1

Hi,

I’m trying to install a .msi file which seems to be being hard work. Deploying it by broup policy and a startup script won’t work but I’ve found running it from powershell as administrator does work.

I tried to create a skip that will connect onto a list of PCs and run the install. The script starts but once the Enter-PSSession line runs, it just brings up the remote session and pauses, it doesn’t continue to run the rest of the script. If I manually enter the next lines it will run the install succesfully, delete the file and stop the service but it then doesn’t run through the loop.

$logfile = "C:\Scripts\Deploy.txt"
$cred = Get-Credential domain\Administrator
foreach($pc in (Get-content C:\Scripts\computers.txt)){
write-verbose "Working on $pc" -Verbose
  if(Test-Path "\\$pc\c$"){
        Get-Service -Name WinRM -ComputerName $pc | Set-Service -Status Running
        Copy-Item "\\Server\FileShare\file.msi" \\$pc\c$\WINDOWS\Temp\
        Enter-PSSession –ComputerName $pc –Credential $cred
        msiexec.exe /i "C:\WINDOWS\Temp\file.msi" /qn /log "C:\Windows\Temp\InstallLog.txt"
        exit
        Remove-Item "\\$pc\c$\WINDOWS\Temp\file.msi"
        Get-Service -Name WinRM -ComputerName $pc | Set-Service -Status Stopped
  }else{Add-content $Logfile -value $pc}
}

Does anyone have any pointers?

3 Spice ups
2

What you describe seems to be “expected” due to the way enter-pssession works.

What if you replace “enter-pssession” with “invoke-command”? That should do what you want.

1 Spice up
3

Is it getting stuck on waiting for Execution policy override?

4

If you post code, please use the ‘Insert Code’ button. Please and thank you!

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5

that is expected behavior. As Carl mentioned, ‘enter-pssession’ is interactive.

If you want to automate that, you have to use ‘invoke-command’

Why you turn winRM explicitly on and then off, is beyond me…

e.g.

$logfile = "C:\Scripts\Deploy.txt"
$cred = Get-Credential domain\Administrator
$list = Get-content "C:\Scripts\computers.txt"

foreach ($pc in $list) {
    write-verbose "Working on $pc" -Verbose
    if (Test-Path "\\$pc\c$") {
        Get-Service -Name WinRM -ComputerName $pc | Set-Service -Status Running
        Copy-Item "\\Server\FileShare\file.msi" \\$pc\c$\WINDOWS\Temp\
        invoke-command –ComputerName $pc –Credential $cred -ScriptBlock {
            msiexec.exe /i "C:\WINDOWS\Temp\file.msi" /qn /log "C:\Windows\Temp\InstallLog.txt"
        }
        Remove-Item "\\$pc\c$\WINDOWS\Temp\file.msi"
        Get-Service -Name WinRM -ComputerName $pc | Set-Service -Status Stopped
    }
    else { 
        Add-content $Logfile -value $pc
    }
}
1 Spice up
6

If I use invoke command as such:

Invoke-Command -ComputerName $pc -Credential $cred -ScriptBlock { msiexec.exe /i "c:\WINDOWS\Temp\file.msi" /qn /log "C:\Windows\Temp\InstallLog.txt" }

Then the software doesn’t install, it comes back with a 1603 error in the log. It seems to stop at “MigrateFeatureStates. Return value 0.”

7

that really depends on the MSI / installer.

8

The link at sync.com seems to be suggesting to allow install by users rather than just administrators, but I’m giving it the domain admin credential?

9

that is one of the many things error 1603 could mean, but the real meaning depends on the installer file.