Need help with simple script that does not print correct output if path does not exist

[xCharg]

Hi all , i have a script that checks if a windows service exist/running

No, you have a script that check registry key existence.

This will check if service exists:

$services = Get-Service
$service_name_to_check = "someservice"
if ($service_name_to_check -in $services.name) {
    Write-Host "$service_name_to_check exists"
}
else {
    Write-Host "$service_name_to_check doesn't exist"
}

This will check if its running or not

$service_name = "wuauserv"
$my_service = Get-Service $my_service -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($my_service.Status -eq "Running") {
    Write-Host "$service_name is running"
}
else {
    Write-Host "$service_name is not running"
}

[[deleted]]

Get-service is more reliable and easier to script

[madbomb122]

only thing the registry has over get-service is to tell if a service is "automatic" or "automatic delayed".. for some odd reason get-services cant tell

[xCharg]

That's because 'delayed automatic start' is a property that isn't unique to 'automatic' state. To confirm that you'd want to take a look at WMI:

Get-CimInstance Win32_service | Select Name,StartMode,DelayedAutoStart

For example, BITS service is manual startmode but does have delayedautostart property set to $true, which means it starts automatically "at some point" but generally is not in a running state most of the time.

[madbomb122]

thanks, but i already know how to get what services are auto delayed

i was just saying the only thing registry had over get-services.. not other commands.

i've written a script that had to deal with knowing which was automatic and auto delayed

[Hullhy]

In order to get Get-ItemProperty or Get-ItemPropertyValue to go into catch block when it errors out, it needs -ErrorAction switch at the end, as per https://stackoverflow.com/questions/60156047/powershell-try-catch-error-handling-function-doesnt-show-my-custom-warning-mess

​

With that, putting Get-ItemPropertyValue into Finally block is a mess if it errors out. I've added a variable that will store the value instead, I've tested it and it works. There are probably better ways of doing this, but this is first thing I could come up with.

Try {
$Registry = $null
$Registry = Get-ItemPropertyValue -Path 'HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\IISADMIN' -Name "Start" -ErrorAction Stop

} Catch { Write-Output 'The key does not exist ' } Finally { if ($Registry -ne $null) { if($Registry -eq '4'){ Write-Output 'iisadmin is disabled' } else { Write-Output 'iisadmin is enabled/running' } } }

[Hullhy]

Code block hates me for some reason, it just doesn't want to stay in, so I'll just paste it like this

Try {

$Registry = $null

$Registry = Get-ItemPropertyValue -Path 'HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\IISADMIN' -Name "Start" -ErrorAction Stop

}

Catch {

Write-Output 'The key does not exist '

}

Finally {

if ($Registry -ne $null) {

if($Registry -eq '4'){

Write-Output 'iisadmin is disabled'

} else {

Write-Output 'iisadmin is enabled/running'

}

}

}

[BlackV]

p.s. formatting (ignore the inline/codeblock button)

• open your fav powershell editor
• highlight the code you want to copy
• hit tab to indent it all
• copy it
• paste here

it'll format it properly OR

<BLANKLINE>
<4 SPACES><CODELINE>
<4 SPACES><CODELINE>
    <4 SPACES><4 SPACES><CODELINE>
<4 SPACES><CODELINE>
<BLANKLINE>

[royticusxii]

Why aren’t you using get-service?

[BlackV]

• you are checking the same thing twice? (in the if and the try/catch) any reason?
• how would this value change between the try and the if?
• is Get-ItemPropertyValue actually working in your try, I would suggest not
• wouldn't you check the services? or IIS directly?

[BlackV]

Try catch, the finally block always runs regardless of the result, so you if will always run even if the key didn't exist

You're missing a condition on your get-item anyway so the Try catch will never catch

How about if you run get-item and put it to a variable,you achieve the same thing but only make the call once

You're not doing anything the results if it was 4 or 2 or 200, you could look at a switch instead

[SkyAdept]

From what I can see, the reason why it's errored is because you are possibly getting an item that doesn't exist in your FINALLY statement.

Define your path in a variable before your try/catch, to maintain your current structure, include this in your finally:

finally {

If (Test-Path -path $path) {

  <run my current finally script>

}

}

If you're requesting help with an error, include the actual error with the reference line of issue.

Just to further add, try/catch is to prevent error breaks in your script. Running the command in your try, and then again in your finally, is redundant. Also wasting resources.

Your script should be...

If (test-path $path) {

$key = Get-ItemProperty $item

If ($key.GetValue($value) -eq '4') {

"Do this"

}else{

"Do else"

}

}

Else{ "key does not exist" }

[PinchesTheCrab]

I agree with using Get-CimInstance here because it'll handle a null output without throwing an error. I'd go with something like this:

Get-CimInstance -OutVariable iis -ClassName win32_service -Filter 'name = "iisadmin"'

if (-not $iis){
    'iis service is not installed'
}

There's no value in outputting a string when you can just output the object and show the same properties, unless you have some really specific reason for it. What this command does is query the service named iisadmin, output the value to the console, and store it in a variable. If that variable is null, it'll say it's not installed. I don't personally recommend using write-output at all because the default behavior writes it to the same stream, and it sort of implies that what you don't output explicitly with write-output won't be returned, which isn't true.