A PortableApp for the Traveller and his USB stick?

what I am saying is that there doesn't seem to be a single portable application that accomplishes these tasks, which I would assume would be some of the most important information needed for someone who used their USB on the road as I do.

There are a shed load of portable programs that can give you a too much information about the operating system etc. There are others that can tell you what your network IP address is etc. You can get firewall and AV info from running wscui.cpl in a DOS window.

But as far as I know there isn't a single app that can do all of this and present it in s single small window. It would be great to see a PortableApp developed and maintained here that could do just that.

At the moment I run a DOS batch script that accomplishes this in a very primitive way. It runs this script to query information and display it in the DOS window or via a number of windows control panel windows such as wscui.cpl.

This information enables me to know whether I can load Truecrypt (if I have admin rights). It tells know whether I have enough memory to run something like VLC Portable. It helps me know if there is any point in loading Portable Firefox (if I don't actually have an internet connection). It helps me know what address I need to set for outgoing SMTP mail when I load Portable Thunderbird. It helps me to know some basic securiity about the PC via wscui.cpl.

So, to answer your question... no, I don't have the knowledge to create a portableapp, but I do have some knowledge about how to get this info in DOS and what windows commands can be used. It's just ain't very pretty at the moment, and wondered what others do that might be better than this. I would love to see a portable utility developed that could get an agreed basic set of PC, network and security info in a single application.

... you can't load it without Admin rights which kind of makes it a lot less useful (unless you know of a way around that restriction). The info I need can be obtained without Admin rights. SIW does seem to have good commandline support to produce a customised report on certain info only... Great program, shame it needs admin rights.

I guess I'd be looking for something similar that could provide simpler, customised info on network, pc and security info without the need for admin rights. I don't need to know the finer detail (it's information overload), just need to have some basic info about the system, network and security in one small screen of info. Is there anything out there that does that (portable and no admin rights)? Thanks.

I don't know anything about WMI scripting, but I will have a look.

OK, that's fine. I think I pretty much have the functionality, but would love to have this appearing as a simple windows pop-up rather than an ugly DOS window.

Rather than post the whole script which does other things (such as check if local network storage is attached, automated backups etc). I have pasted below an extract of the script with all the relevant parts. It runs fine, but does rely on a few executables being present on the USB drive:
WINMSG (displays a message with options for actions) from http://www.westmesatech.com/wast.html
wget (DOS download utility) from http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/wget.htm
http-ping (PING for http) from http://www.coretechnologies.com/products/http-ping/ - I found that ordinary PING was not accurate in correctly determining whether I had browser http access.

The script may also have some superflous variables used in the main script. These can be ignored.

If you decide to run it (at your own risk) you will need to download the 3 utilities and place them in the STARTLIB directory. The full script runs for me on XP x32, Vista x32 and Win 7 x64. I have checked that this cut and paste job runs for me on Win 7, and as long as I haven't messed up it should be OK on Vista and XP.

@ECHO OFF
@COLOR f8
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION

set CURRDRV=%cd:~0,2%\
SET STARTLIB=%CURRDRV%start

IF NOT EXIST "%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\" md "%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\"
IF NOT EXIST "%STARTLIB%\" md "%STARTLIB%\"

CALL :FINDADMINUSER

CALL :GETPCDETAILS

CALL :SETFILEPATHS

CALL :CHECK_FIREWALL

CALL :CHECK_AV

CALL :CHECK_INTERNET_ACCESS

CALL :GETIPDETAILS

echo.&echo.
pause
exit

:GETPCDETAILS
TITLE Checking Computer Memory
SET MEMFILE=%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\memory.txt
IF EXIST "%MEMFILE%" SET /p RAM= %CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\ram.txt
for /f "tokens=4* delims=: " %%a in (%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\ram.txt) do set TotalMemWithComma=%%a
set RAM=%TotalMemWithComma:,=%
echo %RAM% > %MEMFILE%
:DETAIL2
TITLE Checking Computer Operating System
SET OSFILE=%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\os.txt
IF EXIST "%OSFILE%" SET /p OSNAME= %CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\osname.txt
for /f "tokens=1,2 delims=:" %%a in (%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\osname.txt) do set OSN=%%b
for /f "tokens=* delims= " %%a in ("%OSN%") do set OSNAME=%%a
echo %OSNAME% > %OSFILE%
:DETAIL3
SET OSTYPE=%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\ostype.txt
IF EXIST "%OSTYPE%" SET /p OSNAMETYPE= %CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\osnametype.txt
for /f "tokens=1,2 delims=:" %%a in (%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\osnametype.txt) do set OST=%%b
for /f "tokens=* delims= " %%a in ("%OST%") do set OSNAMETYPE=%%a
echo %OSNAMETYPE% > %OSTYPE%
:DETAIL4
IF NOT EXIST %CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\systeminfo.txt systeminfo.exe > %CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\systeminfo.txt
echo "%OSNAME%" |findstr /i /l "XP" >nul
IF %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 IF "%ADMIN%" == "N" GOTO DETAIL5
TITLE Checking Computer Disk Space
for /f "usebackq delims== tokens=2" %%x in (`wmic logicaldisk where "DeviceID='%SYSTEMDRIVE%'" get FreeSpace /format:value`) do set FreeSpace=%%x
for /f "usebackq delims== tokens=2" %%x in (`wmic logicaldisk where "DeviceID='%SYSTEMDRIVE%'" get Size /format:value`) do set Size=%%x
call :StrLength LENGTH %Size%
SET /A POS = %LENGTH% - 9
CALL :Substring SizeGB,%Size%,0,%POS%
call :StrLength LENGTH %Freespace%
SET /A POS = %LENGTH% - 9
CALL :Substring FreeGB,%Freespace%,0,%POS%
set /a Percentage=100 * FreeGB / SizeGB
rem set OSNAME=%OSNAME: =%&SET OSTYPE=%OSTYPE: =%
:DETAIL5
echo.&echo Opertating System is %OSNAME%%OSNAMETYPE%
echo Memory=%RAM%MB RAM
IF /I %RAM% LEQ 1024 GOTO:EOF
echo "%OSNAME%" |findstr /i /l "XP" >nul
IF %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 IF "%ADMIN%" == "N" GOTO:EOF 
echo Drive %SYSTEMDRIVE% size is %SizeGB%GB, Freespace is %FreeGB%GB (%Percentage%%%)
GOTO:EOF

:SETFILEPATHS
rem must come after GETPCDETAILS
TITLE Setting Path Names
echo "%OSNAME%" |findstr /i /l "XP" >nul
IF %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 SET ALLWINSTARTUP=%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup&SET WINSTARTUP=%USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup&SET RECENTITEMS=%USERPROFILE%\Recent&SET SENDTO=%USERPROFILE%\SendTo&SET OS=%OS% Windows XP&SET SECURITYCENTER=NAMESPACE:\\root\SecurityCenter&GOTO WINCHECK2
echo "%OSNAME%" |findstr /i /l "Vista" >nul
IF %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 SET ALLWINSTARTUP=%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup&SET WINSTARTUP=%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup&SET RECENTITEMS=%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent&SET SENDTO=%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo&SET OS=%OS% Windows Vista&SET SECURITYCENTER=NAMESPACE:\\root\SecurityCenter2&GOTO WINCHECK2
echo "%OSNAME%" |findstr /i /l "Windows 7" >nul
IF %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 SET ALLWINSTARTUP=%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup&SET WINSTARTUP=%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup&SET RECENTITEMS=%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent&SET SENDTO=%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo&SET OS=%OS% Windows 7&SET SECURITYCENTER=NAMESPACE:\\root\SecurityCenter2&GOTO WINCHECK2
:WINCHECK2
echo "%OSNAMETYPE%" |findstr /i /l "64" >nul
IF %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 (
SET MEMEO="%ProgramFiles(x86)%\WD\WD Anywhere Backup\MemeoLauncher2.exe"
SET USBDEVIEW=%STARTLIB%\USBDeview\x64\
SET SETACL=%STARTLIB%\setACL\x64\
) ELSE (
SET MEMEO="%ProgramFiles%\WD\WD Anywhere Backup\MemeoLauncher2.exe"
SET USBDEVIEW=%STARTLIB%\USBDeview\x32\
SET SETACL=%STARTLIB%\setACL\x32\
)
GOTO:EOF

:FINDADMINUSER
TITLE Checking Access Credentials
NET USER "%USERNAME%" >%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\netusers.txt 2>NUL
find "*Administrators"  NUL
IF %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 (
echo.&echo Current user %USERNAME% HAS Admin Rights&SET ADMIN=Y
) ELSE (
echo.&echo Current user %USERNAME% HAS NO Admin Rights&SET ADMIN=N
)
GOTO:EOF

:CHECK_FIREWALL
TITLE Checking if Windows Firewall enabled
set FirewallStatus=
:CF1
netsh firewall show state | findstr /i /l "Operational Mode" > %CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\firewall.txt
for /f "tokens=1,2 delims==" %%a in (%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\firewall.txt) do (
set LABEL=%%a
for /l %%a in (1,1,20) do IF "!LABEL:~-1!"==" " set LABEL=!LABEL:~0,-1!
IF "!LABEL!" == "Operational mode" SET FirewallStatus=%%b&GOTO CF2
)
:CF2
echo "%FirewallStatus%" |findstr /i /l "Disable" >nul
IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 GOTO CF3
echo.&echo WARNING: WINDOWS FIREWALL IS TURNED OFF!
GOTO:EOF
:CF3
echo "%FirewallStatus%" |findstr /i /l "Enable" >nul
IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 echo.&echo Windows Firewall Status neither enabled nor disabled&GOTO:EOF
echo.&echo Windows Firewall is ENABLED
GOTO:EOF

:CHECK_AV
TITLE Checking What Anti-virus is installed
:CAV1
SET AVSTATUS=
WMIC /? >NUL 2>&1 ||        GOTO CAV1A
wmic /%SECURITYCENTER% PATH AntiVirusProduct GET * /value 2> NUL  %CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\avinfo.txt
IF %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 GOTO CAV1B
:CAV1A
echo.&echo Unable to detect Anti-virus software, please check
IF "%BACKUP%" == "N" START /b /MIN wscui.cpl
GOTO:EOF
:CAV1B
for /f "tokens=1,2 delims==" %%a in (%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\avinfo.txt) do (
set LABEL=%%a
rem for /l %%a in (1,1,20) do IF "!LABEL:~-1!"==" " set LABEL=!LABEL:~0,-1!
IF "!LABEL!" == "displayName" SET AVSTATUS=%%b&GOTO CAV2
)
:CAV2
IF NOT "%AVSTATUS%" == "" GOTO CAV3
IF "%BACKUP%" == "N" START /b /MIN wscui.cpl
%STARTLIB%\WINMSG.EXE -t "No Anti-virus software" -m "NO ANTI-VIRUS DETECTED!\nContinue?" -c AbortRetryIgnore,Exclamation,SystemModal
IF %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 3 EXIT
IF %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 4 echo.&GOTO CAV1
echo.&echo NO ANTI-VIRUS DETECTED!&SET MESSAGE=NO ANTI-VIRUS DETECTED!\n\n
GOTO:EOF
:CAV3
echo.&echo %AVSTATUS% is INSTALLED
GOTO:EOF

:CHECK_INTERNET_ACCESS
TITLE Checking Internet Connection
:CIA1
%STARTLIB%\http-ping http://www.google.com -n 2 -w 10 -v >NUL
IF %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 100 SET INTERNET=Y&GOTO CIA2
rem rundll32.exe van.dll,RunVAN
start /b /min control.exe /name Microsoft.NetworkandSharingCenter
start /b /min control.exe netconnections
%STARTLIB%\WINMSG.EXE -t "No Internet" -m "No Internet Access Detected!\nContinue?" -c AbortRetryIgnore,Exclamation,SystemModal
IF %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 3 EXIT
IF %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 4 GOTO CIA1
SET MESSAGE=Internet access currently unavailable!
echo.&echo %MESSAGE%
SET INTERNET=N
:CIA2
rem "%STARTLIB%\cmdow.exe" "Network Connections" /cls 2>NUL
GOTO:EOF

:GETIPDETAILS
TITLE Checking ISP provider, IP address and SMTP server names
IF "%INTERNET%" == "N" GOTO:EOF
"%STARTLIB%\wget\bin\wget.exe" --output-document="%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\ip.txt" --output-file="%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\iplog.txt"  "http://www.whatismyip.com/automation/n09230945.asp" 2>NUL
IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 GOTO:EOF
IF NOT EXIST "%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\ip.txt" GOTO:EOF
SET /p IP=NUL >%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\nslookup.txt
IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 GOTO:EOF
for /f "tokens=1,2" %%a in (%CURRDRV%temp\%COMPUTERNAME%\nslookup.txt) do (
set LABEL=%%a
IF "!LABEL!" == "Name:" SET LOOKUP=%%b
)
for /f "tokens=1-5 delims=." %%a in ("%LOOKUP%") do (
SET PINGER=%%b.%%c.%%d.%%e
ping -a !PINGER! >NUL
IF !ERRORLEVEL! EQU 0 GOTO PINGEND
SET PINGER=%%c.%%d.%%e
ping -a !PINGER! >NUL
IF !ERRORLEVEL! EQU 0 GOTO PINGEND
SET PINGER=%%d.%%e
ping -a !PINGER! >NUL
IF !ERRORLEVEL! EQU 0 GOTO PINGEND
SET PINGER=%%d.%%e
ping -a !PINGER! >NUL
IF !ERRORLEVEL! EQU 0 GOTO PINGEND
SET PINGER=%%e
ping -a !PINGER! >NUL
IF !ERRORLEVEL! EQU 0 GOTO PINGEND
:PINGEND
SET DOMNAME=!PINGER!
)
ECHO "%ISP%" |findstr /i "%DOMNAME%" >nul
IF %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 SET SMTPMAILSERVER=smtp.%DOMNAME%&GOTO DISPLAYDETS
PING smtp.%DOMNAME% >NUL
IF ERRORLEVEL EQU 0 SET SMTPMAILSERVER=smtp.%DOMNAME%&GOTO DISPLAYDETS
PING mail.%DOMNAME% >NUL
IF ERRORLEVEL EQU 0 SET SMTPMAILSERVER=mail.%DOMNAME%
:DISPLAYDETS
echo.&echo IP: %ip%  ISP: %DOMNAME% SMTP MAIL SERVER: %SMTPMAILSERVER%
echo Hostname: %LOOKUP%   
GOTO:EOF

:Substring
::Substring(retVal,string,startIndex,length)
:: extracts the substring from string starting at startIndex for the specified length 
 SET string=%2%
 SET startIndex=%3%
 SET length=%4%
 
 if "%4" == "0" goto :noLength
 CALL SET _substring=%%string:~%startIndex%,%length%%%
 goto :substringResult
 :noLength
 CALL SET _substring=%%string:~%startIndex%%%
 :substringResult
 set "%~1=%_substring%"
GOTO :EOF
 
:StrLength
::StrLength(retVal,string)
::returns the length of the string specified in %2 and stores it in %1
set #=%2%
set length=0
:stringLengthLoop
if defined # (set #=%#:~1%&set /A length += 1&goto stringLengthLoop)
::echo the string is %length% characters long!
set "%~1=%length%"
GOTO :EOF

[Put in <pre> block - mod Chris]