PowerShell launch script in new instance

Question

I have a Master script that has several options. When you select 1 in the menu, action 1 will be executed and afterwards you'll get back to the menu. This is working fine but I would like to be able to select for example 8, which launches the code block of the Permissions script in a new PowerShell window. I would like to have all code in one script and not call another script.

I know this can be done with 'Start-Process powershell' as found in several threats. This does open an new PowerShell window but doesn't execute the code block properly of the Permissions script. Any help would be appreciated.

Master script:

<# Author: Me #>
# Variables
$User = [Environment]::UserName
$OutputPath = "C:\Users\$User\Downloads\"
# Functions
Function Manager ($u) { 
$m = Get-ADObject -Identity $u.managedBy -Properties displayName,cn
    if($m.ObjectClass -eq "user") { $m.displayName } Else{ $m.cn } } 
# Hit play
do {
  [int]$userMenuChoice = 0
  cls
  while ( $userMenuChoice -lt 1 -or $userMenuChoice -gt 7) {
    Write-Host "PowerShell for dummies"
    Write-Host "__________________________________________________"
    Write-Host "1. Groups created in the last 3 weeks"
    Write-Host "2. Users created in the last 3 weeks"
    Write-Host "3. All BEL Users"
    Write-Host "4. Users with an incorrect display name or city"
    Write-Host "5. Users de-provisioned within 3 weeks"
    Write-Host "6. Files/Folders: Activate inheritance & set owner to admin"
    Write-Host "7. Quit"

    [int]$userMenuChoice = Read-Host "Please choose an option"

    switch ($userMenuChoice) {
      1{# Groups created in the last 3 weeks
        $When = ((Get-Date).AddDays(-21)).Date 
        Get-ADGroup -SearchBase "OU=Groups,OU=BEL,OU=EU,DC=domain,DC=net" -Filter {whenCreated -ge $When} -Properties * | 
        Select whenCreated, cn, displayName, GroupScope, GroupCategory, description, info, @{Label="Managed By"; expression= { Manager $_ } } | Export-Csv $OutputPath"New groups.csv" -NoTypeInformation -Delimiter ";" -Encoding utf8; start $OutputPath"New groups.csv"}
      2{# Users created in the last 3 weeks
        $When = ((Get-Date).AddDays(-21)).Date
        Get-ADUser -SearchBase "OU=BEL,OU=EU,DC=domain,DC=net" -Filter {whenCreated -ge $When} -Properties * | Select whenCreated, Name,displayName, sn,  givenName, sAMAccountName, title, description, employeeType, info, department, company, homeDirectory, scriptPath, physicalDeliveryOfficeName, @{Label="Managed By"; expression= { Manager $_ } } | Export-Csv $OutputPath"New users.csv" -NoTypeInformation -Delimiter ";" -Encoding utf8; start $OutputPath"New users.csv"}
      3{# All BEL users
        Get-ADUser -SearchBase "OU=Users,OU=BEL,OU=EU,DC=domain,DC=net" -Filter * -Properties * | Select whenCreated, @{Name="Lastlogon"; Expression={[DateTime]::FromFileTime($_.lastLogonTimestamp)}}, Name,displayName, sn,  givenName, sAMAccountName, title, description, employeeType, info, department, company, homeDirectory, scriptPath, physicalDeliveryOfficeName, @{Label="Managed By"; expression= { Manager $_ } } | Export-Csv $OutputPath"BEL Service Accounts.csv" -NoTypeInformation -Delimiter ";" -Encoding utf8; start $OutputPath"BEL Service Accounts.csv"}
      4{# Users with an incorrect display name or city
        Get-ADUser -SearchBase "OU=BEL,OU=EU,DC=domain,DC=net" -Filter * -Properties * | where {$_.cn -NotLike "*$($_.l)*" -and $_.distinguishedname -notmatch 'OU=Terminated Users,OU=BEL,OU=EU,DC=grouphc,DC=net' -and $_.cn -ne "BNL Service Desk"} | Select whenCreated, Name,displayName, sn,  givenName, sAMAccountName, title, description, employeeType, info, department, company, homeDirectory, scriptPath, physicalDeliveryOfficeName, @{Label="Managed By"; expression= { Manager $_ } } | Export-Csv $OutputPath"Incorrect users.csv" -NoTypeInformation -Delimiter ";" -Encoding utf8; start $OutputPath"Incorrect users.csv"}
      5{# Users de-provisioned within 3 weeks
        $LogonDate = ((Get-Date).AddDays(-80)).Date # GIT 104 days KB-3872
        $CreaDate = ((Get-Date).AddDays(-60)).Date # GIT 60 days
        $PwdDate = ((Get-Date).AddDays(-90)).Date # GIT 90 days
        Get-ADUser -SearchBase "OU=Users,OU=BEL,OU=EU,DC=grouphc,DC=net" -Filter {(lastLogonDate -le $LogonDate) -and (WhenCreated -lt $CreaDate) -and (PwdLastSet -le $PwdDate)} -Properties * | Select LastLogonDate, WhenCreated, PasswordLastSet, Name,  title, description, employeeType, info, department, company, homeDirectory, scriptPath, physicalDeliveryOfficeName, @{Label="Managed By"; expression= { Manager $_ } } | Export-Csv $OutputPath"To be deprovisioned.csv" -NoTypeInformation -Delimiter ";" -Encoding utf8; start $OutputPath"To be deprovisioned.csv"}
      6{# Files/Folders: Activate inheritance & set owner to admin
        Get-ADUser -SearchBase "OU=BEL,OU=EU,DC=domain,DC=net" -Filter * -Properties * | where {$_.cn -NotLike "*$($_.l)*" -and $_.distinguishedname -notmatch 'OU=Terminated Users,OU=BEL,OU=EU,DC=grouphc,DC=net' -and $_.cn -ne "BNL Service Desk"} | Select whenCreated, Name,displayName, sn,  givenName, sAMAccountName, title, description, employeeType, info, department, company, homeDirectory, scriptPath, physicalDeliveryOfficeName, @{Label="Managed By"; expression= { Manager $_ } } | Export-Csv $OutputPath"Incorrect users.csv" -NoTypeInformation -Delimiter ";" -Encoding utf8; start $OutputPath"Incorrect users.csv"}
    }
  }
} while ( $userMenuChoice -ne 7 )
cls
 Write-Host "We left here because there's nothing else to do.."

Permissions script:

####### TO DO #######
$Target = "\\domain.net\SHARE\Target"


# Change FOLDER owners to Admin
If (Test-Path C:\PTemp) { Remove-Item C:\PTemp }
New-Item -type directory -Path C:\PTemp > $null

Write-Output "`nStart setting folder permissions on:"

$Folders = @(Get-ChildItem -Path $Target -Directory -Recurse | Select-Object -ExpandProperty FullName)
foreach ($Item1 in $Folders) 
{
# Action
Write-Output $Item1
$AdjustTokenPrivileges = @"
using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

 public class TokenManipulator
 {
  [DllImport("advapi32.dll", ExactSpelling = true, SetLastError = true)]
  internal static extern bool AdjustTokenPrivileges(IntPtr htok, bool disall,
  ref TokPriv1Luid newst, int len, IntPtr prev, IntPtr relen);
  [DllImport("kernel32.dll", ExactSpelling = true)]
  internal static extern IntPtr GetCurrentProcess();
  [DllImport("advapi32.dll", ExactSpelling = true, SetLastError = true)]
  internal static extern bool OpenProcessToken(IntPtr h, int acc, ref IntPtr
  phtok);
  [DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
  internal static extern bool LookupPrivilegeValue(string host, string name,
  ref long pluid);
  [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, Pack = 1)]
  internal struct TokPriv1Luid
  {
   public int Count;
   public long Luid;
   public int Attr;
  }
  internal const int SE_PRIVILEGE_DISABLED = 0x00000000;
  internal const int SE_PRIVILEGE_ENABLED = 0x00000002;
  internal const int TOKEN_QUERY = 0x00000008;
  internal const int TOKEN_ADJUST_PRIVILEGES = 0x00000020;
  public static bool AddPrivilege(string privilege)
  {
   try
   {
    bool retVal;
    TokPriv1Luid tp;
    IntPtr hproc = GetCurrentProcess();
    IntPtr htok = IntPtr.Zero;
    retVal = OpenProcessToken(hproc, TOKEN_ADJUST_PRIVILEGES | TOKEN_QUERY, ref htok);
    tp.Count = 1;
    tp.Luid = 0;
    tp.Attr = SE_PRIVILEGE_ENABLED;
    retVal = LookupPrivilegeValue(null, privilege, ref tp.Luid);
    retVal = AdjustTokenPrivileges(htok, false, ref tp, 0, IntPtr.Zero, IntPtr.Zero);
    return retVal;
   }
   catch (Exception ex)
   {
    throw ex;
   }
  }
  public static bool RemovePrivilege(string privilege)
  {
   try
   {
    bool retVal;
    TokPriv1Luid tp;
    IntPtr hproc = GetCurrentProcess();
    IntPtr htok = IntPtr.Zero;
    retVal = OpenProcessToken(hproc, TOKEN_ADJUST_PRIVILEGES | TOKEN_QUERY, ref htok);
    tp.Count = 1;
    tp.Luid = 0;
    tp.Attr = SE_PRIVILEGE_DISABLED;
    retVal = LookupPrivilegeValue(null, privilege, ref tp.Luid);
    retVal = AdjustTokenPrivileges(htok, false, ref tp, 0, IntPtr.Zero, IntPtr.Zero);
    return retVal;
   }
   catch (Exception ex)
   {
    throw ex;
   }
  }
 }
"@
add-type $AdjustTokenPrivileges
$Folder = Get-Item $Item1
[void][TokenManipulator]::AddPrivilege("SeRestorePrivilege") 
[void][TokenManipulator]::AddPrivilege("SeBackupPrivilege") 
[void][TokenManipulator]::AddPrivilege("SeTakeOwnershipPrivilege") 
$NewOwnerACL = New-Object System.Security.AccessControl.DirectorySecurity
$Admin = New-Object System.Security.Principal.NTAccount("BUILTIN\Administrators")
$NewOwnerACL.SetOwner($Admin)
$Folder.SetAccessControl($NewOwnerACL)
# Add folder Admins to ACL with Full Control to descend folder structure
$Acl = Get-Acl -Path C:\PTemp
$Ar = New-Object  system.security.accesscontrol.filesystemaccessrule("BUILTIN\Administrators","FullControl","Allow")
$Acl.SetAccessRule($Ar)
Set-Acl $Item1 $Acl
} 

# Change FILE owners to Admin
If (Test-Path C:\PFile) { Remove-Item C:\PFile }
New-Item -type file -Path C:\PFile  > $null

Write-Output "`nStart setting file permissions on:"

$Files = @(Get-ChildItem -Path $Target -File -Recurse | Select-Object -ExpandProperty FullName)
foreach ($Item2 in $Files)
{
# Action
Write-Output $Item2
$Account = New-Object System.Security.Principal.NTAccount("BUILTIN\Administrators")
$FileSecurity = new-object System.Security.AccessControl.FileSecurity
$FileSecurity.SetOwner($Account)
[System.IO.File]::SetAccessControl($Item2, $FileSecurity)
# Add file Admins to ACL with Full Control and activate inheritance
$PAcl = Get-Acl -Path C:\PFile
$PAr = New-Object  system.security.accesscontrol.filesystemaccessrule("BUILTIN\Administrators","FullControl","Allow")
$PAcl.SetAccessRule($PAr)
Set-Acl $Item2 $PAcl
}

# Clean-up junk
Write-Output "`nCleaning up.."
rm C:\PTemp, C:\PFile
Write-Output "`nAll done :)"

What I tried so far, with a shorter code block but also without success:

6{# Test
Start-Process powershell {Get-ADUser -SearchBase "OU=Users,OU=BEL,OU=EU,DC=domain,DC=net" -Filter * -Properties * | Select whenCreated, @{Name="Lastlogon"; Expression={[DateTime]::FromFileTime($_.lastLogonTimestamp)}}, Name,displayName, sn,  givenName, sAMAccountName, title, description, employeeType, info, department, company, homeDirectory, scriptPath, physicalDeliveryOfficeName, @{Label="Managed By"; expression= { Manager $_ } } | Export-Csv $OutputPath"BEL Service Accounts.csv" -NoTypeInformation -Delimiter ";" -Encoding utf8; start $OutputPath"BEL Service Accounts.csv"}}}

score 51 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 23 '16 at 09:42

51

Instead of starting a cmd to start a new powershell instance you can:

start powershell {echo hello}

To prevent immediate exit of new started powershell:

start powershell {echo hello; Read-Host}

answered Nov 23 '16 at 09:42

Ghashange

1,027
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20

I've found `start powershell` to only work with certain commands, and to fail with others. `invoke-expression` seems more general. See my answer here for an example. – thund Oct 05 '18 at 22:44
6

Note that `start` is an alias for `start-process` – Ignitor Jun 27 '19 at 08:23
1

And to start another script in a new window with arguments use `start powershell {C:\script.ps1 -arg1 value -arg2 value}` – FireEmerald Apr 15 '21 at 11:45

score 33 · Accepted Answer · edited Nov 25 '16 at 10:00

33

To launch in an external PS window, you can use the following:

invoke-expression 'cmd /c start powershell -Command { [script block here] }'

E.g.:

invoke-expression 'cmd /c start powershell -Command { write-host "Hi, new window!"; set-location "C:\"; get-childitem ; sleep 3}'

edited Nov 25 '16 at 10:00

Nux

9,276
5
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answered Apr 23 '14 at 09:46

arco444

22,002
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67

Thank you Arco444, your example works perfectly. But for one reason or another it doesn't work for my code block. Could it be because there is .Net code in there? – DarkLite1 Apr 23 '14 at 12:41
What is the error? Make sure you separate commands with `;`, escape all your quotes and special characters etc. It would certainly be easier to have the command call a separate script rather than trying to pass it inline, so I would seriously consider that approach. – arco444 Apr 23 '14 at 13:28
Hi @arco444 you're right, it's probably easier to just call a script. Now let's Google for that command so I can use that instead. Thanks for the tip man! – DarkLite1 Apr 24 '14 at 08:34

score 21 · Answer 3 · edited Aug 05 '18 at 15:28

21

Using cmd to start powershell?

start-process powershell -ArgumentList '-noexit -command 'Commands for the new PowerShell''

edited Aug 05 '18 at 15:28

Zoe

27,060
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answered Dec 09 '14 at 19:05

Marty Wiedmeyer

231
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2

4

You should use double quotes inside single quotes; otherwise, you break your string early – Артур Гудиев Jul 01 '19 at 07:15

score 10 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 05 '18 at 22:42

Although start powershell command looks cleaner, it doesn't allow you to do everything that you can do with invoke-expression. For example, the following opens a new window, changes its title and background color, and leaves the window open:

invoke-expression 'cmd /c start powershell -NoExit -Command {                           `
    cd -path $env:homedrive$env:homepath/Documents/MySillyFolder;                  `
    $host.UI.RawUI.WindowTitle = "A Silly Little Title";                                `
    color -background "red";                                                            `
}';

It also runs fine from within another powershell script.

If you try to do this using the start powershell {...} syntax it will give an error on the title-changing line, and won't keep the window open. (I suppose It's possible that there's some obscure syntax hack that will make start powershell work, but I haven't been able to find one.)

`start powershell { $host.UI.RawUI.WindowTitle='xxxx' ; Read-Host }` seems to work fine for me (and respects my configured terminal application). I suspect you used double (`"`) instead of single (`'`) quotes in the title-changing-line. — c z, Feb 14 '22 at 16:58

PowerShell launch script in new instance

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