Category: PowerShell

PowerShell blog sharing useful tips and tricks to boost efficiency, published by Peter Whyte, an experienced Microsoft SQL Server Database Administrator.


  • How to Install Posh-Git on Windows

    posh-git is a PowerShell module that enhances your command line experience by displaying Git status information and providing tab completion for Git commands. This guide will show you how to install Posh Git on Windows using the Chocolatey Package Manager. As an afterthought, I’ve added notes at the…

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  • How to Install Chocolatey on Windows

    This blog post is here to help you for installing Chocolatey on Windows using command (PowerShell). Chocolatey allows you to manage software packages on your system with simple ‘choco‘ commands. It also comes with the optional Chocolatey GUI app which helps manage local software versions making it easy…

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  • Removing Quotes from a CSV File with PowerShell

    This post explains how to remove quotes from a CSV file using PowerShell, a common requirement when working with CSVs that include unnecessary or problematic quotes. Whether you’re cleaning up data for easier processing or addressing formatting issues caused by quotes, this post will show you how to…

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  • “.ps1 cannot be loaded because running scripts is disabled on this system” PowerShell Error

    Encountering this error? It’s caused by restrictive execution policies that block scripts for security reasons. This guide explains the issue and provides actionable solutions. PowerShell restricts script execution by default. Running a script like my example cdk.ps1 may trigger the following error message: Script.ps1 cannot be loaded because…

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  • Testing Connectivity to Remote Server Ports with PowerShell

    This post contains a demo for how to check if a port is open using PowerShell, whether you are on the latest or older versions of Windows. All admins need to know how to test connectivity to remote server ports. In fact, all software developers and other technical…

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  • Running PowerShell Scripts as Scheduled Tasks in Windows

    When you need to schedule tasks in Windows, Task Scheduler is the tool for the job. Running PowerShell (.ps1) scripts as Scheduled Tasks differs from running standard batch (.bat) scripts. I often find myself needing a refresher on the process, so I decided to document it in this…

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  • How to Check Features Installed in SQL Server

    This guide explains how to check which features are installed on a SQL Server instance. When downgrading from SQL Server Enterprise to Standard, checking the installed features is crucial to ensure compatibility and avoid losing critical functionality. Some Enterprise features may not be available in the Standard edition,…

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  • How to Enable TCP/IP Connections in SQL Server

    Some network protocols, like TCP/IP, are disabled by default in SQL Server. To allow TCP connections, you need to enable them and restart the SQL Server service. Here’s a simple guide to do this via GUI & command: :> Option 1: Enable TCP/IP via SQL Server Configuration Manager.…

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  • Adding & Removing SQL Features via Command

    This post will guide you on how to add and remove features from SQL Server via the command line. The process includes checking installed features, installing a new feature (such as replication), and uninstalling a feature when no longer needed. The following areas will be covered within this…

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