Automating Windows Reset processs as much as possible

This is something, I used to find myself doing occasionally, now that I am managing three windows PCs (Home, Work and on The go machine) its really becoming a hinderance, further more, I really need a solution that will minimise human errors and allow for conformity.

The things that I would like to automate:

• Rename the PC and user folder to what it was (so that the directory structure remains intact)

• Backing up and restoring windows "Open file with..." extension settings

• Backing Up and restoring Windows Library data

• Backing up and correctly Restoring Symbolic Links

• Backing up and Restoring all Environment Variables such as Path etc

• Restore the various settings that are found in the Modern Setting app such as

• Taskbar position and if it shows on all monitors etc

• Language settings

• Disabling Hotkeys for Stick keyboard keys

• etc

• Explorer settings such as quick access settings

and lastly a means of installing a series of executables silently with predetermined installation options. Some of the software's I am interested in installing, such as Everything 1.5, offer command line options to do this but I wonder if there are solutions that System admins rely on that are known to work on general installers.

I have picked up PowerShell (Core) and I feel fairly confident with it, so my plan is to write a script that will do the majority of these things in one go.

The problem I am facing is identifying how to achieve each one of these tasks in PowerShell, On a fresh windows Reboot, it will be Windows PowerShell that I have to work with.

For example, in the case of restoring windows "Open file with..." extension settings, is it really just a case of backing up this registry and then restoring it?


I am not a System Admin at all and would love to hear input from such people.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Ralf_Reddings said:

Rename the PC and user folder to what it was (so that the directory structure remains intact)

Click to expand...

Renaming the PC is not an issue, right-click the Start button, click System and then the Rename this PC button.

As for the User folder, I find it best to create a New User with a slightly different name, by at least one character, make it the same settings as currently logged in, reboot into that new User then remove the original. I recently had to rebuild a Notebook because the owner added himself as a second user with the same name and all his files got into the same folders as the original. Make sure you have a backup copy of all the User's folder first even though removing a User should give a choice of saving their files but have seen that fail.

I am looking for non interactive ways to achieve this but thanks for the help anyways.