Scripting can be refered to the act of creating, executing, and utilizing small computer programs that are written in highend scripting language, such as VBScript, JavaScript and so on. Lets start with simple VBScript, open Windows notepad on a Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, 2008 or Windows 7 computer and type the following text

Wscript.Echo "Hello Hello"

Dim V
V = InputBox("What is your name?")
Msgbox "Hello, " & V

Save the file as "sample.vbs". Double click on saved file, you should see a small dialog box where you can enter your name, you have just created and run simple VBScript. Whenever you double-click a VBS file, Windows fires up the Script host (WSH), tells it which script you double-clicked, and lets the script Host run the script. This is similar to what happens when you double click a XLS file, Windows fires up Microsoft Excel, tells it which file to open and your Excel appears. You believe me, don't you ? Ok,  lets check the proof. Open My computer and go to Tools > Folder options >FileTypes . Find VBS file as shown below, In open with you can see "Microsoft Windows Based Script host ". Whenever you double click file with VBS extension it will trigger WSH as shown below in the figure and runs the script.

So, What is the Microsoft Windows Based Script Host (WSH)? It's a built-in component of Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 7,Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008. You can't delete or remove the WSH executable Wscript.exe because it's under Windows file protection for above mention operating system. Even if you delete this it will come up once you reboot your machine.

Version History

The redistributable version of WSH version 5.6 can be installed on Windows 95/98/Me and Windows NT 4.0/2000. WSH 5.7 is downloadable for Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Recently, redistributable versions for older operating systems (Windows 9x and Windows NT 4.0) are no longer available from the Microsoft Download Center. As of Windows XP Service Pack 3, release 5.7 is not necessary as it is included.

WSH is simply a Windows application that reads scripts and executes them. WSH does have a number of built-in functions, which is why it's nice to have the latest version. WSH can map network drives, connect to printers, modify registry and much more and all useful things to be able to do from within an administrative script.

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