Powershell start-process can't find file - powershell

Question

I am trying to upgrade a server with a particular application from a client by PowerShell remote:
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $server -Credential $mycreds {Start-Process -FilePath "C:\temp\xxx.exe" -ArgumentList "-default", "-acceptEULA" -wait }
Whatever I try, I get messages like "Can't find the file specified..." what do I do wrong?
FilePath is on the local (client) computer.

Answer 1

Your C:\temp\xxx.exe executable must be present on the server (the remote machine) for your command to work, because that is where your script block ({ ... }) executes.
Note: By contrast, if you use Invoke-Command with the -FilePath parameter in order to run a locally present script file (.ps1) remotely, PowerShell automatically copies it to the remote machine; from the docs: "When you use this parameter, PowerShell converts the contents of the specified script file to a script block, transmits the script block to the remote computer, and runs it on the remote computer."
To copy the executable there from your local (client-side) machine, you need a 4-step approach (PSv5+, due to use of Copy-Item -ToSession[1]):
Create a remoting session to $server explicitly, using New-PSSession
Copy the local (client-side) executable to that session (the remote computer) with Copy-Item and its -ToSession parameter
Run your Invoke-Command command with the -Session parameter (rather than -ComputerName) in order to run in the explicitly created session (this isn't strictly necessary, but there's no need to create another (ad hoc) session).
Run Remove-PSSession to close the remote session.
Important: In a PowerShell remoting session, you cannot run external programs that require interactive user input:
While you can launch GUI applications, they invariably run invisibly.
Similarly, interactive console applications aren't supported (although output from console applications is received by the client).
However, interactive prompts from PowerShell commands are supported.
To put it all together:
# Specify the target server(s)
$server = 'w764' # '.'
# Establish a remoting session with the target server(s).
$session = New-PSSession -ComputerName $server
# Copy the local executable to the remote machine.
# Note: Make sure that the target directory exists on the remote machine.
Copy-Item C:\temp\xxx.exe -ToSession $session -Destination C:\temp
# Now invoke the excutable on the remote machine.
Invoke-Command -Session $session {
# Invoke *synchronously*, with -Wait.
# Note: If the program is a *console* application,
# you can just invoke it *directly* - no need for Start-Process.
Start-Process -Wait -FilePath C:\temp\xxx.exe -ArgumentList "-default", "-acceptEULA"
}
# Close the remote session.
# Note: This will terminate any programs that still
# run in the remote session, if any.
Remove-PSSession $session
[1] If you're running Powershell v4 or below, consider downloading psexec.