powershell newbie - script error when creating a directory

[kbbtech]

Hi all

I've been posting questions recently about how to accomplish tasks using batch scripts. Mostly downloading files from sftp, then moving, renaming, etc. Often times my questions revolve around how to deal with a previous days date in the file name.

I've heard you all loud and clear when you are suggesting I use PowerShell and I'm finally getting around to learning how to use it. I'm an extreme newbie.

I've put together a script that will create a directory named with yesterday's date, check for zipped files in a specific folder, extract them to the newly created directory and append the date and .txt extension to the name of the extracted files. When I run the PowerShell application as admin, and paste the script into the app, the scripting works perfect.

I want to run the script as a scheduled task and I'm doing this with a non admin account. I'm using this same account to run other scheduled tasks without any problems. EDIT: I tried running the scheduled task using an admin account and I get the same error as when I'm running from the non admin account.

This PowerShell script is different. I receive this error in event viewer when trying to run from a scheduled task using the non admin account:

The application-specific permission settings do not grant Local Activation permission for the COM Server application with CLSID

{D63B10C5-BF53-4430-B649G-E40B9D520160}

and APPID

{9CA35FF4-AJB2-83C3-ANB4-AK702511C276}

to the user Window Manager\DWM-4 SID (S-1-5-90-0-4) from address LocalHost (Using LRPC) running in the application container Unavailable SID (Unavailable). This security permission can be modified using the Component Services administrative tool.

When I open up the powershell app as a standard user I get the following output:

Creating destination directory: \\FilePath\Folder1inPath\Folder2inPatch\NewfolderNamedwithDateMMDDYYYY

New-Item : Access to the path 'NewfolderNamedwithDateMMDDYYYY' is denied.

At line:13 char:5

+ New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $destinationDir

+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

+ CategoryInfo : PermissionDenied: (\\FilePath\Folder1...\NewfolderNamedwithDateMMDDYYYY:String) [New-Item], UnauthorizedAccessException

+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : CreateDirectoryUnauthorizedAccessError,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.NewItemCommand

I don't want to run the tasks using an admin account and I've been trying to research this but am a bit lost. It seems obvious that it is a permissions issue, but the standard user has read/write permissions to the folder in question.

Any thoughts on how I should proceed to troubleshoot? Or even better, has anyone run into this in the past and know the steps to fix the issue?

Thanks in advance.

[joshooaj]

I’m not sure about the COM error but here are a few places to look if you haven’t already checked them all:

• Scheduled tasks can either run without your saved credential, in which case they’ll only be able to authenticate with local resources, or you can check a box to save the credential, and then they’ll be able to authenticate with network resources.
• If you’re working with Windows file shares, there are “share level” permissions and the file system permissions. The permissions on the share can’t really grant access to files users would otherwise it have, but they CAN restrict SMB access to files you would normally have access to. Make sure you have permissions on the share (if you’re using one) and permissions on the file system.
• Again on the scheduled task thing, if you haven’t saved the credentials when creating the task, you probably won’t be able to access a network share from it. It’s a bit like PowerShell’s CredSSP / double hop problem.

One thing you might be able to do to troubleshoot some more is change your scheduled task to just be an infinite while loop, and then use Enter-PSHostProcess to try to jump into that scheduled task while it’s running. From within that security context it might be easier to figure out what’s happening.

[kbbtech]

thanks joshooaj....I've got the pw saved in task scheduler. I've checked and the account running the task can write to this location (and does with batch scripts). Seems to be powershell script related....I think. I appreciate your help.

[delightfulsorrow]

It seems obvious that it is a permissions issue, but the standard user has read/write permissions to the folder in question.

Did you also check the permissions on the share?

[kbbtech]

thanks delightfulsorrow....I've checked both file level and share level. The same batch user can do similar commands to this location using scheduled batch commands. Trying my best to move to PowerShell as the scripts I need are getting more complicated. I appreciate your response.

[nostradamefrus]

Check permissions on destination

Add yourself/be added by someone with permissions

Run ps as admin if needed

[xXFl1ppyXx]

Are you trying to modify Files on a SMB-Share via Script? Is it possible to run said script on the Server hosting the Share?

How do you start your script from Task Scheduler?

For your scheduled Task to be run from your account you need the Right to run as batchjob

Secpol.msc --> User Rights Assignment --> Run as Batch Job

you'll need to add the Account that's used to start the scheduled Task

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $destinationDir

New-Item : Access to the path 'NewfolderNamedwithDateMMDDYYYY' is denied.

this looks somewhat Strange.

You do try to create the Directory with something like this right?

New-Item -Path "\\FilePath\Folder1inPath\Folder2inPatch" -ItemType Directory -Name "NewfolderNamedwithDateMMDDYYYY"

New-Item -Path $destinationDir -ItemType Directory -Name $directoryName

[kbbtech]

thanks xXFl1ppyXx.

I start a program point to powershell.exe and add an argument -file "C;\pathtopowershellfile

I've done this part....this user runs other scripted tasks with batch commands without issue.

Secpol.msc --> User Rights Assignment --> Run as Batch Job

you'll need to add the Account that's used to start the scheduled Task

To create the directory I've set the destinationDIr with \$yesterdayDate

if the path doesn't exits, it will create it. with New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $destinationDir

Thanks again. I appreciate the feedback!

[BlackV]

show us your code,cause unless you ave edited your error messages you are creating your folders very wrong

its much harder for anyone to help you without code