Running Batch Script on remote Server via PowerShell - powershell

I need to connect to some remote servers from a client (same domain as the servers) once connected, I need to run a batch file:
I've done so with this code:
$Username = 'USER'
$Password = 'PASSWORD'
$pass = ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText $Password -Force
$Cred = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -ArgumentList $Username,$pass
try {
Invoke-Command -ComputerName "SERVER1" -Credential $Cred -ScriptBlock -ErrorAction Stop {
Start-Process "C:\Users\nithi.sundar\Desktop\Test.bat"
}
} catch {
Write-Host "error"
}
This script does not give any errors, but it doesn't seem to be executing the batch script.
any input on this would be greatly appreciated.

Try replacing
invoke-command -computername "SERVER1" -credential $Cred -ScriptBlock -ErrorAction stop { Start-Process "C:\Users\nithi.sundar\Desktop\Test.bat" }
with
Invoke-Command -ComputerName "Server1" -credential $cred -ErrorAction Stop -ScriptBlock {Invoke-Expression -Command:"cmd.exe /c 'C:\Users\nithi.sund
ar\Desktop\Test.bat'"}

It's not possible that the code you posted ran without errors, because you messed up the order of the argument to Invoke-Command. This:
Invoke-Command ... -ScriptBlock -ErrorAction Stop { ... }
should actually look like this:
Invoke-Command ... -ErrorAction Stop -ScriptBlock { ... }
Also, DO NOT use Invoke-Expression for this. It's practically always the wrong tool for whatever you need to accomplish. You also don't need Start-Process since PowerShell can run batch scripts directly:
Invoke-Command -ComputerName "SERVER1" -ScriptBlock {
C:\Users\nithi.sundar\Desktop\Test.bat
} -Credential $Cred -ErrorAction Stop
If the command is a string rather than a bare word you need to use the call operator, though:
Invoke-Command -ComputerName "SERVER1" -ScriptBlock {
& "C:\Users\nithi.sundar\Desktop\Test.bat"
} -Credential $Cred -ErrorAction Stop
You could also invoke the batch file with cmd.exe:
Invoke-Command -ComputerName "SERVER1" -ScriptBlock {
cmd /c "C:\Users\nithi.sundar\Desktop\Test.bat"
} -Credential $Cred -ErrorAction Stop
If for some reason you must use Start-Process you should add the parameters -NoNewWindow and -Wait.
Invoke-Command -ComputerName "SERVER1" -ScriptBlock {
Start-Process 'C:\Users\nithi.sundar\Desktop\Test.bat' -NoNewWindow -Wait
} -Credential $Cred -ErrorAction Stop
By default Start-Process runs the invoked process asynchronously (i.e. the call returns immediately) and in a separate window. That is most likely the reason why your code didn't work as intended.

Related

Powershell Invoke-Command with arbitrary ScriptBlock

I have the following command which executes successfully on a remote Windows server.
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $ComputerName -UseSSL -SessionOption $sessionOptions -Credential $cred -ScriptBlock
{Start-Service "Test Service"}
I am attempting to pass in the script block as a variable so that I can execute any arbitrary command on the particular server, but I can't seem to pass the ScriptBlock argument successfully. The code executes without any errors, but does not start the remote service.
$ScriptBlock = Start-Service "Test Service"
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $ComputerName -UseSSL -SessionOption $sessionOptions -Credential $cred -ScriptBlock
{$args[0]} -ArgumentList $ScriptBlock
Enclose the code in {} to define a scriptblock literal when assigning it to your $ScriptBlock variable, then pass that as the argument to the -ScriptBlock parameter:
$ScriptBlock = { Start-Service "Test Service" }
Invoke-Command -ScriptBlock $ScriptBlock -ComputerName $ComputerName -UseSSL -SessionOption $sessionOptions -Credential $cred

Get output from remote command invocation

I have this simple code to execute a .bat file remotely through PowerShell.
Invoke-Command -ComputerName servername -Credential $credential -ScriptBlock {
Start-Process "\\servername\D$\LocalApp\application\script.bat"
}
The script works fine. The only issue is that I need to be able to see the output in the CMD window while it executes.
Use the call operator (&) instead of Start-Process:
Invoke-Command -ComputerName servername -Credential $credential -ScriptBlock {
& '\\servername\D$\LocalApp\application\script.bat'
}
or run Start-Process with the parameters -NoNewWindow and -Wait:
Invoke-Command -ComputerName servername -Credential $credential -ScriptBlock {
Start-Process '\\servername\D$\LocalApp\application\script.bat' -NoNewWindow -Wait
}

Executing program on remote with Powershell

I'm having trouble executing a program on a remote server. This is my command
$appCommand = "`"c:\SIDApps\{0}\{1}.exe`"" -f $destinationDirectory, $processToKill
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $remoteComputer -Credential $credentials -ScriptBlock { $args[0] } -ArgumentList $appCommand
That prints out "c:\SIDApps\FFMBC_Drone\GCUKTransCodeServiceFFMBCApp.exe" (Including the quotes) in the output window, but does not actually execute the program
If you only output $args[0] in the ScriptBlock it will only display the path not run the command.
Have you tried this ?
$appCommand = "c:\SIDApps\{0}\{1}.exe" -f $destinationDirectory, $processToKill
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $remoteComputer -Credential $credentials -ScriptBlock { Start-Process $args[0] } -ArgumentList $appCommand

nested scriptblocks in a powershell remote session

I am trying to run a script block on a remote machine, but i don't to be prompted for credentials, i want to pass them in the script.
Some commands may but the commands i want to run are access denied unless i provide the credential.
for example this command can work:
Invoke-Command -Session $session -ErrorAction Stop -ErrorVariable $Error -Scriptblock {ls }
but this wont work unless -credential is passed (Invoke-Command on target)
Invoke-Command -Session $session -ErrorAction Stop -ErrorVariable $Error -Scriptblock {Invoke-Command -computername $Env:COMPUTERNAME -Credential $Cred -ScriptBlock {ls} }
the same way what i want to achieve causes access denied problem (starting a process)
Invoke-Command -Session $session -ErrorAction Stop -ErrorVariable $Error -Scriptblock {[System.Diagnostics.Process]::Start("C:\Myprocess.exe", $localArgs, "UserName", $credential.Password, "MyDomain")}
Invoke-Command -Session $session -ErrorAction Stop -ErrorVariable $setError -Scriptblock {$Domain = "domain";$PassSec = ConvertTo-SecureString $( "password") -AsPlainText -Force ; $Cred = New-Object -TypeName System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -argumentlist $($domain + "\" + "userName"),$passSec; Invoke-Command -computername $Env:COMPUTERNAME -Credential $Cred -ScriptBlock {C:\Myprocess.exe } }

invoke-expression inside scriptblock of invoke-command not working

I've got the following script
$name = (Invoke-Command -ComputerName "STW111" -Credential $cred -ScriptBlock { Invoke-Expression "C:\PSS\User Tool\UserTool.exe"} -AsJob).Name
Wait-Job -Name $name
This not working, however, if I move the usertool to c:\pss\, it works fine.
$name = (Invoke-Command -ComputerName "STW111" -Credential $cred -ScriptBlock { Invoke-Expression "C:\PSS\UserTool.exe"} -AsJob).Name
Wait-Job -Name $name
I really need to get to grips with escaping in Powershell.
Any ideas?
TIA
try this:
Invoke-Expression "& 'C:\PSS\User Tool\UserTool.exe'"