>>HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Scripting.FileSystemObject and HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wscript.Shell in the registry. I do not see a reason not to deploy the self-installer unless someone is using the new beta. I'd upgrade them to the current 5.1 release to get the latest VBScript and WSH 2.0 versions. If you want to use Script Components (you can build COM Objects from WSH scripts that can sink and surface events) you'll want to download the compiler and debugger and the one added runtime component. The site is well-documented and has all you'll need to get started, including some simple tutorials.
>
>Okay, already another question. I've avoided using the registry before now because:
>
>a) I'm locked out of REGEDIT on most machines.
>b) LAN has discouraged it.
>
>Now I do have admin power with some newer NT machines, but I'm still locked out of all the Win95s. How do I check a registry entry. Not sure if this is a simple question, but I'm finding threads in UT searches indicating it's not very simple.

It's pretty trivial - the FFC has a VCX with mechanisms to read from the registry, you can download classes from the files section on UT for other versions, and the WSH Wscript.Shell has mechanisms as well. The lockout presumably to prevent unauthorized users from changing the registry; you can't lock down the registry completely, since (1) you'd never be able to install anything and (2) programs that run in the user context that need information from the registry (like the ability for Explorer to launch a document) have to have at least read privileges in the registry hives. It's just like a file - if you can read it with one program, you can read it with another...