Move AD computers into OU based on location of user

shepherd · 2021-12-02T20:14:09.000Z

Greetings,

I’m looking for a powershell script to move computer objects in AD into the same OU as the user account after which they are named.

More info: Users and their laptop are named with a number. For instance, userA is 34567. The computer they use is also named (via FOG registration) 34567. However, during the creation process in AD, the computers were moved into a central OU… “SWorkstations”

Ideally, I’d like to write a powershell which says UserA is in ou OrgUnit4. Move the matching Computer Object name into the OrgUnit4 OU.

thanks for any assistance you can provide.

Neally · 2021-12-02T20:49:29.000Z

We’re happy to help, but not a script writing service.

What have you tried? Where are you stuck?

Post the code you’ve been working on and we’ll try to help

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Neally Bot

larrybragg · 2021-12-02T20:50:50.000Z

Let me see if I understand what you want.

You want to step through all the users in AD.
Search the “SWorkstations” OU for a computer name that matches the user name.
3a. If no computer is found, output the user name to an error file so you can manually check it.
3b. If the computer is found, move the computer object into the same OU as the user object.

Is that correct?

Neally · 2021-12-02T21:13:12.000Z

something liket his is the idea

# you need to provide the actual OU name in the searchbase
$allComputers = Get-ADComputer -filter * -SearchBase "$sworkstationOU"

foreach($computer in $allComputers){
    $ADUser     = Get-ADUser -filter "Name -eq '$($computer.name)'"
    $targetPath = ($aduser.distinguishedname -split "," | select -skip 1) -join ","

    if($aduser){
        try{
            Move-ADObject $computer -TargetPath $targetPath -ErrorAction Stop
        }
        catch{
            $error[0].exception.message
        }
    }
}

shepherd · 2021-12-03T19:18:57.000Z

My apologies about not posting the code. Frustration led to a premature post. I’ve abandoned my idea in favor of Neally’s far better idea. however, I need to use the SAMACCOUNT attribute instead of distinguishedname (for the user in AD.) . When I amend Neally’s script There is no error, however, nothing happens.

$scomputers = Get-ADComputer -filter * -SearchBase "OU=NEED_SORTING,OU=sou1,DC=myco,DC=xyz"

foreach($computer in $scomputers){
    $ADUser = Get-ADUser -filter "Name -eq '$($computer.name)'"
    $targetPath = ($aduser.sAMAccountName -split "," | select -skip 1) -join ","

    if($aduser){
        try{
            Move-ADObject $computer -TargetPath $targetPath -ErrorAction Stop
        }
        catch{
            $error[0].exception.message
        }
    }
}

Neally · 2021-12-03T19:39:24.000Z

Shepherd:

however, I need to use the SAMACCOUNT attribute instead of distinguishedname (for the user in AD.)

samaccountname is for finding the AD account.
distinguished name is for moving to the OU, so you don’t want to change that.
try like so

$scomputers = Get-ADComputer -filter * -SearchBase "OU=NEED_SORTING,OU=sou1,DC=myco,DC=xyz"

foreach($computer in $scomputers){
    $ADUser = Get-ADUser -filter "samaccountname -eq '$($computer.name)'"
    $targetPath = ($aduser.distinguishedname -split "," | select -skip 1) -join ","

    if($aduser){
        try{
            Move-ADObject $computer -TargetPath $targetPath -ErrorAction Stop -verbose
        }
        catch{
            $error[0].exception.message
        }
    }
    else{
        write-output "'$($computer.name)' not found"
    }
}

shepherd · 2021-12-03T20:13:53.000Z

That made much more sense. error line states:

The operation could not be performed because the object’s parent is either uninstantiated or deleted

I have checked though. USER 34567 in OU=3456,OU=USERBASE1,DC=MYBIZ,DC=XYZ

Laptop (NAME=34567) is in: OU=NEED_SORTING, OU=USERBASE1,DC=MYBIZ,DC=XYZ

Neally · 2021-12-03T20:17:44.000Z

Shepherd:

the object’s parent is either uninstantiated or deleted

Points to a problem with the distinguishedname of the OU

check the value of " $targetPath "

$scomputers = Get-ADComputer -filter * -SearchBase "OU=NEED_SORTING,OU=sou1,DC=myco,DC=xyz"

foreach($computer in $scomputers){
    $ADUser = Get-ADUser -filter "samaccountname -eq '$($computer.name)'"
    $targetPath = ($aduser.distinguishedname -split "," | select -skip 1) -join ","
    write-verbose "TargetOU: '$targetPath'" -verbose

    if($aduser){
        try{
            Move-ADObject $computer -TargetPath $targetPath -ErrorAction Stop -verbose
        }
        catch{
            $error[0].exception.message
        }
    }
    else{
        write-output "'$($computer.name)' not found"
    }
}

shepherd · 2021-12-03T20:34:43.000Z

VERBOSE: TargetOU: ’ **Lyanah,**OU=34567,OU=ORGUNIT1,DC=MYBIZ,DC=XYZ’

OK. so the Lyanah, has to go. and that looks like it should work after that.

Neally · 2021-12-03T20:43:55.000Z

Shepherd:

VERBOSE: TargetOU: ’ **Lyanah,**OU=34567,OU=ORGUNIT1,DC=MYBIZ,DC=XYZ’

OK. so the Lyanah, has to go. and that looks like it should work after that.

Ok, so I split it by comma, it seems that “Lyanah” person might have a comma in their name?

You have to accommodate for that. maybe something like so

$targetPath = $aduser.distinguishedname -replace "CN=.*OU=","OU="

shepherd · 2021-12-03T20:44:38.000Z

got it. ALL HAIL NEALLY

| select -skip 1

SHOULD BE 

| select -skip 2

Neally · 2021-12-03T20:50:21.000Z

Shepherd:

got it. ALL HAIL NEALLY
| select -skip 1

SHOULD BE 

| select -skip 2

Please do NOT do that.

65e2d499-35c3-49b2-aef8-2446cdd3339f-2021-12-03_14-51-38.png800×150 60.6 KB

that will be a problem for all ones that do not have a comma in the name, then it will split at the wrong place.

look at my replace sample

“Gene Belcher” has a comma in the name. “Gene Bel ,Cher” , split 2 works for that.
however all ones that do NOT have a comma in the name, the distinguishedname gets messed up.

My ‘replace’ sample works for both options.

38493a73-291f-4f15-b6e3-b59060a33e4c-2021-12-03_14-51-38.png916×172 11.3 KB