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Managing Services the PowerShell way – Part 4: Configure Services
Let’s continue our exploration of using PowerShell to manage services. If you’ve missed the previous articles, take a few minutes to get caught up. In this article I want to explain how to configure services using the Set-Service cmdlet. This cmdlet uses the same service object that Get-Service works with.
By Jeffery Hicks - Thu, January 24, 2013 - 0 comments Jeffery Hicks is a Microsoft MVP in Windows PowerShell, Microsoft Certified Trainer and an IT veteran with 20 years of experience. Follow his blog.
Setting Remote Status
In Part 3, I explained that commands like Stop-Service lacked a –Computername parameter. You can use the commands in a remote session using Invoke-Command, which is still a great way especially if you are managing services on multiple computers. But we can also start, stop, restart, pause and resume services remotely using Set-Service.
PS C:\> set-service wuauserv -ComputerName chi-dc03 -Status stopped -WhatIf
What if: Performing operation "Set-Service" on Target "Windows Update (wuauserv)".
This command supports –WhatIf and you’ll need to use –Passthru to get any objects written to the pipeline.
PS C:\> set-service bits -ComputerName chi-dc03 -Status running -PassThru Status Name DisplayName ------ ---- ----------- Running bits Background Intelligent Transfer Ser...
Valid values for –Status are running, stopped, and paused. Be aware that if a service has dependencies you might not be able to modify the service as you can see in the screenshot.
set-service – Cannot stop service
Unfortunately, Set-Service lacks the –Force parameter so in these situations you will have to resort to my remoting example using Invoke-Command. If you want to restart a service, you’ll need a pipelined expression like this:
PS C:\> set-service w32time -ComputerName chi-dc03 -Status Stopped -PassThru | set -service -PassThru -Status Running Status Name DisplayName ------ ---- ----------- Running w32time Windows Time
Don’t forget to use –Passthru so an object is written to the pipeline, otherwise the second Set-Service command will have nothing to do.
Personally, I tend to run into more services that I can’t remotely stop using Set-Service, although starting is usually not a problem. I tend to stick using Invoke-Command. But remember, when using –Computername PowerShell is connecting using RPC and DCOM which can lead to firewall problems. Invoke-Command is using PowerShell remoting which you may not have configured or enabled anywhere, at least not yet!
Setting Startup Type
Where Set-Service comes in to play, is when you want to disable or enable a service using the –StartupType parameter. You can configure the service using the values Automatic, Manual or Disabled. Unfortunately, there isn’t an option for Automatic (Delayed).
PS C:\> set-service remoteregistry -StartupType Manual -WhatIf What if: Performing operation "Set-Service" on Target "Remote Registry (remoteregistry)". PS C:\> set-service remoteregistry -StartupType Manual -PassThru Status Name DisplayName ------ ---- ----------- Stopped remoteregistry Remote Registry
However, there is no way to tell by looking at the service object what the startup type is.
PS C:\> get-service remoteregistry | select *
Name : remoteregistry
RequiredServices : {RPCSS}
CanPauseAndContinue : False
CanShutdown : False
CanStop : False
DisplayName : Remote Registry
DependentServices : {}
MachineName : .
ServiceName : remoteregistry
ServicesDependedOn : {RPCSS}
ServiceHandle : SafeServiceHandle
Status : Stopped
ServiceType : Win32ShareProcess
Site :
Container :
There is a way, but I’ll cover that in the next article.
Be aware that changing the startup type doesn’t affect the current status of the service.
PS C:\> set-service remoteregistry -StartupType Disabled -PassThru Status Name DisplayName ------ ---- ----------- Running remoteregistry Remote Registry
So if you want to disable and stop (or enable and start), pass the service object to the appropriate cmdlet.
PS C:\> set-service remoteregistry -StartupType Disabled -PassThru | Stop-Service -PassThru Status Name DisplayName ------ ---- ----------- Stopped remoteregistry Remote Registry
Summary
Technically, Set-Service permits you to modify a service display name and description but I’ve never had a situation where I needed to do that. I primarily use Set-Service to enable and disable services. If I need to manage a service remotely, I using Invoke-Command.
Everything I’ve shown in the last few articles has been using a specific type of service objects which as you’ve seen has some limitations. In the next article we’ll explore other ways of working with services that get around these limitations.