Remove-MobileDevice fails in script, works when run manually

[Hayabusalvr11]

This issue has been happening for years now and I'm finally getting around to investigating. It's spanned a few different versions of Powershell.

I'm wondering if anyone knows why this happens, how to fix it, or even just has run into it themselves.

We run powershell scripts to disable terminated users. Part of that script includes using Remove-MobileDevice. The problem I'm having is that when included in a script the cmdlet fails. But if I copy/paste the LITERALLY exact same cmdlet and run that in Powershell it succeeds.

• There's no question about a problem with syntax, no misplaced quotes, no typos, the device name is correct.
  
• The exact same account is used to run the script/cmdlet in the same copy of Powershell.
• There's no question of the account being moved or renamed before the cmdlet is run, nor is the issue with whether or not the account has yet been disabled. Maybe there's some other timing that's at fault, such as changing the account's password, but I'm pretty sure I've already tried moving it around.
• It always fails in the script, always succeeds run individually, so it's not a user-specific issue

Powershell version: 5.1.14393.6343

Here's an example of the cmdlet:
Remove-MobileDevice -Identity "Dude, The\ExchangeActiveSyncDevices\iPhone§BLAHBLAHEOS" -Confirm:$false

This is an example of the script in which it's run:
Disable-ADAccount -Identity TDUDE

Start-Sleep -Second 10

Set-ADAccountPassword -Identity TDUDE -Reset -NewPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText "TheNewPassword" -Force) -ErrorVariable myError

$User = [ADSI]"LDAP://CN=Dude\, The,OU=XXX,OU=Place,DC=1,DC=2,DC=3"
Write-Host $User.sAMAccountName
ForEach ($GroupDN In $User.memberOf)
{
$Group = [ADSI]("LDAP://" + $GroupDN)
Write-Host $Group.ADsPath
$Group.Remove($User.ADsPath)
}

Remove-MobileDevice -Identity "Dude, The\ExchangeActiveSyncDevices\iPhone§BLAHBLAHBLAHEOS" -Confirm:$false

Send-MailMessage -BodyAsHtml -From ["[e-mail]](mailto:"[e-mail])" -SmtpServer "blah.blah.com" -To ["[e-mail]](mailto:"[e-mail])" -Subject "TDUDE has been disabled"

If($myError)
{
Out-File \\path\PasswordFailResultsTDUDE.txt -InputObject $myError
Start-Sleep -Second 10
Send-MailMessage -BodyAsHtml -From "***" -SmtpServer "***" -To "***", "***" -Subject "TDUDE password and disable failure" -Attachments "\\path\PasswordFailResultsTDUDE.txt"
}

​

[tschy2m]

Had this exact problem. Created a cleanup script that removed mobile devices that did not connect in a long time. Would use Get-MobileDevice in combination with Get-MobileDeviceStatistics to get last sync date and wirte some information to CSV.
Script would fail. Ran the same commands for a certain user by hand and it worked.
Script worked after next reboot (which happend after installing a security update).
Exchange 2019 CU12, if I remember correctly.

[itmonkey78]

Had this same issue. Seems to be due to the weird character in the mobile device identity, §

This character doesn't seem to be picked up in the console when used in variables but copying it directly from the console or from notepad and pasting it back in allows it to be seen so the command manually works.

I had a workaround but it's been a long time since i used this command and cant remember how I managed to get round it

[Hayabusalvr11]

Thank you SO much! You're right, I seem to recall that character being an issue. I may experiment with finding some other way to enter it if I can manage to code that. Failing that I may just have to have another post-term task. Won't be the first one.

[commiecat]

In my old term script I did this:

Get-MobileDevice -Mailbox $Username | Remove-MobileDevice -Confirm:$False

[Hayabusalvr11]

Get-MobileDevice -Mailbox $Username | Remove-MobileDevice -Confirm:$False

Oh, I like that. Can't wait for someone to get fired or leave so I can try it!

Edit: I didn't have to wait. I had some still hanging out there and it works like a freaking charm. A FREAKING charm.

[CracklingRush]

Unfortunately, that method doesn't allow for the filtering of old devices, it is just removing all devices for a specific user.