Script works when run locally, but no when I try and run remotely

PowerShell Help
1

Hello Folks,
I am developing a script to help server builds. When I run this snippet locally on the server, it works, it copies the files, no questions asked:

Copy-Item "\\servername\e$\ECI_Server_Builds\*" -Destination "c:\temp\"

However, I am trying to call that script(which does a bunch of other things) from this script:

$ComputerName  = Read-Host -Prompt "Please enter the New system you want to run ECI script on"
Invoke-Command    -filepath c:\tools\scripts\final\ECI-Additional-Setting_v7.ps1 -ComputerName $ComputerName

The bunch of other things seem to work, but that file copy just does not happen. Ive tried using this:

$hostname = hostname
$Session = New-PSSession -ComputerName $hostname -Credential "xxxx\xxxxxxx"

It prompts me for my creds, but still the copy does not happen.

Any ideas why?

Thanks!

2

You’re running into the so called double hop issue.

Please read the following help topics:

https://4sysops.com/archives/solve-the-powershell-multi-hop-problem-without-using-credssp/

1 Like
3

Yes I have read about the double hop issue. I thought passing in my creds would do it like this:

$cred = Get-Credential domain\username
$ComputerName  = Read-Host -Prompt "Please enter the New system you want to run ECI script on"
Invoke-Command    -ComputerName $ComputerName -credential $cred -filepath c:\tools\scripts\final\ECI-Additional-Setting_v7.ps1

But not working. I do not have a big security concern, just want to get the files copied. I am having trouble implementing CredSSP.

How would I do this?

Pass credentials inside an Invoke-Command script block

I use an Invoke command, but not using a Scriptblock. Can you have an empty Scriptblock?

4

No. It does not. The best way to circumvent the double hop issue is to avoid it. :wink:

When you run this code from another computer anyway you can copy the needed files to the remote computer by using an UNC path.

Something similar to this should work …

$ComputerName  = Read-Host -Prompt "Please enter the New system you want to run ECI script on"
Copy-Item '\\servername\e$\ECI_Server_Builds\*' -Destination "\\$($ComputerName)\c$\temp\"
invoke-Command -FilePath 'c:\tools\scripts\final\ECI-Additional-Setting_v7.ps1' -ComputerName $ComputerName
5

Olaf,
That worked, awesome!

Can you shed some light on how this UNC is constructed?

\\$($ComputerName)\c$\temp\

What is that 1st $ doing?

6

… search for subexpression operator

7

I spoke to soon .

When I run this code:

$ComputerName  = Read-Host -Prompt "Please enter the New system you want to run ECI script on"
#New-Item -Path "C:\Temp" -Name "Agent v10.1.43" -ItemType "Directory"
#New-Item -Path "C:\Temp" -Name "certs" -ItemType "Directory"
Copy-Item '\\servername\e$\ECI_Server_Builds\certs\*' -Destination "\\$($ComputerName)\c$\temp\certs"

Copy-Item '\\servername\e$\ECI_Server_Builds\Agent_v10.1.43\amp*' -Destination "\\$($ComputerName)\c$\temp\Agent_v10.1.43\"
Invoke-Command -filepath c:\tools\scripts\final\ECI-Additional-Setting_v7.ps1 -ComputerName $ComputerName

I end up with just a file called certs in the destination directory. I was aiming for a folder called certs, and the 2 certs in it, with another dir called Agentxx with the agent in there.

There is no -Recursive switch for Copy-item :frowning:

I tried creating those dirs 1st, but thats not working either.

The error I get is:

Copy-Item : The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
At C:\tools\scripts\Final\Remote-execution_eci_additional_settings.ps1:5 char:1
+ Copy-Item '\\servername\e$\ECI_Server_Builds\Agent_v10.1.43\amp*'  ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Copy-Item], IOException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : System.IO.IOException,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.CopyItemComm

I was thinking of a different approach using Get-ChildItem…but then Im not sure how to sue that with Invoke-Command.

8

It seems like in my testing, that if I have the folders already created on the destination, then it works as expected and copies the files.

My challenge now is how do I get those folders created In my first script?

I need to get this executed on a remote computer…I think:

#New-Item -Path "C:\Temp" -Name "Agent v10.1.43" -ItemType "Directory"
#New-Item -Path "C:\Temp" -Name "certs" -ItemType "Directory"
9

I finally got this working like this:

$ComputerName  = Read-Host -Prompt "Please enter the New system you want to run ECI script on"

Invoke-Command $ComputerName -ScriptBlock {
        $setupfolder = "C:\temp\Agent_v10.1.43\"
        $setupfolder1 = "C:\temp\certs\"
        New-Item -Path $setupfolder -type directory -Force
        New-Item -Path $setupfolder1 -type directory -Force
        }

Copy-Item '\\servername\e$\ECI_Server_Builds\certs\*' -Destination "\\$($ComputerName)\c$\temp\certs"
Copy-Item '\\servername\e$\ECI_Server_Builds\Agent_v10.1.43\amp*' -Destination "\\$($ComputerName)\c$\temp\Agent_v10.1.43\"
Invoke-Command -filepath c:\tools\scripts\final\ECI-Additional-Setting_v7.ps1 -ComputerName $ComputerName

Olaf - Thanks for your help as usual!

10

Great. I’m glad to hear. :+1:t4: I’ll answer to some of your questions anyway. :wink:

If you want to copy a folder you should provide the path of the folder - not the path of something inside it. :wink: So it should be …

Copy-Item '\\servername\e$\ECI_Server_Builds\certs' -Destination "\\$($ComputerName)\c$\temp -Recurse"

Yes, there is.

Please always read the help including the examples for the cmdlets you’re about to use. :point_up_2:t4:

The error complains about Copy-Item - not New-Item :thinking:

Usually we do something like this this way:

$FolderPath = "\\$($ComputerName)\c$\temp\certs"
if (-not (Test-Path -Path $FolderPath)) {
    New-Item -Path $FolderPath -ItemType Directory | Out-Null
}