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Running a powershell task to call exe while logged off
Posted on 2016-09-09
So I have been researching for hours and tried various solutions, I am still having trouble getting an exe to run while logged off. This is a utility for a 3rd party program called sync.exe. It will not run when called directly in task scheduler.
So we are trying a powershell script which works fine when logged in an running it manually outside task scheduler. But once we set it as a scheduled task, the script apparently runs but the exe that it calls does not start.
We have tried running as a admin group and also privileged AD account. I am using the start-process command in the script and pointing directly to sync.exe. It is located on a local drive so it is not networked.
We cannot figure out why the exe does not run while logged off.
So we are trying a powershell script which works fine when logged in an running it manually outside task scheduler. But once we set it as a scheduled task, the script apparently runs but the exe that it calls does not start.
We have tried running as a admin group and also privileged AD account. I am using the start-process command in the script and pointing directly to sync.exe. It is located on a local drive so it is not networked.
We cannot figure out why the exe does not run while logged off.
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8 Comments
Active today
It seems likely to me that the program either requires a GUI or a user profile environment. Either one would mean that it can't run as a scheduled task with an account that is not logged in.
Thanks for the reply. The strange thing is, this sync.exe file was supposed to be designed to run as a task and it has no overhead or interface. If double clicking to run the sync, the process will show up in task manager and do its thing. There is no window for it. And when it is finished it auto terminates.
Active today
I would leave calling it from PowerShell out, that just adds another layer of complication and doesn't add any ability to run it as a task.
If you set up a task to run the sync.exe, but set it to run only when user is logged on, does it work? If so, then it's likely dependent on something in the user profile. But from there I'm not sure it there's any way to determine what exactly. Perhaps running Process Explorer or Process Monitor while the program runs could tell you, but especially with ProcMon, it's a lot to sort through.
Can the product maker provide any guidance?
If you set up a task to run the sync.exe, but set it to run only when user is logged on, does it work? If so, then it's likely dependent on something in the user profile. But from there I'm not sure it there's any way to determine what exactly. Perhaps running Process Explorer or Process Monitor while the program runs could tell you, but especially with ProcMon, it's a lot to sort through.
Can the product maker provide any guidance?
I had been working with the maker and that is how we ended up with the powershell script. The exe will work when set to run when logged in but not when logged out, even though it is supposed to be able to. I am still working with them as it may just be a bug. The exit code for the exe is 1 instead of 0 when it finishes so that too may be a bug.
I just didn't know if powershell can circumvent this issue by forcing it to run under session 0.
I just didn't know if powershell can circumvent this issue by forcing it to run under session 0.
Active today
Being very familiar with PowerShell, I can't think of any way that it would help the situation. I wouldn't say it can't definitively, but I would be extremely surprised.
What does the program do? Where does it get its config (assuming it's not hard-coded into the program)? What resources does it try to access?
Have you tried it on other machines and OSes?
What does the program do? Where does it get its config (assuming it's not hard-coded into the program)? What resources does it try to access?
Have you tried it on other machines and OSes?
Yes we have tried server 2008 r2 and server 2012 r2 as those are the only OSes available to try. I think it is hard coded, I used procmon to dump the strings but didn't find any usable parameters. We have the 3rd party program installed in multiple office servers that is client data management and this sync utility is provided by that program to synchronize the data across those servers.
It is meant to be ran from a primary server whereas the others are secondary. At present we are running the utility manually by logging in and double clicking it. The 3rd party program even provides a way to setup this utility as a scheduled task so that is how we know it is supposed to work. I am still leaning more towards bug if it cannot be ran otherwise.
But the reason for powershell was because that was their latest suggestion. I should be able to find out more later this week when they get back with me.
It is meant to be ran from a primary server whereas the others are secondary. At present we are running the utility manually by logging in and double clicking it. The 3rd party program even provides a way to setup this utility as a scheduled task so that is how we know it is supposed to work. I am still leaning more towards bug if it cannot be ran otherwise.
But the reason for powershell was because that was their latest suggestion. I should be able to find out more later this week when they get back with me.
Active today
I agree PowerShell cannot do anything for you here, unless you are using it to change privileges, make sure to run elevated, check parameters or similar.
However, what it can do is to run procmon, the sync utility, and then stop procmon again (not sure about that last part).
ProcMon with a filter of Process PowerShell.exe and sync.exe, with registry and file monitoring active.
However, what it can do is to run procmon, the sync utility, and then stop procmon again (not sure about that last part).
ProcMon with a filter of Process PowerShell.exe and sync.exe, with registry and file monitoring active.
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