NSIS Script Wrap to PS1 into EXE and Run as Admin - powershell

Question

I have the following NSIS (.nsi) script that wraps PowerShell script into exe.
In addition, I would like the exe to run as admin because the scripts needs to update registry key.
NSIS Script is:
!include x64.nsh
RequestExecutionLevel admin ;Require admin rights on NT6+ (When UAC is turned on)
OutFile "file.exe"
SilentInstall silent
Section
SetOutPath $EXEDIR
File "file.ps1"
# Run the script to update
ExecWait "powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -WindowStyle Hidden -File .\file.ps1"
SectionEnd
Function .onInstSuccess
Delete "file.ps1"
FunctionEnd
PowerShell script is:
$registryPath = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Test"
$Name = "keyName"
$value = "keyValue"
$preRegVer = (Get-ItemProperty $registryPath).Version
#log "Pre registry value: $preRegVer"
If(!(Test-Path $registryPath))
{
# log "Path does not exist"
New-Item -Path $registryPath -Force | Out-Null
# log "Path created"
New-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name $name -Value $value -PropertyType String -Force | Out-Null
# log "Value created"
}
Else {
# log "Path exist"
$val = Get-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath
if($val.Version -eq $null)
{
# log "Value does not exist"
New-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name $name -Value $value -PropertyType String -Force | Out-Null
# log "Value created"
}
Else {
# log "Value exist"
Remove-ItemProperty -path $registryPath -Name Version -Force
# log "Value removed"
New-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name $name -Value $value -PropertyType String -Force | Out-Null
# log "Value created"
}
}
When I run .exe file, it asks for elevated permission, but does not update the key.
I know that powershell script works, because I used PowerGUI to compile it to exe, and it updates the key.
Only problem with PowerGUI is that it does not have an option to run as Admin.

Answer 1

I am suspecting you're running on 64bit machine and there is conflict with bitness.
Haven't tried this, but try this ans see if that works.
${If} ${RunningX64}
${DisableX64FSRedirection}
${EndIf}
ExecWait "powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -WindowStyle Hidden -File .\file.ps1"
${If} ${RunningX64}
${EnableX64FSRedirection}
${EndIf}

Answer 2

Instead of using power shell script, you can perform same task in NSIS itself. You can modify and you can create your own new registry entry using nsis.
for example you can use following commands to write and read the registry
WriteRegStr HKLM SOFTWARE\NSIS_Example2 "Version" "1.0"
ReadRegStr $mm HKLM "SOFTWARE\NSIS_Example2" "Version"
Here's a link!

Answer 3

The end result of our build process calls NSIS to create an executable for the product(s) we're building. We too are trying to call Powershell similar to the example listed above to run at deploy time, the powershell script is called to manage special duties on the server that are related to IIS.
In the NSIS file we've tried the variations below with no success:
nsExec::ExecToStack 'powershell -inputformat none -ExecutionPolicy bypass -File "C:\HardCodedLocation_Instance.ps1" '
nsExec::ExecToStack 'powershell.exe "& "C:\HardCodedLocation_Instance.ps1"' $0
ExecWait 'powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -WindowStyle Hidden -File C:\HardCodedLocation_Instance.ps1' $0
${PowerShellExec} "C:\HardCodedLocation_Instance.ps1"
The "C:\HardCodedLocation_Instance.ps1" is getting run by NSIS at deploy time but the tasks that require administrative permissions in the script are not being completed.
The first two lines in "C:\HardCodedLocation_Instance.ps1":
Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy Bypass
Import-Module webadministration
I'm running the executable logged onto a server as an administrator. I can then turn around, right click on "C:\HardCodedLocation_Instance.ps1" and "Run with PowerShell" and it works as it should.