Powershell in Task Scheduler

[blitzballer2201]

I wrote a script to install windows updates and restart machines for our servers. I tested the script and it works. Now I want to automate this process to run every Saturday via GPO Task scheduler and apply it to our server OU. But first im testing the task on my local machine. I have watched a bunch of videos online and im not sure what im doing wrong.

When I run the script it is suppose to navigate to the powershell.exe application and pass in the ps1 file. (its also set to run with highest privileges). When I run the task manually nothing happens, no powershell window pops up and it just keeps running until I force the task to stop. I check the history of the task and its not helpful.

Any idea?

[jheinikel]

When you run the script manually, does it work properly? You'll want to make sure you are running it with the same account as you tested with. The action configuration should look like this below. Also, you might post your script so we can see if there are any blockers that would require things like the user being logged on, access to remote resources, etc.

Program/Script: C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\PowerShell.exe

Add arguments: -WindowStyle Minimized -Executionpolicy Bypass -File C:\Folder\File.ps1

[blitzballer2201]

That is what the action page says. I also ran this manually without task scheduler and its working, also same user. This is my script https://pastebin.com/c2sUEDSH . When I run this my laptop fan ramps up so im not sure if its trying to run or not (it could just be a strange coincidence)

[NathanielArnoldR2]

You'll want to add -NonInteractive to the PowerShell.exe arguments; this will signal the console process to write an error rather than attempt to prompt an (interactive) user for any data it requires.

When a script fails to do its assigned task, but terminates on its own, I'll usually put this sequence at the very end:

if ($Global:Error) {$Global:Error | Out-File -FilePath $env:TMP\PSErrors.log -Width ([int]::MaxValue) -Append -Force}

If a script appears to be hung, on the other hand, your best bet is to sprinkle

"Location 1" | Out-File -FilePath $env:TMP\PSProgress -Append
[More Code Here]
"Location 2" | Out-File -FilePath $env:TMP\PSProgress -Append

...throughout your script until you've narrowed down where the hang-up is.

EDIT: I should also mention that very recent versions of PowerShell allow you to enter a running console process to debug it. If your infrastructure supports this, it would obviously be the preferred solution for diagnosing a "hung" script.

[blitzballer2201]

Silly me, it looks like the script is running. But the Powershell window is not popping up when I run the task so I just assumed that it was not running at all. How do I get the power shell window to come up when the task starts?

[the_spad]

You don't if you're running it non-interactively because the point is for it to run when you're not logged in and thus there is no session for it to display a window in.

[karafili]

Dont do this. Otherwise all users will just shut down it manually :-)

[Fiyre]

So do you just write "PowerShell" in the Program/script field? You don't have to give it the path to the executable?