How can I read all Active Directory computers into an array in PowerShell?

Question

When I do:

# Gets all domain-joined computer names and properties in one object
$strCategory = "computer"
$objDomain = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.DirectoryEntry
$objSearcher = New-Object System.DirectoryServices.DirectorySearcher
$objSearcher.SearchRoot = $objDomain
$objSearcher.Filter = ("(objectCategory=$strCategory)")

$colProplist = "name"

foreach ($i in $colPropList) {
    $objSearcher.PropertiesToLoad.Add($i)
}

$Reader = $objSearcher.FindAll()

foreach ($Computer in $Reader) {
   Write-Host $Computer
}

$Computer comes out as System.DirectoryServices.SearchResult. How can I query Active Directory for all computers and store their string values into an array like this?

I need to keep the foreach syntax (i.e. foreach $Computer in $Reader) because my code is such that $Reader can also accept a file of computers like so:

$Reader = Get-Content ((Resolve-Path $iL).Path)

In summary, I want something that works with both an input file OR by querying AD using the same looping syntax.

EDIT: My input file is a text file that separates computer names by a newline as in the following:

win7box1
win7box2
win10box3

Why not use Get-ADComputer -Filter * -Properties * for instance ? — sodawillow
– sodawillow, Commented Feb 1, 2017 at 18:56
I want something that works with both an input file OR by querying AD using the same looping syntax. I'm not sure how what you're describing would work. — AlwaysQuestioning
– AlwaysQuestioning, Commented Feb 1, 2017 at 18:57

AlwaysQuestioning · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-01 19:51:02Z

2

I solved it. To get a string from System.DirectoryServices.DirectorySearcher, you could just do a loop as in my example, and do:

foreach ($Computer in $Reader) {
     $ComputerString = $Computer.Properties.Name
}

answered Feb 1, 2017 at 19:51

AlwaysQuestioning

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Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-04-13 12:13:48Z

1

$Reader = Get-ADComputer -Filter * | Select-Object -ExpandProperty samAccountName

foreach ($Computer in $Reader) {
   #WMI processing
}

Should do the trick. No need for more.

You could use System.DirectoryServices.DirectorySearcher for performance reasons, though. Or use a real filter, not *.

I guess you took your code from here, if you have not tried anything else before, it is not the easiest choice PowerShell offers.

Edit:

You need the ActiveDirectory module loaded for Get-ADComputer to be available (Import-Module ActiveDirectory).

... and you need RSAT installed for the ActiveDirectory PowerShell module to be available.

Edit 2:

Well without RSAT installed, obviously, this answer becomes pointless.

edited Apr 13, 2017 at 12:13

CommunityBot

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answered Feb 1, 2017 at 19:21

sodawillow

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3 Comments

AlwaysQuestioning Over a year ago

Is there a reason I would be getting The term 'Get-ADComputer' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program.?

AlwaysQuestioning Over a year ago

I cant guarantee that module will be installed on the peoples' computers who run this. Is there another way?

sodawillow Over a year ago

Sad. Updating again, I cannot run tests with System.DirectoryServices.DirectorySearcher right now but I'm sure someone around knows how to get an array of hostnames out of it : ).

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