Wait-Job doesn't wait - powershell

Here is code
try{
$SetupJob = invoke-command -ComputerName $j -Credential $credentials -ScriptBlock $sb -AsJob | Out-Null
}
catch [System.Exception]{
continue
}
$SetupJob|Wait-Job
$disable_command = "D:\PSTools\PsExec.exe $comp -u Administrator -p $str -accepteula powershell.exe c:\share\ps_disable.ps1"
$CmdOutput = Invoke-Expression $disable_command 2>&1
Remove-Item Z:\ps_*able.ps1
Remove-Item Z:\setup.exe
$SetupJob executes setup.exe on a remote_computer. After execution, it is supposed to be removed. But, I get the following
Remove-Item : Cannot remove item \\remote_computer\share\setup.exe: The process cannot access the file '\\remote_computer\share\setup.exe' because it is being used by another process.
How to fix?

Don't pipe the output of Invoke-Command to Out-Null. If you do then $SetupJob is going to be null and Wait-Job will return immediately.

Related

How to run script against windows servers WinRM

I am trying to run a script that searches/downloads/installs windows updates on remote computers using WinRM. I am running this script as a domain user with Admin access. However, I get an ACCESS Denied error.
Now, I have the script copied over to the remote servers but I am unable to view output to see whether the script is running or not.
OUTPUT I want to see:
# Continue running on other servers on error
$ErrorActionPreference = "Continue"
# Server list
$servers = Get-Content "C:\Users\admin\Desktop\vm-nonprod.txt"
# Logs
$log = "C:\Users\admin\Desktop\log-nonprod.txt"
# Path to script on server list
$scriptpath = "C:\Patch.ps1"
$results = #()
foreach ($server in $servers) {
try {
$Credential = Import-CliXml -Path "C:\Users\admin\Desktop\admin.Cred"
#New-PSSession -ComputerName $server -Credential $Credential
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $server -Credential $Credential -ScriptBlock {$scriptpath} -ArgumentList "Y" | Out-File -FilePath C:\Users\admin\Desktop\WinPatch.txt
#Invoke-Command -ComputerName $server -Credential hhq\admin -FilePath "C:\Users\admin\Documents\Patch.ps1"
#Copy-Item -Path C:\Users\admin\Documents\Patch.ps1 -Destination 'C:\' -ToSession (New-PSSession –ComputerName $server -Credential $Credential)
}
catch {
Write-Output ("Error running script on remote host: " + $server)
}
}
$results | Export-Csv -NoTypeInformation $log
There's a few issues here.
Does the script exist on the server?
Sounds like yes, you have Patch.ps1 in C:\ on each $server
The scriptblock does not run the script - just prints the variable.
To run it, change {$scriptpath} to {. $scriptpath} or {& $scriptpath}
The variable $scriptpath is not in the scriptblock scope - you will have to pass it in the -ArgumentList
Change: {$scriptpath} -ArgumentList "Y"
____To: {param($p); . $p} -ArgumentList $scriptpath
The argument "Y" is being passed to the scriptbock, not the script. The scriptblock is not looking for it, so this value is being lost.
Assume you want it to be passed to the script - this needs to be done in the scriptblock:
{$scriptpath "Y"}
I would recommend getting rid of Out-File until you are happy with the output in the console.
Putting it all together:
-ScriptBlock {$scriptpath} -ArgumentList "Y" | Out-File -FilePath C:\Users\admin\Desktop\WinPatch.txt
-ScriptBlock {param($p); . $p "Y"} -ArgumentList $scriptpath
I believe you have the wrong Invoke-Command commented out. The one that is running only has the user name hhq\admin in the credential parameter. It might be failing due to that because it would be prompting for the password during run-time.

Cannot bind parameter to argument 'command' because it is null. Powershell

I had a function similar to below code. It receives command and the command arguments. I had to run this command in background and collect the output. But that last statement is bugging me with this error
Error:
Cannot bind argument to parameter 'Command' because it is null.
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidData: (:) [Invoke-Expression], ParameterBindingValidationException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationErrorNullNotAllowed,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.InvokeExpre
ssionCommand
+ PSComputerName : localhost
Code:
$cmd = 'Get-content'
$Arg = 'path to file'
$sb = "$cmd $Arg -ErrorVariable e -ErrorAction Stop"
invoke-Expression $sb #This printsoutput
$job = Start-job -ScriptBlock {Invoke-Expression $sb}
wait-job -id $job.Id
$job | Receive-job #this should print output but throwing error
I am pretty sure last line is the one throwing the error.
Another alternative to get the $sb into the scope of the scriptblock besides -argumentlist is to use the $using: scope. (PowerShell 3+)
$cmd = 'Get-content'
$Arg = 'path to file'
$sb = "$cmd $Arg -ErrorVariable e -ErrorAction Stop"
$job = Start-job -ScriptBlock {Invoke-Expression $using:sb}
wait-job -id $job.Id
$job | Receive-job
The issue here is that you are not actually giving Invoke-Expression a command.
Whenever you create a new context ( in this case, a job ) you loose your access to the parent session's environment. In your case $sb is currently null.
The way that you manage this is to pass the values as arguments via the -ArgumentList parameter of Start-Job:
start-job -ScriptBlock {} -ArgumentList
In order to facilitate handing $sb to the ScriptBlock you would do this:
$sb = "$cmd $Arg -ErrorVariable e -ErrorAction Stop"
$job = start-job -ScriptBlock { Param([string]$sb)
Invoke-Expression $sb
} -ArgumentList $sb
This can be confusing so this is the same code written with more friendly names:
$OuterSB = "$cmd $Arg -ErrorVariable e -ErrorAction Stop"
$job = start-job -ScriptBlock { Param([string]$InnerSB)
Invoke-Expression $InnerSB
} -ArgumentList $OuterSB
I got the same error but when I run PowerShell using administrator privileges, I don't get this error. Good luck!
I also got the same error when running command with user without proper authorizations.
This in deed can be related to that.
For example my code:
$allParams = #(10, "Some Process")
Start-Job -ScriptBlock $restartProcessRobot -ArgumentList $allParams
<#
#descr
Function that restarts given proces -DisplayName after given number of seconds.
#param1 Integer number of seconds after which the process should be restarted.
#param2 String display name of process(es) that must be affected. Wild cards accepted.
#>
$restartServiceAfter = {
param($seconds, $processName)
Start-Sleep $seconds
Restart-Service -DisplayName $processName -Force
}
And user is not authorized to restart services.

Run console EXE remotely with PowerShell and get its process ID and stdout

I use PowerShell to run a console EXE on a remote server and see its output like this:
Invoke-Command -ComputerName %SERVER_NAME% -ScriptBlock { Set-Location "%EXE_DIR%" ; .\MyExe.exe %EXE_ARGS% }
This works, but gives me no way to kill the process, except connecting to the server via RDP. If I could just save its process ID to a file I should be able to kill it using Stop-Process. I tried this:
Invoke-Command -ComputerName %SERVER_NAME% -ScriptBlock { Start-Process -NoNewWindow -PassThru -Wait -WorkingDirectory "%EXE_DIR%" "%EXE_DIR%\MyExe.exe" "%EXE_ARGS%" }
The process runs, but now I don't see its standard output! When I use Start-Process locally (without Invoke-Command) I see the output.
How can I get both the process ID and the standard output/error?
Use a background job. You can either start a local job to invoke a command on a remote host:
$job = Start-Job -ScriptBlock {
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $computer -ScriptBlock {
Set-Location 'C:\some\folder'
& 'C:\path\to\your.exe' $args
} -ArgumentList $args
} -ArgumentList $argument_list
or open a session to a remote host and start a local job there:
Enter-PSSession -Computer $computer
$job = Start-Job -ScriptBlock {
Set-Location 'C:\some\folder'
& 'C:\path\to\your.exe' $args
} -ArgumentList $argument_list
Exit-PSSession
Job output can be received via Receive-Job:
while ($job.HasMoreData) {
Receive-Job $job
Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 100
}
You can terminate it via its StopJob() method:
$job.StopJob()
Remove-Job removes the job from the job list:
Remove-Job $job

Powershell Run Bat File in Remote machine

I modified a function I got from Microsoft forum, it purpose is to run copy a bat file to a remote machine and to run it there. I could see the file being copied over, however it seems not working when I try to call the Invoke-Command to execute the file. Any advice will be appreciated, thank you :)
function Run-BatchFile ($computer, [string]$batLocation)
{
$sessions = New-PSSession -ComputerName $computer -Credential qa\qalab3
Copy-Item -Path $batLocation -Destination "\\$computer\C$\MD5temp" #copy the file locally on the machine where it will be executed
$batfilename = Split-Path -Path $batLocation -Leaf
Invoke-Command -Session $sessions -ScriptBlock {param($batfilename) "cmd.exe /c C:\MD5temp\$batfilename" } -ArgumentList $batfilename -AsJob
$remotejob | Wait-Job #wait for the remote job to complete
Remove-Item -Path "\\$computer\C$\MD5temp\$batfilename" -Force #remove the batch file from the remote machine once job done
Remove-PSSession -Session $sessions #remove the PSSession once it is done
}
Run-BatchFile 192.168.2.207 "D:\MD5Check\test.bat"
You put the commandline you're trying to run in quotes.
Invoke-Command -Session $sessions -ScriptBlock {
param($batfilename)
"cmd.exe /c C:\MD5temp\$batfilename"
} -ArgumentList $batfilename -AsJob
PowerShell will just echo bare strings, not interpret them as command and execute them. You need to use Invoke-Expression for the latter:
Invoke-Command -Session $sessions -ScriptBlock {
param($batfilename)
Invoke-Expression "cmd.exe /c C:\MD5temp\$batfilename"
} -ArgumentList $batfilename -AsJob
or (better) remove the quotes and (optionally) use the call operator:
Invoke-Command -Session $sessions -ScriptBlock {
param($batfilename)
& cmd.exe /c "C:\MD5temp\$batfilename"
} -ArgumentList $batfilename -AsJob

Variables in Start-Job do not get evaluated

My Powershell code doesn't evaluate the $agent variable:
foreach ($agent in $agentcomputers) {
Write-Output 'Starting agent on '$agent
# psexc to start the agent
Start-Job -ScriptBlock {& psexec $agent c:\grinder\examples\startAgent.cmd}
}
This link is similar to my problem, except I'm not calling an external Powershell script.
I tried adding that in, using $args[0] for $agent, and adding the -ArgumentList parameters, but that didn't work.
Edits/Replies
$agentcomputers is just a list of computer names - each on its own line:
$agentcomputers = Get-Content c:\grinder-dist\agent-computers.txt
I have also tried this - and $args[0] doesn't evaluate:
Start-Job -ScriptBlock {& psexec $args[0] c:\grinder\examples\startAgent.cmd} -ArgumentList #($agent)
Here are 3 different ways I would do it.
First, all aligned and pretty.
$agents = Get-Content c:\grinder-dist\agent-computers.txt
$jobs = {
Param($agent)
write-host "Starting agent on" $agent
& psexec \\$agent c:\grinder\examples\startAgent.cmd
}
foreach($agent in $agents) {
Start-Job -ScriptBlock $jobs -argumentlist $agent | Out-Null
}
Get-Job | Wait-Job | Receive-Job
Or you could just put it all on one line without creating any variables.
(Get-Content c:\grinder-dist\agent-computers.txt) | %{ Start-Job -ScriptBlock { param($_) write-host "Starting agent on" $_; & psexec \\$_ c:\grinder\examples\startAgent.cmd } -argumentlist $_ | Out-Null }
Get-Job | Wait-Job | Receive-Job
And in this final example, you could manage how many threads are run concurrently by doing it this way.
$MaxThreads = 5
$agents = Get-Content c:\grinder-dist\agent-computers.txt
$jobs = {
Param($agent)
write-host "Starting agent on" $agent
& psexec \\$agent c:\grinder\examples\startAgent.cmd
}
foreach($agent in $agents) {
Start-Job -ScriptBlock $jobs -argumentlist $agent | Out-Null
While($(Get-Job -State 'Running').Count -ge $MaxThreads) {
sleep 10
}
Get-Job | Wait-Job | Receive-Job
}
Here is the solution. As Andy said, I needed to use $args array with the -ArgumentList parameter. This other thread was helpful: Powershell: passing parameters to a job
foreach($agent in $agentcomputers){
$agentslash = "\\"+$agent
$args = ($agentslash,"c:\grinder\examples\startAgent.cmd")
Write-Output 'Starting agent on '$agent
#psexc to start the agent
$ScriptBlock = {& 'psexec' #args }
Start-Job -ScriptBlock $ScriptBlock -ArgumentList $args
}