To get the first element of an array in PowerShell, use index 0: $array[0]. For the last element, use -1: $array[-1]. Negative numbers count back from the end: Output: Below I cover getting several items at once, Select-Object, and the cases where these give surprising results. I ran every example in PowerShell 7.6 and Windows … Read more
To check if an array contains a value in PowerShell, use the -contains operator. It returns True or False, and it ignores case: Output: That covers the everyday case. Below, I’ll handle the variations people actually search for: case-sensitive checks, partial matches, “does not contain”, several values at once, the index of an item, and … Read more
To track user login history using PowerShell, read successful logon events (ID 4624) from the Security log with Get-WinEvent in an elevated window. Each event records who signed in, when and how: Below I turn those events into a readable report, find failed sign-ins, and show a history you can read without admin rights. I … Read more
PowerShell shows “Missing an argument for parameter” when you type a parameter name that needs a value but give it nothing. For Get-Date -Year, read the property instead: Below are the other causes I reproduced, how to read the error record, and what changes between PowerShell 7 and 5.1. Why Get-Date -Year says Missing an … Read more
To replace a string before a character in PowerShell, use the -replace operator with a regex that matches from the start of the string up to that character: That pattern stops at the first colon. Below I’ll cover the last-occurrence version, keeping the delimiter, a no-regex option with IndexOf(), -split, special characters, file renames, and … Read more
![PowerShell reference variable: pass a variable by reference to a function with [ref] and .Value](https://powershellfaqs.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/powershell-reference-variable.jpg)
A PowerShell reference variable is a [ref] object that points to another variable. To pass by reference, type the parameter as [ref], call the function with ([ref]$var), and change .Value inside: I’ll show how it works with functions, arrays, hashtables, and .NET methods like TryParse, plus the mistakes I see most and one PowerShell 7 … Read more
To get the current function name in PowerShell, read $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Name inside the function. It returns the name of the command that’s running right now: I’ll also cover script blocks, the caller’s name, aliases, script paths, logging, and two PowerShell 7 vs 5.1 differences. Get the current function name with $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Name $MyInvocation is an automatic variable … Read more
PowerShell Get-ItemProperty reads the properties of an item: registry values under a key, or details like LastWriteTime on a file. Give it a path, and optionally a value name: I’ll cover files first, then the registry, where this cmdlet does its real work. Registry reads are read-only, and demo values live in a throwaway test … Read more
The quickest PowerShell string starts with test is the StartsWith() method, which returns True or False: StartsWith() is case-sensitive, so I’ll also show the case-insensitive options, the -like and -match operators, and two traps where PowerShell 7 and Windows PowerShell 5.1 give different answers. Check if a string starts with text using StartsWith() The method … Read more
The best PowerShell script examples are short, safe ones you can run right away and adapt later. Most follow the same pattern, a pipeline that finds, filters, and reports: Below are 14 small scripts grouped by task, from files and logs to services, dates, and errors. I ran each one in PowerShell 7 and Windows … Read more