Here is the code: for /f %%Q in (machines.txt) do ( ping -n 1 -w 3 %PingThis% IF %ERRORLEVEL% == 0 echo %%Q >> alive.txt ELSE echo %%Q Failed Ping >> dead.txt ) Now, the problem is this. In machines.txt is 3 names: koala joe solitude "joe" is not an actual computer, so when the second loop goes to ping "joe" it will fail. Normally on the command line, when a ping fails, it sets %ERRORLEVEL% to 1. In a batch file WITHOUT a FOR loop, it will work but when I try to query %ERRORLEVEL% and sort which machines I can ping and which I can't, and I am trying to see if "joe" failed, I can't. When "joe" gets pinged and FAILS, it doesn't return a success/failure code to %ERRORLEVEL% at all. What am I doing wrong!?! JB

You must enable the "Delayed Expansion of Variables" otherwise in a For loop the environment variables retain their first value i.e they DON'T change. So at the beginning of your code set SetLocal EnableDelayedExpansion and before exiting from the script code EndLocal That just removes your lock.

Sorry... and replace %ErrorLevel% with !ErrorLevel! as the delayed variable is marked with the ! symbol instead of %

Hi Not Exactly Sure but try this, not knowing what's in %PingThis% for /f %%Q in (machines.txt) do ( ping -n 1 -w 3 %PingThis% IF %ERRORLEVEL% == 0 IF NOT %ERRORLEVEL%==1 echo %%Q >> alive.txt ELSE echo %%Q Failed Ping >> dead.txt ) or this for /f %%Q in (machines.txt) do ( ping -n 1 -w 3 %PingThis% IF ERRORLEVEL 0 IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 1 echo %%Q >> alive.txt ELSE echo %%Q Failed Ping >> dead.txt ) or this for /f %%Q in (machines.txt) do ( ping -n 1 -w 3 %PingThis% IF NOT %ERRORLEVEL% == 1 echo %%Q >> alive.txt ELSE echo %%Q Failed Ping >> dead.txt )

Hi Sorry IVO posted just before me. But he's hit the nail on the head.

Wow guys, that about does it right there. I will plug all this stuff in, and thanks for the VERY prompt reply! And sorry about the %pingthis% thing that should have been %%Q... Joe

Worked like a charm! Thanks for the help! Joe