Looping Batch Script Recipe

The following procedure creates and executes a looping script that executes a command with output to a file and a sleep in between each execution:

1. Create a file named diagscript.sh replacing the command after the CHANGEME comment, and, if necessary, the sleep time:

   @echo off
   SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
   
   :loop
   
   echo [%date% %time%] Executing iteration
   
   :: CHANGEME: Change the `tasklist` command to your desired command:
   tasklist
   
   :: Change the sleep time (in seconds) as needed:
   timeout /t 30 > NUL
   
   goto loop

2. Open a command prompt and change directory to where you would like to store the script output; for example:

   cd %TEMP%

3. Manually confirm the looped command exists and works (as some versions support different flags). Using the example command above:

   tasklist

4. Execute the script and redirect output to a file, replacing C:\ with the directory of the script:

   C:\diagscript.bat > diag_%computername%.txt 2>&1

5. Monitor that the script output does not exhaust disk
6. When you are ready to stop the script, kill it by closing the command prompt window (Ctrl+C may not reliably work)
7. Upload diag*.txt and any other relevant logs

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