Powershell Using Start-Process in PSSession to Open Notepad

Question

I've created a pssession on a remote computer and entered that possession. From within that session I use start-process to start notepad. I can confirm that notepad is running with the get-process command, and also with taskmgr in the remote computer. However, the GUI side of the process isn't showing. This is the sequence I've been using:

$server = New-PSSession -ComputerName myserver -Credential mycreds
Enter-PSSession $server

[$server]: PS C:\>Start-Process notepad -Wait -WindowStyle Maximized

The process is running, but while RDP'd to the box, notepad does not open. If I open notepad from the server, a new notepad process begins. I also tried by using the verb parameter like this:

[$server]: PS C:\>Start-Process notepad -Wait -WindowStyle Maximized -Verb Open

Same result tho... Process starts, but no notepad shows. I've tried this while remoted into the box (but issued from my local host) as well as before remoting into the server.

Solution 1

That is because your powershell session on the remote machine does not go to any visible desktop, but to an invisible system desktop. The receiving end of your powershell remote session is a Windows service. The process is started, but nor you nor anyone else can ever see it.

And if you think about it, since multiple users could RDP to the same machine, there is really no reason to assume a remote powershell session would end up showing on any of the users desktops. Actually, in almost all cases you wouldn't want it anyway.

psexec with the -i parameter is able to do what you want, but you have to specify which of the sessions (users) you want it to show up in.

Solution 2

I know this is old, but I came across it looking for the solution myself so I wanted to update it for future poor souls.

A native workaround for this problem is to use a scheduled task. That will use the active session

function Start-Process-Active
{
    param
    (
        [System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PSSession]$Session,
        [string]$Executable,
        [string]$Argument,
        [string]$WorkingDirectory,
        [string]$UserID

    )

    if (($Session -eq $null) -or ($Session.Availability -ne [System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.RunspaceAvailability]::Available))
    {
        $Session.Availability
        throw [System.Exception] "Session is not availabile"
    }

    Invoke-Command -Session $Session -ArgumentList $Executable,$Argument,$WorkingDirectory,$UserID -ScriptBlock {
        param($Executable, $Argument, $WorkingDirectory, $UserID)
        $action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute $Executable -Argument $Argument -WorkingDirectory $WorkingDirectory
        $principal = New-ScheduledTaskPrincipal -userid $UserID
        $task = New-ScheduledTask -Action $action -Principal $principal
        $taskname = "_StartProcessActiveTask"
        try 
        {
            $registeredTask = Get-ScheduledTask $taskname -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
        } 
        catch 
        {
            $registeredTask = $null
        }
        if ($registeredTask)
        {
            Unregister-ScheduledTask -InputObject $registeredTask -Confirm:$false
        }
        $registeredTask = Register-ScheduledTask $taskname -InputObject $task

        Start-ScheduledTask -InputObject $registeredTask

        Unregister-ScheduledTask -InputObject $registeredTask -Confirm:$false
    }

}

Solution 3

When you use New-PSSession and then RDP into that same computer, you're actually using two separate and distinct user login sessions. Therefore, the Notepad.exe process you started in the PSSession isn't visible to your RDP session (except as another running process via Task Manager or get-process).

Once you've RDP'd into the server (after doing what you wrote in your post), start another Notepad instance from there. Then drop to PowerShell & run this: get-process -name notepad |select name,processid

Note that there are two instances, each in a different session.

Now open up Task Manager and look at the user sessions. Your RDP session will probably be listed as session 1.

Now quit Notepad and run get-process again. You'll see one instance, but for session 0. That's the one you created in your remote PSSession.