Install .msi remotely using Powershell - powershell

Question

I have made he following code using the code present on this forum.
cls
$computername = Get-Content 'C:\Users\C201578-db\Documents\server.txt'
$sourcefile = "\\iceopsnas\LNT_SoftwareRep.grp\CORE\COTS\EMC\Avamar\Avamar_7.0\CR06794393\AvamarClient-windows-x86_64-7.0.102-47.msi"
#This section will install the software
foreach ($computer in $computername)
{
$destinationFolder = "\\$computer\C$\Avamar"
#This section will copy the $sourcefile to the $destinationfolder. If the Folder does not exist it will create it.
if (!(Test-Path -path $destinationFolder))
{
New-Item $destinationFolder -Type Directory
}
Copy-Item -Path $sourcefile -Destination $destinationFolder
Write-Host "Copied Successfully"
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $computer -ScriptBlock { & cmd /c "msiexec.exe /i C:\Avamar\AvamarClient-windows-x86_64-7.0.102-47.msi" /qb ADVANCED_OPTIONS=1 CHANNEL=100}
Write-Host "Installed Successfully"
}
I tried all permutations and combinations but no luck. Tried all the suggestions that I got while posting this question but nothing. The copy procedure is successful but the .msi file is not getting installed. Maybe this question gets marked duplicate but still suggest some edits before doing that.

Answer 1

try defining your command as a script block instead:
$command = "msiexec.exe /i C:\Avamar\AvamarClient-windows-x86_64-7.0.102-47.msi"
$scriptblock = [Scriptblock]::Create($command)
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $computer -ScriptBlock $scriptblock

Answer 2

As a workaround (the lack of details doesnt help to daignose the problem), you could use the third party tool psexec.exe to run the installer on the remote host.
Try to replace your invoke-command with
psexec.exe \\$computer -s -u Adminuser -p AdminPassword msiexec /i C:\Avamar\AvamarClient-windows-x86_64-7.0.102-47.msi /qb ADVANCED_OPTIONS=1 CHANNEL=100

Answer 3

It's working fine with psexec.exe, I have installed it on more than 100 user's desktop. Setup your user's ip addresses on clients.txt file. Below is my code :
cls
$computername = Get-Content 'C:\Setup\clients.txt'
$sourcefile = "C:\Setup\MySyncSvcSetup.msi"
$serviceName = "MySyncWinSvc"
$adminUserName = "username"
$adminPassword = "password#123"
#This section will install the software
foreach ($computer in $computername)
{
#First uninstall the existing service, if any
C:\PSTools\psexec.exe \\$computer -s -u $adminUserName -p $adminPassword msiexec.exe /x C:\SetupFiles\MySyncSvcSetup.msi /qb
Write-Host "Uninstalling Service"
$destinationFolder = "\\$computer\C$\SetupFiles"
#This section will copy the $sourcefile to the $destinationfolder. If the Folder does not exist it will create it.
if (!(Test-Path -path $destinationFolder))
{
New-Item $destinationFolder -Type Directory
}
Copy-Item -Path $sourcefile -Destination $destinationFolder
Write-Host "Files Copied Successfully"
C:\PSTools\psexec.exe \\$computer -s -u $adminUserName -p $adminPassword msiexec.exe /i C:\SetupFiles\MySyncSvcSetup.msi /qb /l* out.txt
Write-Host "Installed Successfully"
C:\PSTools\psexec.exe \\$computer -s -u $adminUserName -p $adminPassword sc.exe start $serviceName
Write-Host "Starting the Service"
}