I launched Powershell ISE as the Administrator and clicked on Help (aka F1) in Help
Results shown below the dotted line.
I have already (¿successfully?) ran Get-Help at the command-line without apparent errors/messages (non-ISE, not -Verbose).
I ran Update-Help w/-Verbose at the command-line and from the ISE as Administrator
I have a Help Question in 2 parts:
Part #1 Can finding $MediaFiles be fixed?
--
Part #2 Can Get-Help be configured to download ALL the help files for Powershell 5.1 (for both cmd and ISE)?
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks, Tracey
BTW I have the -Verbose output, but a message is I can only have 2 links per post (whatever that means) so I may have to post them in 2 replies to this post.
…
PS C:\Windows\system32> Get-Help '$MediaFiles' -ShowWindow
Get-Help : Get-Help could not find $MediaFiles in a help file in this session.
To download updated help topics type: "Update-Help".
To get help online, search for the help topic in the TechNet library at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=107116.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-Help '$MediaFiles' -ShowWindow
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : ResourceUnavailable: (:) [Get-Help], HelpNotFoundException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : HelpNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetHelpCommand
Update-Help -Verbose ISE as Administrator:
PS C:\Windows\system32> Update-Help -Verbose
VERBOSE: Resolving URI: "http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=216365"
VERBOSE: Your connection has been redirected to the following URI: "https://download.microsoft.com/download/0/7/4/074A9960-60
0E-4EFC-A49D-E86F4793FC73/"
VERBOSE: Performing the operation "Update-Help" on target "NetworkSwitchManager, Current Version: 5.0.1.0, Available Version:
5.0.1.0, UICulture: en-US".
VERBOSE: NetworkSwitchManager: The most current Help files are already installed.. Culture en-US Version 5.0.1.0
Update-Help : Failed to update Help for the module(s) 'ISE' with UI culture(s) {en-US} : Unable to connect to Help content.
The server on which Help content is stored might not be available. Verify that the server is available, or wait until the
server is back online, and then try the command again.
At line:1 char:1
+ Update-Help -Verbose
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidOperation: (:) [Update-Help], Exception
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : UnableToConnect,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.UpdateHelpCommand
Update-Help : Failed to update Help for the module(s) 'CimCmdlets, Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive, Microsoft.PowerShell.Core,
Microsoft.PowerShell.Diagnostics, Microsoft.PowerShell.Host, Microsoft.PowerShell.LocalAccounts,
Microsoft.PowerShell.Management, Microsoft.PowerShell.ODataUtils, Microsoft.PowerShell.Security,
Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility, Microsoft.WSMan.Management, PackageManagement, PowerShellGet, PSDesiredStateConfiguration,
PSScheduledJob, PSWorkflow, PSWorkflowUtility' with UI culture(s) {en-US} : Unable to retrieve the HelpInfo XML file for UI
culture en-US. Make sure the HelpInfoUri property in the module manifest is valid or check your network connection and then
try the command again.
At line:1 char:1
+ Update-Help -Verbose
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : ResourceUnavailable: (:) [Update-Help], Exception
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : UnableToRetrieveHelpInfoXml,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.UpdateHelpCommand
PS C:\Windows\system32>
Update-Help -Verbose command-line as Administrator:
Windows PowerShell
Copyright (C) 2016 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
PS C:\Windows\system32> Update-Help -Verbose
VERBOSE: Resolving URI: "http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=216365"
VERBOSE: Your connection has been redirected to the following URI:
"https://download.microsoft.com/download/0/7/4/074A9960-600E-4EFC-A49D-E86F4793FC73/"
VERBOSE: Performing the operation "Update-Help" on target "NetworkSwitchManager, Current Version: 5.0.1.0, Available
Version: 5.0.1.0, UICulture: en-US".
VERBOSE: NetworkSwitchManager: The most current Help files are already installed.. Culture en-US Version 5.0.1.0
Update-Help : Failed to update Help for the module(s) 'CimCmdlets, ISE, Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive,
Microsoft.PowerShell.Core, Microsoft.PowerShell.Diagnostics, Microsoft.PowerShell.Host,
Microsoft.PowerShell.LocalAccounts, Microsoft.PowerShell.Management, Microsoft.PowerShell.ODataUtils,
Microsoft.PowerShell.Security, Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility, Microsoft.WSMan.Management, PackageManagement,
PowerShellGet, PSDesiredStateConfiguration, PSScheduledJob, PSWorkflow, PSWorkflowUtility' with UI culture(s) {en-US}
: Unable to retrieve the HelpInfo XML file for UI culture en-US. Make sure the HelpInfoUri property in the module
manifest is valid or check your network connection and then try the command again.
At line:1 char:1
+ Update-Help -Verbose
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : ResourceUnavailable: (:) [Update-Help], Exception
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : UnableToRetrieveHelpInfoXml,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.UpdateHelpCommand
PS C:\Windows\system32>
Do you really meant CMD? Or did you mean the PowerShell console? If it’s the latter one - the PowerShell help is for PowerShell - no matter if you run it in the console or in the ISE. So - “yes” - that’s already the case.
Apart from all that:
I would recommend not bothering with updating the help files unless there is a really compelling reason to have these files locally.
Use the online help instead. It’s always up to date and you can browse it independently from your console or ISE or whatever IDE you’re using.
I will check out your link, Thanks!
This may be a silly question, but what is the file count and/or byte size when the help files are successfully downloaded?
C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell (v2 original installation) is 132 Files, 9 Folders, 8,790,746 bytes
C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell (v5 after a failed download) is 221 Files, 77 Folders, 4,517,424 bytes
C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell (v5 after an apparent semi-successful download) is 402 Files, 80 Folders, 11,727,362 bytes
Please advise.
Thanks, Tracey
Some one what able to successfully download the help files after re-installing windows.
So I reinstalled windows and “much” stuff was download, but some messages indicate that not all was downloaded.
I feel like I’m groping around in the dark.
The size of the folder you mention can vary drastically depending on how many Modules have been installed. For instance, my folder size is around 670MB with 74 Modules installed. If I exclude the Modules folder, I have approx 13MB in that folder. So there is no easy answer to your question.
I did NOT think to mention it before, but I was thinking 5.1 default without additional modules (as a clueless newbie I do NOT even know what they are).
Thanks, Tracey
BTW My results are as follows (after re-installing windows):
PowerShell 5.1 was originally 221 Files, 77 Folders, 4,517,424 bytes
Update-Hlep -Force -Verbose
402 Files, 80 Folders, 11,727,362 bytes
after Get-Module -ListAvailable | Where HelpInfoUri | Update-Help
428 Files, 83 Folders, 18,801,057 bytes
after Update-Help -Force -Verbose -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
No Change
after Update-Help -Force -Ea 0 -Ev ErrMsgDetail
$ErrorMsgDetail.Exception
No Change
