Built a self-healing WinRE manager for Windows 11 — sharing the failure modes and what I learned about the recovery partition lifecycle

So you would recommend everyone to use your script to check and maintain their recovery partition even when their system is running at top notch, though they don't use, and have not ever used, the partition? I'd run it on my spare laptop but don't want to bork it. But I suppose running a Restore with Macrium or Hasleo would sort things out if something did go South.

starchase said:

So you would recommend everyone to use your script to check and maintain their recovery partition even when their system is running at top notch, though they don't use, and have not ever used, the partition? I'd run it on my spare laptop but don't want to bork it. But I suppose running a Restore with Macrium or Hasleo would sort things out if something did go South.

Click to expand...

Yes, obviously I certainly would recommend it! My script only does work once, then even if you run via scheduled task on a monthly basis and nothing changed, the script will take the fast exit path! The script is bound by four rules:

1. 1. Never break Windows RE.
2. 2. Never leave a machine without a working recovery route — to the extent the machine, its OS, and its storage stack allow.
3. 3. Minimize the reagentc /disable → reagentc /enable window.
4. 4. Do no work unless needed. When work is needed, prepare everything before touching anything.
   

Goodnight; I'll be back tomorrow UK time.

@ArthurDurand


It matters not if your script trashes my system, as I have a Macrium Reflect disk image. Do your worst!

ArthurDurand said:

There's a reason for the script not elevating itself! If run without elevation it does a dry run! It's part of the design philosophy with safety and security in mind!

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This is a major problem for those who use Terminal, and elevated PowerShell is their default profile.

It will not do a "dry run", it will execute as live.

So, it is not safe.

Banjoman301 said:

This is a major problem for those who use Terminal, and elevated PowerShell is their default profile.

It will not do a "dry run", it will execute as live.

So, it is not safe.

Click to expand...

I get that, but look, I played my part! I documented my project extremely well with warnings and cautions! Besides, running any of my scripts in an elevated prompt is actually safe! Safety is everyone's responsibility, that is why even if you run it elevated you can add the -DryRun argument!

ArthurDurand said:

I get that, but look, I played my part!

Click to expand...

You don't understand your user base...

As @garlin said, folks here are not IT Admins.

ArthurDurand said:

Besides, running any of my scripts in an elevated prompt is actually safe!

Click to expand...

That clearly is not true if the user expects a "dry run", but opens Terminal using a default elevated PowerShell profile.

ArthurDurand said:

Safety is everyone's responsibility, that is why even if you run it elevated you can add the -DryRun argument!

Click to expand...

It's your responsibility to close holes in your design, so your stuff does no harm.

Banjoman301 said:

You don't understand your user base...

As @garlin said, folks here are not IT Admins.



That clearly is not true if the user expects a "dry run", but opens Terminal using a default elevated PowerShell profile.



It's your responsibility to close holes in your design, so your stuff does no harm.

Click to expand...

My script does what it says it does, nothing more! I have made this script as safe as I can make it, this script is supposed to run unattended without user interaction, so I don't know what your problem is? This script is safe to run; it will ensure that you have an adequately sized recovery partition with Windows RE registered, and at the very least it will do nothing! This script will not harm any system in any way!

ArthurDurand said:

There's a reason for the script not elevating itself! If run without elevation it does a dry run! It's part of the design philosophy with safety and security in mind!

Click to expand...

No mention of a -DryRun flag...

You have two methods to do a dry run...unelevated with no flag...or elevated with it.

There should be one method, and strictly enforced so the user never gets in the position of using a default elevated PowerShell prompt in Terminal that exectutes a live run instead.

ArthurDurand said:

I have made this script as safe as I can make it

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You haven't...

Re-read the posts, and hopefully at some point you'll understand what the problem is.

Banjoman301 said:

You haven't...

Re-read the posts, and hopefully at some point you'll understand what the problem is.

Click to expand...

Look, to me it isn't a problem, but I'll tell you what I can do, I can write a Windows Batch Script that will prompt the end user with enough warnings and cautions if they want to 1. run the test harness (with elevation, test harness only gathers information and test downloading extracting driver to a temporary location and cleans up after itself, it makes no system changes, test harness does these based on user choices), 2. Run the Windows RE Manager (Dry-Run, requires elevation), 3. Run the Windows RE Manager (requires elevation). The only reason why my command script will require elevation is so that some diagnostic commands during dry run don't throw warnings due to the lack of elevation. The user can then just download a Windows batch script, then double-click on it, if it doesn't have elevation it's fine, the script will prompt for elevation after the user made a selection and after properly warning the user what's about to happen, in other words double-click the batch file doesn't require elevation yet, it then presents the options to the user, after the user makes a selection the script first warns and cautions in red prompting the user to type a phrase to continue, anything else will exit immediately. After the user types the phrase exactly as they see it, the script will prompt for elevation and run the user's choice, what do you think of this plan? What I will then do is remove the commands from the quick start guide of my GitHub repo and explain that the batch file will do the work! I'll hide the more advanced stuff for sys admins and IT pros!?

Banjoman301 said:

You haven't...

Re-read the posts, and hopefully at some point you'll understand what the problem is.

Click to expand...

@Banjoman301

Why don't you improve the script there Banjoman301?
You seem to know what's needed.
By all means, show us what you can do because so far all I've read from you is overstated critiques and invalid accusations.
Plus you seem to know who your audience is, so it should be a piece of cake!