WinRAR Auto-Installer Script

This PowerShell script automates the process of downloading, installing, and adding WinRAR to the system PATH on Windows machines.

how to download the repo first time users

click link to read Instructions

Features

Automated Download: Downloads the WinRAR installer directly from the official website.
Silent Installation: Installs WinRAR silently without requiring user interaction.
PATH Update: Adds the WinRAR installation directory to the system PATH if it's not already present, allowing WinRAR commands to be run from anywhere in the command line.

WinRAR Silent Installer Script - Logging Information

This PowerShell script automates the process of downloading and installing WinRAR silently on a Windows system. It includes robust logging mechanisms to ensure detailed tracking of the script's operations and troubleshooting.

Logging

The script logs all actions and errors to a log file located in the temporary directory. The log file is named winrar-install.log.

Log File Location

The log file is saved in the user's temporary directory. The typical path is:

C:\Users<YourUsername>\AppData\Local\Temp\winrar-install.log

Logging Function

The script includes a custom function Log-Message to handle logging. This function logs messages with a timestamp and a message type (INFO, ERROR, or WARNING).

Log-Message Function Definition

function Log-Message {
    param (
        [string]$message,
        [string]$type = "INFO"
    )
    $timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
    $logEntry = "$timestamp [$type] $message"
    Write-Host $logEntry
    Add-Content -Path $logFile -Value $logEntry
}

Parameters

message: The message to log.
type: The type of message (INFO, ERROR, WARNING). The default is "INFO".

Example Log Entries

Info Message

2024-07-18 14:32:01 [INFO] Starting download of WinRAR from https://www.win-rar.com/fileadmin/winrar-versions/winrar-x64-701.exe

Error Message

2024-07-18 14:32:45 [ERROR] Failed to download WinRAR installer: Exception calling "Invoke-WebRequest" with "2" argument(s): "The remote server returned an error: (404) Not Found."

Warning Message

2024-07-18 14:33:10 [WARNING] Failed to remove the downloaded installer: Exception calling "Remove-Item" with "1" argument(s): "Cannot find path 'C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Temp\winrar-installer.exe' because it does not exist."

Logging Steps in the Script

Starting Download: Logs the beginning of the download process.

Log-Message "Starting download of WinRAR from $url"

Download Complete: Logs the completion of the download.

Log-Message "Download complete."

Download Failure: Logs any errors during the download process.

Log-Message "Failed to download WinRAR installer: $_" "ERROR"

File Verification: Logs if the downloaded file is missing or empty.

Log-Message "Downloaded WinRAR installer is missing or empty." "ERROR"

Starting Installation: Logs the beginning of the installation process.

Log-Message "Starting silent installation of WinRAR."

Installation Complete: Logs the completion of the installation.

Log-Message "WinRAR installation complete."

Installation Failure: Logs any errors during the installation process.

Log-Message "Failed to install WinRAR: $_" "ERROR"

Clean Up: Logs the removal of the downloaded installer.

Log-Message "Cleaned up the downloaded installer."

Clean Up Failure: Logs any errors during the cleanup process.

Log-Message "Failed to remove the downloaded installer: $_" "WARNING"

Prerequisites

PowerShell 5.0 or higher
Internet connection to download the installer
Administrative privileges for installation and updating the system PATH
You need to have PowerShell installed on your system. This is used to run the script.
Both MSI are from the official github page of Official-PowerShell-Github

v7.4.4 Release of PowerShell - Latest (recommended)

  choose your recommended pc specs either 32bit or 64bit

For Windows 64-bit systems, Download 64-Bit Installer
For Windows 32-bit systems, Download 32-Bit Installer

Usage

Open PowerShell ( Run In Admin )
Navigate to the directory containing the script. cd the location of the script then click enter.
Run the script:
```
.\WinRAR-7.01-auto-installer.ps1
```
The script will handle the rest, providing output messages to indicate progress and completion status.

if usage doesnt work use this first run it then select `Y` thats it click enter then run the script again

Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process

then repeat the process you can leave powershell open in admin mode to do this you dont have to close it

How It Works

Download: The script starts by downloading the WinRAR installer using the Invoke-WebRequest cmdlet. It then waits for 5 seconds to ensure the download completes.
Install: After downloading, it proceeds to install WinRAR silently using the /S switch. It checks if WinRAR is installed correctly by attempting to locate the WinRAR command.
PATH Update: Finally, it checks if WinRAR's installation path is in the system PATH. If not, it adds it. This allows WinRAR commands to be run from anywhere in the command line.

Note

This script is designed for educational purposes and should be used responsibly. Ensure you have the right to install software on the machine.

License

This script is provided "as is", without warranty of any kind, express or implied. Use it at your own risk.

KernFerm/WinRAR