Version 4 - Alpha

[Pnwcomputers]

DeployWorkstation-AllUsers v4.0

Overview

Version 4.0 implements comprehensive improvements for reliability, maintainability, and recovery capabilities.

🚀 Major Improvements Implemented

1. ✅ Proper Registry Drive Testing and Cleanup

Implementation Details:

• Test-RegistryDrive Function: Validates drive existence AND functionality
• Initialize-RegistryDrives: Creates drives with verification
• Enhanced Cleanup: Automatic cleanup in finally blocks with retry logic
• Resource Registration: All registry operations register cleanup actions

Key Features:

# Test if registry drive is functional
Test-RegistryDrive -DriveName 'HKU'
# Automatic cleanup registration

Register-ResourceCleanup -Type 'RegistryDrive' -Name 'HKU' -Priority 100

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Test-RegistryDrive -DriveName 'HKU'

Automatic cleanup registration

Register-ResourceCleanup -Type 'RegistryDrive' -Name 'HKU' -Priority 100" tabindex="0" role="button" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; display: flex !important; padding: 0px !important; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 20px; white-space: nowrap; vertical-align: middle; cursor: pointer; user-select: none; border: 0px; border-radius: 6px; appearance: none; color: rgb(68, 147, 248); background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-shadow: none; transition: color 80ms cubic-bezier(0.33, 1, 0.68, 1), background-color, box-shadow, border-color; justify-content: center !important; align-items: center !important; margin: 8px !important; width: 28px; height: 28px;">

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2. ✅ Comprehensive Rollback Functionality

Implementation Details:

• RollbackAction Class: Structured rollback operations
• Rollback Stack: LIFO execution for proper unwinding
• Automatic Registration: Each change registers its undo action
• EnableRollback Parameter: Optional rollback capability

Key Features:

# Enable rollback mode

.\DeployWorkstation-AllUsers.ps1 -EnableRollback

# Automatic rollback on critical failures

if ($CriticalErrorOccurred) {

Invoke-Rollback -Reason "Critical error detected"

}

<clipboard-copy aria-label="Copy" class="ClipboardButton btn btn-invisible js-clipboard-copy m-2 p-0 d-flex flex-justify-center flex-items-center" data-copy-feedback="Copied!" data-tooltip-direction="w" value="# Enable rollback mode
.\DeployWorkstation-AllUsers.ps1 -EnableRollback

Automatic rollback on critical failures

if ($CriticalErrorOccurred) {
Invoke-Rollback -Reason "Critical error detected"
}" tabindex="0" role="button" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; display: flex !important; padding: 0px !important; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 20px; white-space: nowrap; vertical-align: middle; cursor: pointer; user-select: none; border: 0px; border-radius: 6px; appearance: none; color: rgb(68, 147, 248); background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-shadow: none; transition: color 80ms cubic-bezier(0.33, 1, 0.68, 1), background-color, box-shadow, border-color; justify-content: center !important; align-items: center !important; margin: 8px !important; width: 28px; height: 28px;">

Rollback Capabilities:

• Application installations
• Registry modifications
• Service changes
• User profile modifications

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3. ✅ Sequential Winget Processing with Enhanced Retry Logic

Implementation Details:

• Replaced Parallel Processing: More stable sequential execution
• Progressive Retry Delays: Exponential backoff (5s, 7.5s, 11.25s...)
• Exit Code Handling: Proper interpretation of winget exit codes
• Per-App Retry Configuration: Customizable retry attempts

Key Features:

# Sequential installation with progress

Install-ApplicationsSequentially -Applications $appsToInstall

# Configurable retry logic

Invoke-WingetInstall -App $app -MaxRetries 5 -RetryDelay 10

<clipboard-copy aria-label="Copy" class="ClipboardButton btn btn-invisible js-clipboard-copy m-2 p-0 d-flex flex-justify-center flex-items-center" data-copy-feedback="Copied!" data-tooltip-direction="w" value="# Sequential installation with progress
Install-ApplicationsSequentially -Applications $appsToInstall

Configurable retry logic

Invoke-WingetInstall -App $app -MaxRetries 5 -RetryDelay 10" tabindex="0" role="button" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; display: flex !important; padding: 0px !important; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 20px; white-space: nowrap; vertical-align: middle; cursor: pointer; user-select: none; border: 0px; border-radius: 6px; appearance: none; color: rgb(68, 147, 248); background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-shadow: none; transition: color 80ms cubic-bezier(0.33, 1, 0.68, 1), background-color, box-shadow, border-color; justify-content: center !important; align-items: center !important; margin: 8px !important; width: 28px; height: 28px;">

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4. ✅ Robust Error Handling with Recovery Strategies

Implementation Details:

• Invoke-ErrorRecovery Function: Automated recovery attempts
• Context-Aware Recovery: Different strategies per operation type
• Critical Error Detection: Automatic rollback triggers
• Structured Error Logging: Enhanced diagnostic information

Recovery Strategies:

Operation	Recovery Strategy
Registry Mount	Force cleanup & retry
App Install	Retry with progressive delay
Service Stop	Kill process & retry
File Operations	Release handles & retry

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🔧 Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue: Registry hive won't unmount

# Force cleanup in v4.0

Invoke-ResourceCleanup

Issue: Winget installation fails

# Increased retry attempts

.\DeployWorkstation-AllUsers.ps1 -MaxRetries 10

Issue: Pre-flight checks fail

# Review specific failures

Test-SystemRequirements -Verbose

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📝 Configuration File Customization

Creating Custom Configurations

1. Export current configuration:

   .\DeployWorkstation-AllUsers.ps1 -ExportWingetApps

2. Edit deployment_config.json:

   • Add/remove applications
   • Customize bloatware patterns
   • Adjust system requirements

3. Use custom configuration:

   .\DeployWorkstation-AllUsers.ps1 -ConfigFile ".\deployment_config.json"

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🚦 Best Practices

Recommended Deployment Process

1. Test in dry-run mode first

   .\DeployWorkstation-AllUsers.ps1 -DryRun

2. Enable rollback for production

   .\DeployWorkstation-AllUsers.ps1 -EnableRollback

3. Use configuration files for consistency

   .\DeployWorkstation-AllUsers.ps1 -ConfigFile ".\approved_config.json"

4. Monitor logs in real-time

   Get-Content -Path ".\DeployWorkstation_*.log" -Tail 10 -Wait

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📋 Summary

Version 4.0 transforms the deployment script into an enterprise-ready solution with:

• Reliability: Comprehensive error handling and recovery
• Safety: Full rollback capability
• Maintainability: Configuration file support
• Diagnostics: Enhanced logging and pre-flight checks
• Stability: Sequential processing with retry logic
• Cleanup: Guaranteed resource cleanup

These improvements ensure more reliable deployments, easier troubleshooting, and better recovery from failures.

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This discussion was created from the release Version 4 - Alpha.