompt ConfigMgr Boot Image ISO. This is particularly useful when performing large-scale deployments of virtual machines, or for any automation related to VM deployments, such as our Image Factory solution for ConfigMgr.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• PowerShell best practices for Intune: Error Handling
  In the next part of our PowerShell best practices series, we go over how to get started with error handling.

Community

• Contribute a tip (now available via PR template)
  Have a PowerShell tip you want to share? Know of a great module, blog post, or community event that you think others should know about?
• From Proper Football to Databases with Jess Pomfret
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we reconnect with Jess Pomfret, a PowerShell and SQL Server powerhouse, LinkedIn Learning instructor, and community advocate. From her early days in England to becoming a respected speaker and consultant, Jess shares her journey into tech, her passion for automation, and the importance of mentorship, curiosity, and community.
• MVP Summit 2025
  This year was my first in-person MVP Summit at the Microsoft Campus in Redmond. In this blog post, I will highlight a few things about the week, but... I won't share any details about the sessions because of the non-disclosure agreement (NDA). :)

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Announcements!

• Docker images containing PowerShell now maintained by the .NET team
  For years, the PowerShell team has maintained official PowerShell Docker images. Moving forward, we are using the Docker images produced by the .NET team.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Install IIS and PHP 8.x on Windows 11 and Server 2025 (Core)
  PHP is still available on Windows despite Microsoft no longer providing support for version 8.x. It can be integrated as a script engine into Internet Information Services (IIS), either through the graphical IIS Manager or via PowerShell, which is especially useful for Server Core installations.
• Using Windows Terminal Chat with GitHub Copilot
  Terminal Chat enables the integration of GitHub Copilot, Azure OpenAI, and OpenAI's AI services into Windows Terminal Canary. Through this experimental feature, you can request assistance from an AI for your PowerShell commands and directly execute the AI's recommendations in the terminal.
• AI-powered administration in the terminal without cutoff date using OpenAI GPT-4o Search in PowerShell and Warp
  The GPT-4o Search model offers search engine functionality similar to ChatGPT Search or Perplexity when accessed via the OpenAI API. With the free OpenAI Python Library, you can enhance your terminal AI by adding online search features, overcoming the limitations of LLM cutoff dates, and eliminating the frustration of outdated instructions.
• Artificial Intelligence, PowerShell, and Microsoft 365 Administration
  Artificial Intelligence and PowerShell should be a good thing to help hard-pressed Microsoft 365 tenant administrators cope with common tasks. The early signs are there with Copilot in the Microsoft 365 admin center. However, the current state of the art depends on what’s gone before and can’t handle the kind of complex automation that tenants sometimes need, like generating a licensing report from Entra ID, product information, and license costs.
• Launching Start Menu apps using PowerShell
  Sometimes, you want to run a few applications as a different (Admin) user on your system. Usually, I do that by (Shift) Right-clicking applications, etc... In this small blog post, I will show you a simple way to start multiple applications using PowerShell, making life somewhat easier ;-)
• Identify and Block Sign-in for Shared Mailboxes in Microsoft 365
  Shared and resource mailboxes in Microsoft 365 are designed for collaboration, not for direct sign-ins. However, if sign-in remains enabled, attackers could exploit these accounts to bypass security policies, send unauthorized emails, or access confidential data—posing a serious compliance and security risk.
• New MiToken Graph PowerShell module for multi-tenant apps
  Connect to multi-tenant apps using a managed identity using Microsoft Graph PowerShell with the MiToken PowerShell module.
• Human Readable File Sizes in PowerShell
  Simple way to humanize a file size in powershell

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• PSScriptTools v3.0.0
  A set of PowerShell functions you might use to enhance your own functions and scripts or to facilitate working in the console. Most should work in both Windows PowerShell and PowerShell 7, even cross-platform.
• AiLogging v 2.0.5
  Helper module for PowerShell developers that allows easy logging of script activity to Azure Application Insights

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• PowerShell 20 Basic Commands and Their Uses - Izoate Tech
  Learn the 20 basic PowerShell commands for beginners to manage files, processes, and system tasks efficiently with this easy-to-follow guide.
• Automating Excel with PowerShell: Practical Tips from a Microsoft MVP
  Doug Finke, a 16-time Microsoft MVP and author of "PowerShell for Developers", demonstrates how to streamline Excel report creation using his widely popular PowerShell module, ImportExcel, with over 11 million downloads. Doug shares straightforward methods for automating Excel tasks—from formatting and filtering data, to generating conditional formats, pivot tables, and charts—saving you valuable time and effort. You'll also get practical examples for combining data from multiple sources, quickly reorganizing spreadsheets, and troubleshooting common Excel automation challenges.

Community

• How to Build an IT Career from the Ground Up with Kevin Apolinario (KevTech)
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we welcome Kevin of KevTech IT Support, a well-known mentor and educator in the IT community. With a background in fast food and law enforcement, Kevin shares his inspiring journey into IT and how he leveraged mentorship, home labs, and community engagement to build a thriving career. We dive into help desk fundamentals, breaking into IT, career development, and Kevin helps give you a map to career success.Key topics in this episode include:

Events

• PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025
  April 7-10, 2025 Bellevue, WA

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Mastering Active Directory Hygiene: Automating SIDHistory Cleanup with CleanupMonster
  Security Identifier (SID) History is a useful mechanism in Active Directory (AD) migrations. It allows users and groups in a new domain to retain access to resources that still rely on permissions from the old domain. However, once migrations are completed, these historical SIDs can become clutter, posing both security and administrative challenges.
• SharePoint Online PowerShell Module Gets Modern Authentication
  Microsoft has announced that the SharePoint Online PowerShell module will be upgraded from the very old and now obsolete IDCRL protocol to use modern (OAuth) authentication in versions released from March 28, 2025. The update to OAuth should not affect scripts, but it’s always wise to test in case your use of the module is an edge case that Microsoft doesn’t test.
• EntraFIDOFinder now with over 50 new keys!
  I guess I should be careful what I ask for now.. Not sure if you saw, but when Microsoft first made this update it blew up my repo with over 100 issues due to all the changes and I assumed Microsoft had changed how they formatted their website, but they hadn’t.
• Ensure a Function Should be Invoked
  it’s been a long time since I’ve written; I know. I still use PowerShell at every opportunity; I just don’t write about it like I used to. An average of a post per week for nine years, which is what I managed previously, wasn’t always something I planned to maintain.
• ShellGPT for PowerShell: AI assistant with local Ollama support
  In this guide, I’ll walk through installing ShellGPT (shell_gpt) – a command-line AI assistant – on PowerShell using a local Ollama LLM. This approach lets you use AI in your terminal without relying on cloud APIs, which is great for privacy. This review highlights the use of ShellGPT on Windows through PowerShell. If you are using Mac or Linux, check out our earlier review of ShellGPT.
• How to update multiple Hyper-V VMs offline
  In environments with multiple VMs running the same Windows version, powering down the Hyper-V VMs during a maintenance window is usually the most efficient way to update them offline. This involves mounting the virtual disk and installing updates through PowerShell. This approach also benefits VMs that have been powered off for an extended period. Instead of starting them in an outdated and potentially vulnerable state, you can apply critical security updates in advance.
• How To Extract Mailboxes From EDB File
  Sponsored – Exchange Server Database (EDB) files consist of the emails, contacts, notes, calendar, and other crucial mailbox items. Several reasons may prompt you to extract these mailboxes from EDB file.
• Reinventing PowerShell in C/C++ – SCRT Team Blog
  Reinventing PowerShell in C/C++: Bypassing Security FeaturesThe article demonstrates creating a full PowerShell console using native C/C++ code, bypassing security features like AMSI and Constrained Language Mode.
• Windows Server Core – Command Line Only Administration
  Run Windows Server Core in 2025—CLI setup, roles, remote ops, FAQs. Full guide for IT pros. Master it now!

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• Auto Archive Inactive Teams in Microsoft Teams
  Each project in an organization follows a lifecycle, including start, execution, and completion. However, even after a project ends, the corresponding team often remains in the execution phase, leading to a growing number of inactive teams in Microsoft Teams.
• Dynamics 365 F&O IAM PowerShell Module
  Over the years I’ve written many an integration with identity sources. Dynamics 365 F&O though is one that has come up a number of times. With that in mind I’ve written a PowerShell Module to expose and simplify integration with Dynamics 365 F&O for Users and Roles.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• Inside IT Automation | E20
  Microsoft MVP Doug Finke talks about the state of AI and PowerShell

Community

• Exploring PowerShell for Physical Security and Automation with Cody Paternostro
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we welcome Cody Paternostro, a rising star in PowerShell automation, to discuss his unique journey into IT, the power of persistence in learning, and his work on RemotePro, a sophisticated PowerShell-based security camera management tool. Cody shares how he transitioned from food delivery to IT, leveraged PowerShell to streamline operations in physical security, and how asking the right questions helped accelerate his growth.
• PowerShell Community Award Nominations
  Nominate a deserving community member today! Submissions close April 3, 2025, at 5 PM ET

Events

• PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025
  April 7-10, 2025 Bellevue, WA

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Announcements!

• Announcing Microsoft Desired State Configuration v3.0.0
  This post announces the release of Microsoft Desired State Configuration v3.0.0. We discuss the features and benefits of DSC and how it differs from PowerShell DSC.
• PowerShell Community Award Nominations
  Nominate a deserving community member today! Submissions close April 3, 2025, at 5 PM ET

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Get started with Microsoft Desired State Configuration v3.0.0
  This post show you how to install DSC v3.0.0 and get started using the dsc command.
• Authoring Enhancements in Microsoft Desired State Configuration v3.0.0
  This is the third post in a multi-part series about the new release of DSC. Microsoft Desired State Configuration (DSC) v3.0.0 provides powerful feature that enhance the authoring experience. Shell completion Schema-based validation Support for modern DSLs like Azure Bicep DSC command completer The completer command returns a shell script that, when executed, registers completions
• PowerShell: The new Entra ID Module
  The new PowerShell Entra ID Module is a powerful tool designed to streamline the management and automation of Microsoft Entra resources.
• SharePoint Online PowerShell Module Gets Modern Authentication
  Microsoft has announced that the SharePoint Online PowerShell module will be upgraded from the very old and now obsolete IDCRL protocol to use modern (OAuth) authentication in versions released from March 28, 2025. The update to OAuth should not affect scripts, but it’s always wise to test in case your use of the module is an edge case that Microsoft doesn’t test.
• Optimize and customize Windows 11 with PowerShell and Winhance
  Winhance is a PowerShell utility for optimizing and customizing Windows 11. It enables users to remove unwanted software, prevent reinstallation, and enhance system privacy and performance settings.
• How to Check Who Deleted Emails from Shared Mailbox in Microsoft 365
  With multiple users having access to Microsoft 365 shared mailboxes, the risk of important emails disappearing is a real challenge. A single missing email can disrupt client interactions or halt progress in collaborative projects. Therefore, this blog will show you how to monitor shared mailbox email deletion to identify who…
• Practical Graph: Nag Users to Upgrade to a Strong Authentication Method
  Convincing people to use MFA is one challenge. Convincing them to use a stronger authentication method than SMS is another. This article explains how to use PowerShell to find people still using SMS for MFA and send email to ask them to upgrade their authentication method.
• How to manage most Rest APIs with just a few PowerShell functions
  A cmdlet around the endpoint, or a cmdlet per method? Disclaimer: every REST API works different, so this script should be an example of how you can build a function for each REST API. Nowadays there are more and more Rest APIs that we can use instead of Cmdlets (which use the Rest API in … Continue reading How to manage most Rest APIs with just a few PowerShell functions

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• Get-MacInfo 2.0.1
  A macOS version of the Get-ComputerInfo module

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• Find retiring Azure features and address them safely en masse with PowerShell
  See how to find which of your Azure resources will be impacted by upcoming Azure retirements. I also show an approach to targeting updating specific Azure resources, allowing you to more safely modify resources en masse, such as by environment, with PowerShell and the Az PowerShell module. There are other ways to do this as well; this is just one workflow I often use.
• PowerShell: Summarizing YouTube transcripts with AI
  In this video, 16-time Microsoft MVP Doug Finke demonstrates the PSAI PowerShell module to summarize Scott Hanselman’s NDC London 2025 AI keynote.

Announcements!

• Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK V2.26.1 Remains Flawed
  The developers rushed out Version 2.26.1 of the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK to fix some obvious issues. Alas, problems persist in PowerShell SDK cmdlets, including licensing failures and an issue that prevents the Connect-MgGraph cmdlet from being able to obtain an access token from Entra ID. My advice is to stay with V2.25 until Microsoft resolves the problems and generates a new stable version of the SDK.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• The not so simplified syntax of Where-Object in PowerShell
  PowerShell 3.0 introduced several notable improvements to its cmdlet library, with one of the most useful features in this release being the simplified syntax for the Where-Object cmdlet. This enhancement made filtering objects more efficient and user-friendly by introducing Property and Value parameters and a switch parameter for every comparison operator. This article explores how these changes work, their usefulness, and how to leverage them in your scripts.
• EntraFIDOFinder March Update
  We are in March, and looks like no new major changes. I may have to start sending this update out later in the week, as I’m wondering if Microsoft hasn’t updated their page yet. Some things I did notice were that a few of the YubiKey names slightly changed on the FIDO Alliance database
• Warp for Windows
  We have reviewed Warp's Mac and Linux versions multiple times, as it stands out as the top terminal application. The newly released Windows edition introduces AI-driven automation for PowerShell administrators.
• AI-powered Azure Function for querying Azure in natural language
  In this post, I introduce an AI-powered Azure Function that connects to the Azure OpenAI API. This Function allows you to execute queries in natural language to fetch Azure resource information without requiring a deep knowledge of the Azure Resource Graph Query Language (KQL).
• Retrieve End of Life information using PowerShell
  One of the things that I do when writing documents for customers is check if the products I advise or the customers use are still supported. The end-of-life date is essential, and in this blog post, I will show you how to retrieve that information quickly :)
• Practical Protection: Automating Inactive Account Blocking with PowerShell
  Inactive accounts aren’t glamorous, but they’re a real risk! In this episode of Practical Protection, we dive into the basics of inactive account blocking and share some PowerShell scripts to help automate this process.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• Announcing AI Shell Preview 2
  We are pleased to share a new preview release of AI Shell!
• Create Entra ID Guest invite using PowerShell and Graph API
  It’s easy to create an Entra ID guest account using the interface. But as usual, the automation and bulk are the challenges. In Entra ID, there is the option to create bulk invitations, but I still find it limited.
• Dayforce PowerShell Module
  A foundational Dayforce PowerShell Module to query Employee data.

Community

• PowerShell as a Defender’s Secret Weapon with Michael Haag
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with Michael Haag, Principal Threat Researcher at Splunk, to dive into PowerShell security, threat detection, and automation. Michael shares his journey from IT support to becoming a security expert, the role of PowerShell in modern cybersecurity, and his work on PowerShell Hunter and Atomic Red Team.

Events

• PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025
  April 7-10, 2025 Bellevue, WA

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Announcements!

• Microsoft Update changes for PowerShell 7
  This blog outlines the expected behavior of MU releases for PowerShell 7.
• v7.6.0-preview.3
  Start testing your scripts against the next gen now.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Terminal Chat now included in GitHub Copilot Free
  Windows Terminal Canary users can now use Terminal Chat with the GitHub Copilot Free plan! GitHub Copilot Free is limited to 50 chat messages per month. This includes the usage of Copilot in the CLI, VS Code, and Visual Studio.
• Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK Runs into Choppy Waters
  A bunch of problems with V2.26 of the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK V2.26 make the software unusable. Not only did Microsoft do a horrible job of testing the new release before making it available to customers, but they also failed to communicate the level of change in the new SDK and how it could impact Azure Automation runbooks.
• Practical Graph: Creating SharePoint News Items from an RSS Feed
  This article explains how to use the SharePoint Pages API to create new site pages with the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK after reading information from an RSS feed. Parsing the RSS feed to find article details is just one of the challenges encountered and solved to accomplish the goal.
• Practical PnP: Automating Teams Creation using Templates
  In this installment of Practical PnP, Sean McAvinue dives into how PnP PowerShell can help to improve automated Teams provisioning using templates and preset structures.
• Using Warp as PowerShell terminal
  This week, after the official Windows release of Warp on February 26th, I saw many YouTube clips of the new Terminal app. I decided to try it and see what it does differently from my trusty Windows Terminal app. This blog post will show you my first impression of the application.
• 25 Years of Active Directory and my PowerShell experience managing it
  This week, on the 17th of February, Active Directory celebrated its 25th birthday :) I will share my experience managing it with PowerShell in this blog post.
• Understanding OAuth: Coding the authentication flow yourself vs using an SDK
  Dive into Microsoft Graph authentication with PowerShell. In this blog we explore OAuth flows, PKCE security, and token handling. Learn how to build a secure auth flow from scratch and why the SDK might still be the best choice for automation.
• Export All App Registrations with Certificates and Secrets in Microsoft Entra
  Imagine spending your afternoon sifting through dozens of app registrations in Entra ID to determine which ones are still active, and which are relics from past projects. As an admin, you know that applications use certificates and secrets for app registrations to securely authenticate—but many of these credentials persist
• How to stringify nested Json in PowerShell and back to a PSObject
  Stringify dynamic child properties in Json with PowerShell I had a fun one yesterday that I want to share here. We have a database at work (new job at InSpark), in the database we have a table in which we can create a row ourselves by making a request via a put method. The row … Continue reading How to stringify nested Json in PowerShell and back to a PSObject

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• supergenpass.ps1
  PowerShell script to generate passwords using SuperGenPass algorithm
• Warp, the intelligent terminal, now available on Windows
  Today, Warp’s AI-powered terminal is available on Windows. With this release, Warp’s agentic, modern, and collaborative experience is available to users of all major operating systems.

Community

• MS Graph and Stepping into Public Speaking with Morten Kristensen
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with Morten Kristensen, an automation specialist and PowerShell enthusiast, to discuss his journey with PowerShell, his experience working with the Microsoft Graph API, and his recent leap into public speaking. Morten shares insights from his first-ever technical talk, the challenges of working with Graph API, and how he's navigating his professional growth.

Events

• PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025
  April 7-10, 2025 Bellevue, WA

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Processing Multiple Message Attachments with the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK
  Many examples are available online to explain how to add a single attachment to messages using the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK. Here we look at the principles behind how to add attachments (one or many) to messages before sending them with the Send-MgUserMail cmdlet. Get the principles right and you’ll never go wrong!
• A Mini Dive into the Microsoft Entra PowerShell Module: An Intune Administrator’s Perspective
  In this post, we'll analyse the Entra PowerShell module's authentication implementation and discuss whether it's necessary for your Intune automation needs if you're already using the Microsoft.Graph.Authentication module, part of the Microsoft Graph SDK, to handle your tokens.
• Retrieve blocked DNS queries from PiHole using PowerShell
  I use PiHole for Ad-blocking at home, and yes, sometimes that causes some issues if it blocks Microsoft (Or other) management addresses. In this blog post, I will show how you can live-track blocked DNS queries and get some insights while troubleshooting :)
• Practical PowerShell: Parameter Input Validation
  In previous Practical PowerShell articles, Michel discussed using parameters in advanced functions and utilizing dynamic parameters. In this article, we will dive in a bit deeper on a topic we touched on lightly in those articles, which is ways to validate parameter input.
• Automating Sysmon installation and configuration with PowerShell
  Introduction In today’s fast-paced digital world, quick response to security incidents is crucial. Sysmon (System Monitor) from Microsoft’s Sysinternals suite is an essential tool for detailed system monitoring and security analysis. However, traditional installation can be time-consuming, especially in urgent situations. This blog post introduces a PowerShell script that automates the download, extraction, and installation of Sysmon, along with applying a pre-configured setup.
• The Micromine Alastri Hub Launcher Tool that leverages a RAM Disk for Temporary Data
  I would like to introduce you to a PowerShell tool I originally created in early 2024, which was in the research and planning stage for about 12 months previous to that. If you or your customer runs Micromine Alastri Software, especially in a virtualised desktop platform from Vendors such as Citrix, Omnissa, Parallels, Microsoft and […]Author informationJeremy SaundersTechnical Architect | DevOps Evangelist | Software Developer | Microsoft, NVIDIA, Citrix and Desktop Virtualisation (VDI) Specialist/Expert | Rapper | Improvisor | Comedian | Property Investor | Kayaking enthusiast at J House ConsultingJeremy Saunders is the Problem Terminator. He is a highly respected IT Professional with over 35 years’ experience in the industry. Using his exceptional design and problem solving skills with precise methodologies applied at both technical and business levels he is always focused on achieving the best business outcomes. He worked as an independent consultant until September 2017, when he took up a full time role at BHP, one of the largest and most innovative global mining companies. With a diverse skill set, high ethical standards, and attention to detail, coupled with a friendly nature and great sense of humour, Jeremy aligns to industry and vendor best practices, which puts him amongst the leaders of his field. He is intensely passionate about solving technology problems for his organisation, their customers and the tech community, to improve the user experience, reliability and operational support. Views and IP shared on this site belong to Jeremy.TwitterFacebookGoogle+LinkedIn
• Preparing for Microsoft’s Strong Certificate Mapping Enforcement – What You Need to Know
  The post Preparing for Microsoft’s Strong Certificate Mapping Enforcement – What You Need to Know appeared first on PKI Solutions.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• How to Find Inactive Teams in MS Teams
  Since 2020, Microsoft Teams has taken the lead as the go-to communication tool in organizations. From chats to meetings, it’s become the collaboration hub for team projects. However, as projects come to an end, many of the teams gradually fade into inactivity.
• Get-PSChooseFileName
  A bridge to AppleScript's Choose File Name command
• PowerShell Bug Reproductions
  A small repo to reproduce PowerShell bugs in.
• DesktopManager
  DesktopManager is a C# library and PowerShell module that allows to play with desktop settings. It allows to get information about monitors, display devices, wallpapers and set wallpapers.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• Behind the PowerShell Pipeline
  Welcome to the Leanpub Launch video for Behind the PowerShell Pipeline: Discovering What You Didn't Know You Needed to Know
• Get Started with GitHub Copilot in VS Code
  If you want to learn how to use GitHub Copilot, the AI pair programmer that helps you write code faster and better, then this video is for you.

Community

• Building a Game in PowerShell from the Ground Up with Greg Martin
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we welcome Greg Martin, a longtime developer and PowerShell enthusiast, who has taken PowerShell beyond system administration and into the realm of game development. Greg shares his journey of building Eldoria, a terminal adventure game written entirely in PowerShell, and how his experience across multiple programming languages influenced his approach.

Events

• PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025
  April 7-10, 2025 Bellevue, WA

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Primer: Using Exchange Online PowerShell in Azure Automation Runbooks
  In this primer, we cover how to create and execute Azure Automation Exchange Online runbooks (scripts) using cmdlets from the Exchange Online management module. Some setup is necessary before runbooks can process Exchange cmdlets, but once the necessary resources and permissions are in place, it’s all plain sailing.
• Custom Maester Tests: Validate Full Addresses Now and Cleaned Up Wording
  Added 3 new tests which I think the first two will be game changers. The first 2 are tests for validating locations, in which the user must have street, city, state, postal code, country, business phone, and company name the same as the valid location in the json.
• 02-14-2025 MSOnline and AzureAD PowerShell modules.. One last Valentine’s day card each
  If you haven’t seen the news already, MSOnline and AzureAD PowerShell modules will be no longer supported after March 30, 2025. So looks like this will be our last year to give them a Valentine’s day card for all the times they’ve been there for us in!
• Cline vs. Roo Code – Which VS Code extension is better for the AI-augmented IT pro?
  In a prior article, I showcased automating PowerShell management in natural language using the VS Code extension Cline. Roo Code (formerly Roo Cline) is a Cline fork that provides extra valuable features for the AI-enhanced IT pro. Roo Code remains comparable, and the insights I shared about working with MCP servers in Cline also apply to Roo Code. The main difference is that Roo Code serves system administrators more effectively, as it provides a mode more suitable for natural language use in a CLI. Additionally, Roo Code's support of VS Code's Code Actions feature makes it perfect for understanding and modifying a colleague's scripts.
• Using the PowerShell WinGet Client module to install your apps on your new computer
  Installing all your (management) apps on a new system always takes too much time. In this blog post, I will show you how to use PowerShell and the WinGet Client module to install them quickly.
• Not the Error I expected! Connect-NsxtServer
  Howdy! It’s been quite a while since I created a blog post. Not sure I would want to say exactly how long. However, today I had a brand new VM that I was using to write some automation with PowerShell/PowerCLI. It took me a few minutes to figure this one out. Maybe it was me?
• DPRK hackers dupe targets into typing PowerShell commands as admin
  North Korean state actor 'Kimsuky' (aka 'Emerald Sleet' or 'Velvet Chollima') has been observed using a new tactic inspired from the now widespread ClickFix campaigns.
• Behind the PowerShell Pipeline
  Welcome to Behind the PowerShell Pipeline a subscription-based newsletter that will dive deeply into the world of PowerShell.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• PowerShell-OpenAuthenticode
  Cross platform PowerShell implementation of Authenticode signing and verification.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• Building a Pokedex - ChatGPT vs. Gemini vs. DeepSeek vs. Claude
  Which model can build the best PowerShell Pokédex? ChatGPT vs. Gemini vs. DeepSeek vs. Claude - you will be as surprised as I was!

Community

• Building Secure PowerShell Solutions with Jake Hildreth
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we welcome back security-focused PowerShell expert Jake Hildreth for an insightful conversation about PowerShell, security tools, and his continued journey in the PowerShell community. Jake shares updates on Locksmith v2, his work with PowerPUG, and his experience learning new PowerShell techniques to refine and improve his tools.

Events

• PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025
  April 7-10, 2025 Bellevue, WA

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Announcements!

• Microsoft Entra PowerShell module now generally available
  Manage and automate Microsoft Entra resources programmatically with the scenario-focused Microsoft Entra PowerShell module.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Automating Code Compliance: AI-Driven Code Style Enforcement for Pull Requests
  As teams increasingly rely on automation for code quality and compliance, ensuring consistent coding standards can be challenging during the pull request (PR) process. In this article, we explore how to build an AI-powered style enforcement pipeline using modern tools like GPT-4 and CI/CD workflows.
• PowerShell: How to find empty Attributes
  We are often looking for attributes, but what about the empty attributes? How can I find out if an attribute is empty? That is the focus of this article.
• Now you can use your own company standards with Maester custom tests
  I thought checking to see if they were filled in or even formatted correctly wasn’t enough.. now you can config the validation.json file in the Validating folder with your company standards to make only those values pass. Here are the fields so far, and will be adding more!
• Get All Teams Channels With External Members
  Channels in Microsoft Teams are the heartbeat of collaboration, designated to help teams organize conversations, files, and tasks around specific topics or projects. However, they also come with challenges—especially when external members are involved.
• Microsoft Entra PowerShell modules
  The new Microsoft Entra PowerShell modules are available, replacing the deprecated AzureAD modules. This blog post will highlight the installation, changes, and features.
• New Microsoft script updates Windows media with bootkit malware fixes
  Microsoft has released a PowerShell script to help Windows users and admins update bootable media so it utilizes the new "Windows UEFI CA 2023" certificate before the mitigations of the BlackLotus UEFI bootkit are enforced later this year.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• Monthly Update #116 for Office 365 for IT Pros
  Monthly update #116 (February 2025) is available for the Office 365 for IT Pros eBook. The refresh includes update #8 new files for the Automating Microsoft 365 with PowerShell eBook. We’ve also updated the print (paperback) version that’s sold on an on-demand basis through Amazon.com. Things keep on changing inside Microsoft 365 with agent management a new challenge that’s coming into view.
• Behind the PowerShell Pipeline
  Discover parts of PowerShell that lie under the surface that can make you a better PowerShell user and scripter. From one of the original PowerShell experts.

Community

• Exploring the Power of IoT and PowerShell with Mark Go
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with Mark Go, a PowerShell enthusiast and innovator, to discuss his exciting journey from the Navy to becoming a tech-savvy system administrator. Mark shares his experiences using PowerShell to make his work life better.

Events

• PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025
  April 7-10, 2025 Bellevue, WA

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Announcements!

• PowerShell v7.5.0
  The official v7.5 is out now!

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Build a Scalable PowerShell Pester Testing Framework
  Learn how to create a maintainable and organized Pester testing framework for PowerShell that scales with your needs. Perfect for large test suites.
• If Maester couldn’t get any better…Custom Test Collection now available
  The time has finally come. I have created a public repository to store custom Maester tests for everyone. As well as a website for deeper understanding where needed.
• Identifying Privileged Applications and Their Secret Passwords
  Securing applications in an Entra tenant is crucial, especially after recent attacks like Midnight Blizzard. This article reviews how to use PowerShell to help identify privileged applications, their permissions, as well as client Secrets.
• Practical Graph: Finding and Removing Underused Microsoft 365 Copilot Licenses from User Accounts
  Microsoft 365 Copilot licensing costs a lot of money. At $360 annually, it's important to make sure that everyone with a license makes full use of Copilot to become more productive and efficient. Usage data is available in the Graph, and some PowerShell can reveal who's using Copilot and who's not. With that data, you can decide whether to remove licenses for reassignment to other users.
• Exploring PowerShell Reflective Loading in Lumma Stealer
  One of the most common techniques I’ve seen used by threat actors to deliver Lumma Stealer payloads to victims is Reflective Loading, leveraging the .NET library. Reflective Loading is a technique…
• 10 Master PowerShell Troubleshooting Commands: Simplify System Diagnostics
  Discover 10 essential PowerShell troubleshooting commands. Learn what each command does, how to use them effectively for system diagnostics.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• Get-MacInfo
  This is a powershell module for PS on macOS that, as much as possible, replicates "Get-ComputerInfo".

Community

• Streamlining PowerShell Package Management with Fred Weinmann
  In this episode of the #PowerShell Podcast, we continue our deep dive with Fred Weinmann, a Microsoftie and PowerShell legend, as he shares more insights and tools that redefine productivity for PowerShell enthusiasts. Picking up where we left off in the last episode, Fred takes us through his journey of mastering PowerShell, collaborating with the community, and optimizing workflows with powerful custom modules.
• Inside IT Automation | E19
  Jakub Jares talks about PowerShell testing with Pester and more

Events

• PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025
  April 7-10, 2025 Bellevue, WA

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

I really appreciate your understanding for the missed edition last week. To make up for it, this week’s issue is packed with even more tips, insights, and updates to level up your PowerShell skills.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Final Days for the MSOnline and AzureAD PowerShell Modules
  After many twists and turns since August 2021, the MSOnline module retirement will happen in April 2025. The AzureAD module will then retire in the 3rd quarter. It's way past time to upgrade PowerShell scripts. The question is whether to use the Entra module or the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK. I know which option is best and say why in this article.
• PowerShell: How to execute PowerShell Scripts (*.ps1) on Remote Computers
  PowerShell scripts can be executed locally or remotely. In this article I will show how scripts can be executed remotely.
• Update to Entra FIDO Key Attestation Database
  What other keys are you looking to gain compatibility?
• VS Code extension Cline: AI-automated scripting and CLI administration – A PowerShell example
  In a previous post about the new AI features in the Warp terminal, I suggested that AI interfaces would eventually replace the CLI and facilitate the automation of script generation. The Cline extension for Visual Studio Code is a significant step in this direction, allowing you to create scripts using natural language, execute them with AI support in the terminal, rely on AI to analyze shell output and respond to errors. While the extension supports various shells, I'll demonstrate how to utilize Cline to automate PowerShell administration.
• Harnessing AI in PowerShell: Create a multi-model command-line AI assistant (Part 1)
  AI is virtually inescapable these days. From annoying website chat bots to the assimilation of the Microsoft product portfolio by Copilot, AI has been busy spreading its tentacles every which way it can. I must be honest – I’ve never been a fan of it. That is, until I started using GitHub Copilot.
• Find Groups with Disabled Users in Microsoft 365
  Offboarding users in Microsoft 365 involves more than just blocking sign-ins; there’s a hidden complication that many overlook. Disabled accounts tied to groups hinder group management by inflating group sizes, making it harder to track active members and maintain compliance with access policies.
• Fixing Windows 11 24H2 – No Internet Access Issue using PowerShell and Intune Remediation
  There are articles and forum posts from people who upgraded to Windows 11 24H2 and are experiencing Wi-Fi issues. In this blog post, I will show you an Intune Remediation script that might fix the problem for your devices.
• Powershell - Testing network connectivity and port accessibility
  Testing network connectivity and port accessibility with Powershell
• List all directory objects owned by a user in Entra with PowerShell
  Learn how to use Microsoft Graph PowerShell to list all directory objects, such as apps and groups a user owns in Microsoft Entra.
• PowerShell based Terraform Bootstrap Script
  Create a PowerShell script to bootstrap Terraform, handle installation, create project directories, and automate deployments across Windows, Mac, and Linux.
• Terminal profiles in IDEs
  I spend a significant part of my work day in a terminal. That's why I have it configured to suit my needs with a collection of several useful modules which I occasionally still extend. Although all IDEs I regularly use feature an integrated terminal which opens in repository root by default, I rarely used them because they didn't match my configuration. So I decided to check if there was a way to make them use my default PowerShell profile.

Continued in the comments...

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Announcements!

• Pester v5.7.0
  Pester 5.7.0 is out, it adds new code coverage format Cobertura, and other fixes

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• PowerShell Pester 101: A Practical Guide for Beginners
  Learn how to validate your PowerShell scripts with Pester testing. This hands-on guide shows you how to write tests that ensure your code works as intended.
• Automated Provisioning of Windows 365 Cloud PCs: Advanced Scripts
  We decided that we would create some more advanced scripts for admins, which would include some error handling, prompts for input, and more. You will be able to use these scripts to provision your Entra ID joined Cloud PCs for various scenarios, be it using a Microsoft Hosted network or an Azure Network Connection, Enterprise or Frontline builds, or choosing your Cloud PC image, language, or region etc.
• Using PowerShell to make bulk changes to DotNet .csproj files
  When working on a big DotNet team, it’s easy to create a library but forget to set a configuration property according to your team’s standards. Most people don’t spend a lot of time looking at their…

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• All About the Office 365 for IT Pros GitHub Repository
  The Office365ITPros GitHub repository holds over 300 PowerShell scripts showing how to interact with Microsoft 365 and Entra ID. Anyone can contribute to Office365ITPros by forking the code to a copy of the repository and making changes to scripts there. If you want, you can push the changes back to us so that we can consider their inclusion in Office365ITPros. It's a great example of community in action.
• JsonFS
  Mount a Json file as PowerShell file system. Contribute to wgross/json-fs development by creating an account on GitHub.
• Icewolf.EXO.SpamAnalyze v2.0.14
  This is a Powershell Module that simplifies the Message Trace in Exchange Online (EXO).

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• A PowerShell Teaser
  Somewhat ironically, since finishing our long series on Bash scripting I’ve been almost exclusively writing scripts in a completely different language, PowerShell! Being a Microsoft language you’d be forgiven for assuming that means I’ve moved to Windows and started trying to automate things there, but you’d be mistaken, I’m still very much a Mac user! So what gives? Despite what its origins may suggest, the core PowerShell environment is both open source and cross-platform, running just fine on the Mac and Linux as well as Windows.
• PowerShell in Azure: Adding Tags & Setting Location Restrictions
  In this tutorial, learn how to create and apply tags to Azure resources and enforce a location restriction policy using PowerShell. Effective resource tagging helps you organise and manage your Azure environment, while location restriction policies ensure compliance with regional regulations.
• Run Data Access Governance reports with PowerShell
  How to run Data Access Governance reports for SharePoint Advanced Management in PowerShell

Community

• Exploring PnP PowerShell Updates with MVP Gautam Sheth
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we’re joined by Gautam Sheth, Microsoft MVP and M365 developer extraordinaire, to explore the latest improvements to the PnP PowerShell module and how to get started with it. Gautam shares his unique perspective on automating SharePoint, working with Microsoft 365, and leveraging Microsoft Graph through PowerShell. We discuss practical use cases, best practices, and the significance of PnP PowerShell for modern IT and development workflows. From SharePoint tips to automation strategies, this episode is packed with insights for PowerShell enthusiasts and M365 developers alike. Whether you're just starting or looking for advanced techniques, Gautam provides actionable advice and plenty of inspiration!

Fun

• A little PowerShell humor
  I think we can all agree

Events

• PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025
  April 7-10, 2025 Bellevue, WA

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.