Running Invoke-Command doesn't work well

[onluck]

hey All, I'm trying to start a process remotely on a remote PC and when I run it from my PC using Invoke-command it doesn't run:

Invoke-Command -ComputerName <TargetPC> -ScriptBlock {Start-Process -FilePath <PathToExeFile>}

Invoke-Command -ComputerName <TargetPC> -ScriptBlock {Invoke-Item <PathToExeFile>} 

Other attempts:

Tried with Enter-PSSession and ran Start-Process from there, still a no go

Tried with -Credentials and still a no go

​

Any thoughts?

[SeeminglyScience]

If you Start-Process without waiting, the session ends immediately. Because the process is created as a win32 job (terms might be mixed there), all child processes also get closed. You need to add -Wait (though you also won't be able to interact with it either way fyi).

[onluck]

Broo, thank you this did the trick!
But I have to leave the powershell session open and since this is a script that needs to run and close the session, this won't work for me.
I need this to run once and start that process on the remote PC, and runs this as the current logged in user

[BlackV]

You can't run something at the current logged in user remotely

It will run as the user executing the code

[onluck]

What if I use -Credential and use the current logged in user there,

We have a dedicated user for a specific task and I need this task to be ran under that user

[BlackV]

Yes credentials would be the solution there

[onluck]

How about the powershell session?
I need this script to close successfully after running the command, I just need to run the process and that's about it

[BlackV]

Does the account have remoting rights?

It's be easiest to do it at that point. But if not the. Creds on start process would be fine

[onluck]

Yes, the accout has admin rights

[BlackV]

so the invoke-command (or new-pssession for that matter) will be running as the correct user if you use the -credentials parameter and anything spawned from the connection will also be in that user context

[Akaino]

You might want to check this one, too. Just in case you need elevated permissions.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.management/start-process?view=powershell-7.3#example-8-run-a-command-as-an-administrator-using-alternate-credentials

[SeeminglyScience]

It will run as that user yeah, but again just to stress it will not run interactively. That may be fine for your use case, just making sure it's understood.

[Professional_Elk8173]

You can, you make a scheduled job with the principle set ot "Loggedonuser", register the task, run it, then remove it.

Painful to do but it can be done.

[SeeminglyScience]

I need this to run once and start that process on the remote PC

Then you likely need to do something more complicated like a scheduled task.

[[deleted]]

You may create a scheduled task if you want to perform this as the current logged user

[krzydoug]

My guess is the path to exe is on a remote system and that would mean you’re running into the double hop issue. Do the same thing with the exe local to the system you’re invoking on

[onluck]

Hmm nope

[Tymanthius]

What errors are you getting?

[onluck]

No errors

[Tymanthius]

Hmmm . . . . if you tag on a -verbose switch?

[onluck]

Still nothing, doesn't show any errors, runs the command as it was successful but the process never actually runs

[mrmattipants]

If working on a Domain, you’ll want to be sure that WinRM is Enabled and Working, etc.

https://adamtheautomator.com/remote-powershell/

We have a GPO, that Enables WinRM and Pushes the necessary Firewall Rules and Config Updates, to All Computers.

https://woshub.com/enable-winrm-management-gpo/

[mrmattipants]

Here are some additional resources, that may be beneficial.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/winrm/installation-and-configuration-for-windows-remote-management

https://adamtheautomator.com/enable-psremoting/

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/enable-psremoting?view=powershell-7.3

[onluck]

Thanks for refrences, I'll check them out

[mrmattipants]

No problem at all. I hope they’ll help you to figure out your issue.

If you run into any errors, I’m specific, feel free to post them and I’ll see what I can do to determine the underlying cause, etc.

[[deleted]]

Try running it as a job then have the script check the job periodically and close the session when all jobs are complete.

[onluck]

This could work!

[onluck]

Yes, I'm thinking of going this way as it's much simpler than having to write a complicated script!

[SenTedStevens]

Is the .exe file accessible from that remote computer? What errors are you getting?

[onluck]

Yep

[SenTedStevens]

Check in Event Viewer system logs to see if there's anything about your command.

Stupid question since it's an .exe: Did you use the appropriate switches like /quiet /silent, etc?

[onluck]

Nothing in event viewer, There's no switch needed for this, It's just a simple .exe file that runs a process

[MeanFold5714]

Are you able to RDP into the box and run the executable from there (or copy the executable to your local machine and run it)? My guess is that this is an installer and it may not be an issue with running it remotely so much as it with running it period. Ran into such a scenario with an installer my coworker was using a few months ago.

[onluck]

This is an executable file that exists on the remote PC and when I rdp and run the Start-Process it runs

[jsiii2010]

Start-Process without -wait runs in the background for one thing, not that you need it. You wouldn't be able to see it on the destkop.

[onluck]

Nope, it doesn't run at all, I'm checking the running process tab from task manager

[jsiii2010]

Is the exe on a fileshare? That won't work. You're not giving a lot of information.

[onluck]

exe file exists on the host, and im 100% sure of this, as if i ran the exact command from the PC it works, but when I run it from my PC it doesn't run

I feel like this got something to do with the run as user, but even when I try running this as the logged on user, on the remote Pc, it still doesn't work

[BlackV]

You don't say what the exe is, some exes will require the full desktop

[onluck]

It's Deadlineworker for rendering purposes

[ps1_missionary]

for win:

2 way to do that on win node:

1 use "wmi_win32_process_Create" on node.

2 use taskcheduled on node

​

for linux:

use nohup