How to run a PowerShell script

Question

How do I run a PowerShell script?

I have a script named myscript.ps1
I have all the necessary frameworks installed
I set that execution policy thing
I have followed the instructions on this MSDN help page and am trying to run it like so: powershell.exe 'C:\my_path\yada_yada\run_import_script.ps1' (with or without --noexit)

which returns exactly nothing, except that the file name is output.

No error, no message, nothing. Oh, when I add -noexit, the same thing happens, but I remain within PowerShell and have to exit manually.

The .ps1 file is supposed to run a program and return the error level dependent on that program's output. But I'm quite sure I'm not even getting there yet.

What am I doing wrong?

Start the `powershell` as you would have started `cmd`. Now you can execute the `myscript.ps1` script as any executable there in (in powershell window), i.e. `.\myscript.ps1` — parasrish, Dec 19 '17 at 03:22

score 833 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 05 '19 at 14:04

833

Launch Windows PowerShell, and wait a moment for the PS command prompt to appear
Navigate to the directory where the script lives
```
PS> cd C:\my_path\yada_yada\ (enter)
```
Execute the script:
```
PS> .\run_import_script.ps1 (enter)
```

What am I missing??

Or: you can run the PowerShell script from cmd.exe like this:

powershell -noexit "& ""C:\my_path\yada_yada\run_import_script.ps1""" (enter)

according to this blog post here

Or you could even run your PowerShell script from your C# application :-)

Asynchronously execute PowerShell scripts from your C# application

edited Oct 05 '19 at 14:04

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jan 09 '10 at 22:24

marc_s

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This indeed works, but I need to do this from within a batch file. Obviously, my way of calling `powershell.exe` and then the script file is somehow screwed up. Do you have any idea how to modify it? – Pekka Jan 09 '10 at 22:26
23

Your blog post link did it. I have to use `powershell -noexit "& "C:\yada_yada\run_import_script.ps1"` (notice the *three* double quotes) I don't really understand why, but at this point, I don't really care :) Thanks a lot! – Pekka Jan 09 '10 at 22:32
17

What exactly does the `"&` do? – BlueRaja - Danny Pflughoeft Jan 25 '12 at 02:00
18

According to http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee176949.aspx, the '&' is for "If you actually want to execute that string value (that is, if you want to run the script whose path is enclosed in double quotes) you need to preface the path with the Call operator (the ampersand)." – Doug Dawson May 29 '12 at 14:32
7

Just use the command `powershell c:\mypath\yadayada\myimportantscript.ps1` if your path and file name have no spaces in it but if you put quotes around it powershell will try and interpret the parameter as a string of powershell commands. – BeowulfNode42 Feb 09 '14 at 20:55
3

@marc_s: Or just right-click the file and choose "Execute with Powershell". At least that works under Windows 7. – juergen d Aug 04 '14 at 12:04
1

Downvoted. Doesn't answer how to execute from a batch file, doesn't clearly answer how to execute it in a single command. Generally insufficient to be a good answer. – Thomas W Sep 17 '14 at 04:56
37

none of these worked for me until I bypassed powershell's default executionpolicy for my freshly-created unsigned script. Among other things this required restarting powershell As Administrator. Totally agree with @LukePuplett - it's brilliant to make the simplest use-case take 20 minutes of googling and futzing around. And the error messages! Apparently these guys worked at IBM... in the 70's. – Spike0xff Mar 01 '16 at 21:49
16

As stated in a comment below, the execution policy has to be bypassed. One of the items that is not discussed here is how to run a powershell script from a command line passing in a parameter. To do this: type `powershell -executionpolicy bypass ".\myscript.ps1 yadayadayada"` – Jim Lahman Mar 14 '16 at 15:48
?? 500+ people have never heard of love bug - iloveyou.vbs – Sum1sAdmin Apr 11 '18 at 15:02
Note that the path ('.\') has to be specified or it won't work. I tried without the path and got 'The term 'scriptname.ps1' is not recognized as the name of a' ... – Jason Cheng Feb 05 '21 at 20:47

score 265 · Answer 2 · edited Oct 05 '19 at 14:05

265

If you are on PowerShell 2.0, use PowerShell.exe's -File parameter to invoke a script from another environment, like cmd.exe. For example:

Powershell.exe -File C:\my_path\yada_yada\run_import_script.ps1

edited Oct 05 '19 at 14:05

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jan 09 '10 at 23:39

Keith Hill

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5

Is there a way to add parameters to such an invocation? – Alexander Groß Feb 01 '10 at 23:25
13

You should just be able to trail the args after the script file path. From the PowerShell.exe usage - [-File ] – Keith Hill Feb 02 '10 at 01:32
"cannot be loaded because the execution of scripts is disabled on this system. Please see "get-help about_signing" fo r more details." – Pavel Vlasov Oct 21 '16 at 14:26
8

If you haven't enabled PowerShell script execution on your system add the parameter `-ExecutionPolicy Bypass` – Keith Hill Oct 21 '16 at 18:36
5

FYI this also works for PowerShell 1.0 in my experience (Windows 2012 Server) – knocte Nov 08 '16 at 07:55

score 207 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 30 '11 at 22:23

207

If you want to run a script without modifying the default script execution policy, you can use the bypass switch when launching Windows PowerShell.

powershell [-noexit] -executionpolicy bypass -File <Filename>

answered Jan 30 '11 at 22:23

Chingiz Musayev

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Also, include the `-nologo` option to get rid of the startup banner – swdev Jun 01 '16 at 06:28

score 92 · Answer 4 · edited Mar 26 '16 at 19:21

92

Type:

powershell -executionpolicy bypass -File .\Test.ps1

NOTE: Here Test.ps1 is the PowerShell script.

edited Mar 26 '16 at 19:21

igr

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answered Feb 05 '15 at 22:38

Sudheesh

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This should be executed in a powershell as `powershell -executionpolicy bypass -File .\Test.ps1` assuming you current working directory contains Test.ps1 – Yeow_Meng Dec 03 '15 at 03:57

score 32 · Answer 5 · edited Nov 30 '14 at 23:27

32

I've had the same problem, and I tried and tried... Finally I used:

powershell.exe -noexit "& 'c:\Data\ScheduledScripts\ShutdownVM.ps1'"

And put this line in a batch-file, and this works.

edited Nov 30 '14 at 23:27

Peter Mortensen

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answered Mar 08 '10 at 13:47

Dennis

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score 22 · Answer 6 · edited Nov 30 '14 at 23:27

22

If you only have PowerShell 1.0, this seems to do the trick well enough:

powershell -command - < c:\mypath\myscript.ps1

It pipes the script file to the PowerShell command line.

edited Nov 30 '14 at 23:27

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jul 01 '10 at 09:32

AndyM

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Useful trick when security policies don't allow script execution. – Aron Lorincz Aug 21 '16 at 14:46

score 21 · Answer 7 · edited Mar 02 '17 at 10:27

21

Pretty easy. Right click the .ps1 file in Windows and in the shell menu click on Run with PowerShell.

edited Mar 02 '17 at 10:27

Peter Mortensen

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answered Aug 23 '16 at 14:51

electronictonic

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This works to quickly run a script without having to enable the execution of scripts with execution policy. Thanks! – b01 May 21 '17 at 00:02

score 12 · Answer 8 · answered Nov 17 '14 at 09:04

Using cmd (BAT) file:

@echo off
color 1F
echo.

C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "PrepareEnvironment.ps1"

:EOF
echo Waiting seconds
timeout /t 10 /nobreak > NUL

If you need run as administrator:

Make a shortcut pointed to the command prompt (I named it Administrative Command Prompt)
Open the shortcut's properties and go to the Compatibility tab
Under the Privilege Level section, make sure the checkbox next to "Run this program as an administrator" is checked

score 12 · Answer 9 · edited Mar 02 '17 at 10:28

12

If your script is named with the .ps1 extension and you're in a PowerShell window, you just run ./myscript.ps1 (assuming the file is in your working directory).

This is true for me anyway on Windows 10 with PowerShell version 5.1 anyway, and I don't think I've done anything to make it possible.

edited Mar 02 '17 at 10:28

Peter Mortensen

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answered Sep 06 '16 at 19:58

rainabba

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How does this answer the question? – Peter Mortensen Mar 02 '17 at 10:29
4

it absolutely answers the question: how do I run a powershell script? answer: startup powershell console, then execute the script. easy. simple. Works on Linux also. – Thufir Feb 17 '18 at 18:31
4

This absolutely answers the question, and was exactly what I was looking for. as `myscript.ps1` did not work, threw an error, but with `./` it's executing. – Jeff Mar 31 '18 at 22:16

score 11 · Answer 10 · edited Mar 02 '17 at 10:29

11

An easy way is to use PowerShell ISE, open script, run and invoke your script, function...

edited Mar 02 '17 at 10:29

Peter Mortensen

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answered Nov 01 '16 at 16:39

Jose Evaristo Cepeda Barrera

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score 9 · Answer 11 · edited Nov 11 '18 at 06:02

9

In case you want to run a PowerShell script with Windows Task Scheduler, please follow the steps below:

Create a task
Set Program/Script to Powershell.exe
Set Arguments to -File "C:\xxx.ps1"

It's from another answer, How do I execute a PowerShell script automatically using Windows task scheduler?.

edited Nov 11 '18 at 06:02

Peter Mortensen

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answered May 24 '18 at 08:07

Eugene

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score 8 · Answer 12 · edited Nov 30 '14 at 23:29

8

Give the path of the script, that is, path setting by cmd:

$> . c:\program file\prog.ps1
Run the entry point function of PowerShell:

For example, $> add or entry_func or main

edited Nov 30 '14 at 23:29

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jun 16 '13 at 09:28

pkm

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Running your commands from a cmd prompt: `>$ . c:\program file\prog.ps1 '.' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.` and `>$ add or entry_func or main 'add' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.` – Suncat2000 Dec 09 '19 at 21:15

solstinger · Answer 13 · 2021-04-15T12:48:40.533

8

I have a very simple answer which works:

Open PowerShell in administrator mode
Run: set-executionpolicy unrestricted
Open a regular PowerShell window and run your script.

I found this solution following the link that was given as part of error message: About Execution Policies

Edit: Make sure to run set-ExecutionPolicy default once you're done, or you will be exposed to seurity risks (thanks Anonymous user).

edited Apr 15 '21 at 12:48

answered Sep 17 '19 at 16:04

solstinger

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Make sure to run `set-ExecutionPolicy default` once you're done, or you will be exposed to seurity risks. – Anonymous Mar 21 '21 at 23:21

score 2 · Answer 14 · answered Aug 23 '20 at 07:30

2

You can run from cmd like this:

type "script_path" | powershell.exe -c -

answered Aug 23 '20 at 07:30

programmer365

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score 1 · Answer 15 · edited Nov 11 '18 at 06:02

1

Use the -File parameter in front of the filename. The quotes make PowerShell think it is a string of commands.

edited Nov 11 '18 at 06:02

Peter Mortensen

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answered Aug 01 '18 at 11:17

Engineer

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How to run a PowerShell script

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