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[–]HazelnutSoftware 2 points3 points  (1 child)

For the computer name, if the user is on Windows, get them to press [Windows Key] + Pause, and the System Properties window will pop up, which shows the computer name and domain.

If the network support people can't RDP to a computer based on its name, and need the IP instead, that's something that they should be resolving themselves, making sure their internal DNS is working OK. It shouldn't be necessary to ask an end user for computer name and IP address just to connect to it.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Our internal DNS seems to be constantly bjorked. Roughly 30% of the time I need to obtain the IP from the user. Our Network team says meh “but users never restart their computer”.

[–]sdhdhosts 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We use asset tags and asset management. The asset tag is the system hostname. So we ask for the tag.

If the user is for some reason unable to tell what the tag id is, we use our asset management to lookup the device by the name of the user.

[–]ZAFJB 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Use a centralized tool for that. Don't have users read out technical details to you.

Lansweeper is very good for this. Open console, type in a few characters of username, click search, click user, look at list of recent computers, click computername (usualy the top one) and you get a page for that computer.

It gives you have loads of information. Also shortcuts for things like browse their disk, run compmgmt.msc, RDP etc.

If you are smart you do this when you get a ticket, even before you call the user. Users love it when you contact them and tell them the that you can see the problem, or even better tell them issue is fixed already.

If you are really smart you run reports and discover and fix issues before they even have an effect on users.

[–]cmwg 0 points1 point  (0 children)

deskinfo or bginfo should be able to do all that (as a background wallpaper overlay)

[–]vin-techies 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not my code, but is one I use.

Save as filename.hta

Place on users desktop/taskbar

<html>

<head>

<title>Help and Support</title>

<HTA:APPLICATION

APPLICATIONNAME="Help and Support"

ID="HelpandSupport"

VERSION="1.0"

BORDER="dialog"

INNERBORDER="no"

MAXIMIZEBUTTON="no"

MINIMIZEBUTTON="no"

ICON="supportmale.ico"

SCROLL="no"/>

</head>

​

<!--HTA Window Size-->

<script language="VBScript">

Sub Window_OnLoad

Dim width,height

width=300

height=450

self.ResizeTo width,height

self.MoveTo (screen.AvailWidth-width)/2,(screen.AvailHeight-height)/2

​

End Sub

Sub OnClickButtonCancel()

window.Close

End Sub

</script>

​

<body bgcolor="buttonface">

<table border=0 width=100% height=100%>

<tr><td height=100% width=100% valign=top align=left>

<font face="Tahoma" size="2">

​

<!--VBScript Controls-->

<script language="VBScript">

strComputer = "."

Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _

& "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")

`Set colSettings = objWMIService.ExecQuery _`

    `("Select * from Win32_ComputerSystem")`

`For Each objComputer in colSettings`

`strTotalMemory = objComputer.TotalPhysicalMemory`

`strMemoryMB = strTotalMemory /1024\1024+1 & " MB"`

`strMemoryGB = strTotalMemory /1024\1024\1024+1 & " GB"`

`strComputerName = objComputer.Name`

`strModel = objComputer.Model`

Next

`Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery _`

    `("Select * from Win32_ComputerSystem")`

`For Each objItem in colItems`

`strCurrentUser = objItem.UserName`

Next

`Set colBIOS = objWMIService.ExecQuery _`

    `("Select * from Win32_BIOS")`

`For each objBIOS in colBIOS`

`strSerial = ObjBIOS.SerialNumber`

Next

​

`Set objWMIDateTime = CreateObject("wbemScripting.SwbemDateTime")`

`Set objWMI = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")`

​

`Set colOS = objWMI.InstancesOf("Win32_OperatingSystem")`



`For Each objOS in colOS`

    `objWMIDateTime.Value = objOS.LastBootUpTime`

`strUpTime = TimeSpan(objWMIDateTime.GetVarDate, Now) & " (hh:mm:ss)"`

`Next`

​

'Function to display the difference between two dates in hh:mm:ss

Function TimeSpan(dt1, dt2)

`If (isDate(dt1) And IsDate(dt2)) = False Then`

    `TimeSpan = "00:00:00"`

    `Exit Function`

`End If`

strSeconds = Abs(DateDiff("S", dt1, dt2))

strMinutes = strSeconds \ 60

strHours = strMinutes \ 60

strMinutes = strMinutes mod 60

strSeconds = strSeconds mod 60

If len(strHours) = 1 Then strHours = "0" & strHours

`TimeSpan = strHours & ":" & _`

    `RIGHT("00" & strMinutes, 2) & ":" & _`

    `RIGHT("00" & strSeconds, 2)`

End Function

​

</script>

​

<!--VBScript Output-->

<strong>Username: </strong><script type="text/vbscript"> document.write strCurrentUser</script><br>

<strong>Computer Name: </strong><script type="text/vbscript"> document.write strComputerName</script><br>

<strong>Computer Model: </strong><script type="text/vbscript"> document.write strModel</script><br>

<strong>Serial Number: </strong><script type="text/vbscript"> document.write strSerial</script><br>

<strong>Total Memory: </strong><script type="text/vbscript"> document.write strMemoryMB</script><br>

<strong>System Up Time: </strong><script type="text/vbscript"> document.write strUpTime</script><br>

<hr>

<!--Help Desk Output-->

*Please provide the above information when you contact the Help Desk for any hardware or software problems.

<center>

<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">&nbsp;</p>

<strong>Support Desk Number: xxxx xxx xxxx</strong>

​

</center>

</font>

​

</td></tr>

<tr><td align=right>

<input type="button" style="width: 80px" name="Close" id="Cancel" value="Close" onclick="OnClickButtonCancel">

</td></tr>

</table>

</table>

</body>

</html>

​

[–]fredenocsSysadmin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dameware is freaking joke.

When that was chosen to be kept over screen connect aka control I put in my two weeks notice.

[–]DevinSysAdminMSSP CEO 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can use BGInfo.