How do I Format my computer with AutoIt

[BrunoIvo]

Hey Guys Hi, my name is Bruno, And I need some help, I came to know that autoIt initially was used for doing simple computer configurations, like formatting, but the question that I want to make is, is this still possible, I'm kind of new using the platform so I don't have much experience on it.

 

So, Could you guys help me?

[Jos]

It has enough option to shoot yourself in the foot many times.
So, what exactly are you trying that isn't working?

Jos

[BrunoIvo]

I am trying to use AutoIt to automate this function of formatting, I've heard that this is possible and can be done with a lot of machines in a single day.

 

I'd like to know how is it possible and how can I use this feature? 

[Jos]

No need to repeat what you already said, just explain how you plan to do this and what you have tried thus far.
As stated: All is possible!

Jos

[BrunoIvo]

I'm a begginer in this, I'd like to learn a little bit more about it

 

And how can use this in my work environment 

[JLogan3o13]

I am curious what led you to AutoIt for this. AutoIt is many things, but it is not the tool to format many PCs; especially in a corporate environment.

 

12 minutes ago, BrunoIvo said:

I've heard that this is possible and can be done with a lot of machines in a single day.

Where did you hear this? A link to source would be interesting.

[BrunoIvo]

Jlogan3o13 I've heard this from one of my bosses, he says that it's one alternative way to format your computer, so I started searching about this, and I couldn't find anything

 

But tell me, is it possible to use this language to format computers? Or can be use to automate other features?

 

Can you show me one example of An Automated feature through AutoId? 

 

[argumentum]

25 minutes ago, BrunoIvo said:

I've heard this from one of my bosses, he says that it's one alternative way to format your computer

hmmm, so why not ask them ?. And what do you mean by "format a computer" ?. Be explicit and you'll get an explicit answer. Be vague and you'll get vague answers.
Anyway, welcome to the world of ... computer stuff  

[BrunoIvo]

Argumentum, formatting computer I mean Reset and reinstall windows

[Nine]

7 minutes ago, BrunoIvo said:

formatting computer I mean Reset and reinstall windows

The best way to do it, is to create one or multiple corporate images of windows that you can copy into newly formatted computers.  There is a number of tools that can do it.  I am not a specialist in that matter, but one thing I know, AutoIt is not really the tool you need to reinstall windows on numerous computers.

[InclusiveExclusion]

AutoIT might be a little bit of a difficult way to do that task.

Try this.  Explains it better than i can.
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-create-unattended-media-do-automated-installation-windows-10

[Earthshine]

Auto IT is not the tool for this job

[JockoDundee]

On 1/15/2021 at 10:47 AM, JLogan3o13 said:

Where did you hear this? A link to source would be interesting.

Some archaic support for the general notion can be found here.

Quote

October, 1998: Jon was working on a project to automate the installation of Windows NT 4 for a company, Jon had difficulties with installing some components which didn't take parameters from external programs, so Jon was searching for a program which could force button clicks and he found Microsoft ScriptIt but Jon found that it was extremely unreliable.

[JLogan3o13]

I am quite familiar with the history of the language. But the work Jon was doing to install components of the OS is a far cry from actually performing the format, which is what the OP was stating he wants to do.

[JockoDundee]

10 hours ago, JLogan3o13 said:

But the work Jon was doing to install components of the OS is a far cry from actually performing the format, which is what the OP was stating he wants to do.

How far a cry is it exactly?  
 

Consider someone reading this excerpt from a published article from an outside source:

Quote

Initially designed in 1999 to help system administrators automate and configure thousands of PCs, AutoIt has evolved into a programming language that supports complex expressions, user functions, loops and everything else other scripting languages can. Today, this tool is widely used for more than just test automation. Key applications include automating routine actions related to operating systems, such as systems management, monitoring, maintenance, or even software installation.

What kind of impression would one get after reading that? Certainly formatting a drive is part of configuring a PC.  Furthermore, autoit has many examples of people using it to format drives, this one for instance:

 

[argumentum]

 

On 1/16/2021 at 9:00 AM, BrunoIvo said:

Argumentum, formatting computer I mean Reset and reinstall windows

6 hours ago, JockoDundee said:

Certainly formatting a drive is part of configuring a PC

Nope. The OP is asking for a fresh install. AutoIt itself is an interface for other programs in your example @JockoDundee.
There is plenty of resources in the freeware ( or included on the OS ) world.
Getting to know AutoIt is good. But not the tool(s) for this.

[Earthshine]

This is ridiculous this language cannot perform a format and re-install of windows it is not possible it is an interpreted language that needs a Windows host to operate. once you format the drive there’s no more windows host. There is nothing you can do to accomplish your goals this is not the way is shut. 
 

The way is shut as the ghost says in LotR

Edited January 18, 2021 by Earthshine

[JockoDundee]

2 hours ago, argumentum said:

Getting to know AutoIt is good. But not the tool(s) for this.

You are making a strawman argument; if you look back at my statements, statements that were intentionally written in the counterfactual  plusquamperfect, I would hope you would agree that I was just looking to satisfy the curiosity of @JLogan3o13insofar as someone might plausibly, if even erroneously, think that the task at hand might be accomplished in Autoit.

Whether it can or not was not the point of my reply.

[JLogan3o13]

@JockoDundee I read and re-read (and re-re-read) your "examples" and am still confused.

In the excerpt you present (and in fact I read through the entire article) it mentions formatting a PC exactly zero times. Everything you mention in your excerpt is an example of what is attainable with AutoIt once the OS is installed.

Secondly, in the thread you point to, the OP himself states very very clearly that he is not in a PXE environment, but inside Windows already. He also states he wants to create an additional partition on the system drive, after the install - again, which is in no way what the OP in this thread is asking to do.

You can run AutoIt scripts in an already generated PXE environment (Altiris before it died, SCCM, Ivanti, many others). I am sure those responding in this thread, like myself, have done it times too numerous to count. But the gist of this thread, and what the OP has stated more than once he is wanting to do, is format the PC and reinstall the OS. And you have a number of people, based on career experience in this area, giving answers as to the right tool for the job (which AutoIt is not).

Rather than quoting random articles that don't line up with what the OP is asking, I would invite you to offer the OP a solution if you have a method of doing this. I, for one would be well-pleased to see it

 

13 hours ago, JockoDundee said:

How far a cry is it exactly?  

I'd say about thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much....

Edited January 18, 2021 by JLogan3o13

[JockoDundee]

24 minutes ago, JLogan3o13 said:

Rather than quoting random articles that don't line up with what the OP is asking, I would invite you to offer the OP a solution if you have a method of doing this. I, for one would be well-pleased to see it

Ok, maybe this? 😀

ConsoleWrite(StringRegExpReplace("I'd say about thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much....", "(\w)\1+", "$1"))