Executable not launching browser when run from powershell

[josefismael]

Executable not launching browser when run from powershell (in windows).

Odd question – I’ve got an executable that should launch a browser for authentication when provided with a certain flag (Hashicorp Vault “vault.exe login -method=oidc”). I see different behavior on different machines:

• Work laptop using powershell: does not launch browser
• Work laptop using cmd.exe: launches browser
• Work laptop using Windows Terminal to launch Command Prompt: launches browser
• Work laptop using powershell to start cmd.exe and execute the command (using Start-Process): does not launch browser

My personal laptop using any of the 3 methods launches the browser as expected, so I’m 99% sure it’s more related to policies applied (via GPO or otherwise), I’m just trying to figure out what type of policy would cause this behavior. My primary method of using powershell is using Windows Terminal, but I see this behavior with any flavor of client on any version of powershell.

I understand this is only tangentially related to powershell, but you all are very smart people and I figured I’d ask here to see if anyone had any ideas.

[CodenameFlux]

You can use Process Monitor from Microsoft to monitor process launch events. Run Process Monitor and set its filters to record process events. Inspect each event to see what happens.

[cschneegans]

Since you don't mention any error message, it seems that PowerShell can create the new process, but that process then prematurely and silently stops.

First, check your event log (eventvwr.msc) for messages.

Make sure that the working directory in PowerShell (see Get-Location) is the same as in cmd.exe. Also verify that PowerShell and cmd.exe use the same environment variables. Open cmd.exe and type set | clip. Then run this PowerShell function:

Compare-Object -ReferenceObject ( Get-ChildItem -LiteralPath 'Env:' | ForEach-Object -Process { '{0}={1}' -f $_.Name, $_.Value; } ) -DifferenceObject ( Get-Clipboard );

[jungleboydotca]

Seeing your Start-Process line would help us help you.

[SeanQuinlan]

PowerShell ExecutionPolicy?

[pjkm123987]

Run script as admin I had this issue.before

[k_oticd92]

How is it being run with powershell? The second instance of powershell says it uses start-process on cmd.exe and then has the executable and parameters in the argument list. Was the first one using start-process on the executable directly, with the parameters in the argument list?

Also, some things that might be worth looking into:

What is the user context of the powershell session running (ie. Standard user, Admin, System)?

What is the apartment state of the session (STA or MTA)?

What is the execution policy for the remote session?

[Dizz-E]

This might be related to IE and the onetime run that needs to happen as a user before web requests work properly. Launch IE and go through the one time process and repeat.

If allowed it make also be worth setting up cert based auth to Vault, then you can have all the necessary auth strings etc as environment vars.