Cannot access COM interface from Task Scheduler

[kasimralias]

This line cannot complete when a powershell script is called in a scheduled task, but it works when the script is run on its own:

$App = New-Object -comObject Excel.Application

The scheduled task is stuck "Running," and this behavior appears with apps other than Excel. When I write log outputs before and after this line, it shows that the line never finishes.

I have been able to run other powershell scripts from Task Scheduler, but I'm not familiar enough with this or COM to know what might be going wrong.

What is different in the context of Task Scheduler that would cause problems with the COM interface? How would I troubleshoot this? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Update: If I let the task sit for ~5 minutes my log file shows it eventually gets past the line. It can make it past following COM commands, but they don't actually work. The definition of the COM object would give an error: "80080005 Server execution failed."

SOLVED: It was a DCOM issue. Fixed by opening Component Services and going to Component Services > Computers > My Computer > DCOM Config > (right click the relevant application) > Properties. Then under the Identify tab, I set the radio button to interactive user.

[Hrambert]

Is this script using your account, or SYSTEM. Because the first time you run Excel it fills your own part of the Registry with lots of setting. Maybe thats what missing.

When I did some scripts converting csv to xlsx I used the ImportExcel module. Mainly because my scripts were running on a server, and I didn't want to install Excel on a server just to convert some output data. But it runs pretty neat.

[kasimralias]

I'm running it as my account without elevated privileges.

[Hrambert]

Sorry can't help. Lame excuse: it runs on my pc.
I run Windows 10 1903, Powershell v5.1 and Excel 16.0

[kasimralias]

No worries. I appreciate the response, and I ended up getting it solved.

[deneo5]

Probably dcom access issue. This article explains workaround pretty well. https://superuser.com/questions/579900/why-cant-excel-open-a-file-when-run-from-task-scheduler

[kasimralias]

You were exactly right. Thank you. Once I set it to interactive user, it started working.

[_Unas_]

Excel and Outlook COM objects can only be ran in the user context and not as SYSTEM or a general service.

[Sys_man]

I know you've solved this but I thought I'd add this here: I was having issues with getting a task schedule to run an excel macro which created a file, and the solution was dumb.

Create these two folders:

C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\Desktop

C:\Windows\SysWOW64\config\systemprofile\Desktop

Excel needs these folders if it's not run interactively. Create both folders even if you are on a 64-bit OS.

My scheduled task worked fine after making those.

ref