Unable to change the Regional format for EC2 instance via User-Data script

Question

I am trying to change the EC2 instance's Regional format setting:

to en-GB by running Set-Culture en-GB command in my user-data script:

<powershell>
# set timezone to GMT
tzutil /s "GMT Standard Time"
# set the date format to the UK -> dd/mm/yyyy (we set it at IIS server level which would apply to all IIS apps automatically)
c:\windows\system32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe set config /commit:WEBROOT /section:globalization /culture:en-GB
c:\windows\system32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe set config /commit:WEBROOT /section:globalization /uiCulture:en-GB
# Set Regional format to UK (affects setting in Region Settings/Region/Regional format dropdown menu)
Set-Culture en-GB
</powershell>
<runAsLocalSystem>true</runAsLocalSystem>

However, when the instance boots up and I RDP to it, I find that the date format is still the default (US) - mm/dd/yyyy and not the UK format - dd/mm/yyyy

What am I missing here?

Update1

User-Data execution log:

2022/10/16 16:43:00Z: Begin user data script process.
2022/10/16 16:43:00Z: Unable to parse <persist> tags. This can happen when tags are unmatched or poorly formed.
2022/10/16 16:43:00Z: Sending telemetry bool: IsUserDataScheduledPerBoot
2022/10/16 16:43:00Z: Unregister the scheduled task to persist user data.
2022/10/16 16:43:05Z: Unable to parse <runAsLocalSystem> tags. This can happen when tags are unmatched or poorly formed.
2022/10/16 16:43:05Z: Unable to parse <script> tags. This can happen when tags are unmatched or poorly formed.
2022/10/16 16:43:05Z: Unable to parse <powershellArguments> tags. This can happen when tags are unmatched or poorly formed.
2022/10/16 16:43:05Z: <powershell> tag was provided.. running powershell content
2022/10/16 16:43:12Z: User data script completed.
2022/10/16 17:03:06Z: Begin user data script process.
2022/10/16 17:03:06Z: Failed to get metadata: The result from http://169.254.169.254/latest/user-data was empty
2022/10/16 17:03:11Z: Launch metadata did not include a user data script.
2022/10/16 17:03:11Z: User data script completed.
2022/10/20 08:27:33Z: Begin user data script process.
2022/10/20 08:27:33Z: Failed to get metadata: The result from http://169.254.169.254/latest/user-data was empty
2022/10/20 08:27:38Z: Launch metadata did not include a user data script.
2022/10/20 08:27:38Z: User data script completed.
2022/10/21 09:50:52Z: Begin user data script process.
2022/10/21 09:50:52Z: Unable to parse <persist> tags. This can happen when tags are unmatched or poorly formed.
2022/10/21 09:50:52Z: Sending telemetry bool: IsUserDataScheduledPerBoot
2022/10/21 09:50:52Z: Unregister the scheduled task to persist user data.
2022/10/21 09:50:57Z: <runAsLocalSystem> tag was provided: true
2022/10/21 09:50:57Z: Running user data as local system.
2022/10/21 09:50:57Z: Unable to parse <script> tags. This can happen when tags are unmatched or poorly formed.
2022/10/21 09:50:57Z: Unable to parse <powershellArguments> tags. This can happen when tags are unmatched or poorly formed.
2022/10/21 09:50:57Z: <powershell> tag was provided.. running powershell content
2022/10/21 09:52:36Z: Message: The errors from user data script: New-Item : An item with the specified name C:\temp already exists.
At 
C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\Temp\Amazon\EC2-Windows\Launch\InvokeUserData\UserScript.ps1:96 
char:1
+ New-Item -Path "C:\temp" -ItemType Directory
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : ResourceExists: (C:\temp:String) [New-Item], IOException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DirectoryExist,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.NewItemCommand
 

2022/10/21 09:52:36Z: Message: The output from user data script: Join Domain User: ENR\svc_enr_domainjoin
ComputerName: EC2AMAZ-K1I0FAF

Reboot Required...
VERBOSE: Performing the operation "Join in domain 'ENR.cloud'" on target "EC2AMAZ-K1I0FAF".

HasSucceeded ComputerName             
------------ ------------             
True         EC2AMAZ-K1I0FAF          
WARNING: The changes will take effect after you restart the computer EC2AMAZ-K1I0FAF.

LocalPath        : Z:
RemotePath       : \\myTeamreview_eu_dev.enr.ihsenergy.com\myTeamreview_eu_dev
RequireIntegrity : False
RequirePrivacy   : False
Status           : OK
UseWriteThrough  : False
PSComputerName   : 


Backing up IIS config to backup named 20221021-095225-Login

Creating virtual directories on site: Login
 ... Adding a virtual directory 'AnnouncementImages' for physical path \\myTeamreview_eu_dev.enr.ihsenergy.com\myTeamreview_eu_dev\Archive\Barra\live_content\AnnouncementImages
     - Virtual directory 'IIS:\Sites\Login\AnnouncementImages' created sucessfully
 ... Adding a virtual directory 'apr' for physical path \\myTeamreview_eu_dev.enr.ihsenergy.com\myTeamreview_eu_dev\Archive\Barra\live_content\WebsiteCharts\oldAPRStructure
     - Virtual directory 'IIS:\Sites\Login\apr' created sucessfully
 ... Adding a virtual directory 'AprSchematics' for physical path \\myTeamreview_eu_dev.enr.ihsenergy.com\myTeamreview_eu_dev\Archive\Barra\live_content\WebsiteCharts\apr\schematics
     - Virtual directory 'IIS:\Sites\Login\AprSchematics' created sucessfully
 ... Adding a virtual directory 'BprDiagrams' for physical path \\myTeamreview_eu_dev.enr.ihsenergy.com\myTeamreview_eu_dev\Archive\Barra\live_content\WebsiteCharts\bpr\diagrams
     - Virtual directory 'IIS:\Sites\Login\BprDiagrams' created sucessfully
 ... Adding a virtual directory 'Charts' for physical path \\myTeamreview_eu_dev.enr.ihsenergy.com\myTeamreview_eu_dev\Archive\Barra\live_content\WebsiteCharts
     - Virtual directory 'IIS:\Sites\Login\Charts' created sucessfully
 ... Adding a virtual directory 'dls' for physical path \\myTeamreview_eu_dev.enr.ihsenergy.com\myTeamreview_eu_dev\Archive\Barra\live_content\dls
     - Virtual directory 'IIS:\Sites\Login\dls' created sucessfully
 ... Adding a virtual directory 'Pre00CprData' for physical path \\myTeamreview_eu_dev.enr.ihsenergy.com\myTeamreview_eu_dev\Archive\Barra\live_content\Pre2000\cpr
     - Virtual directory 'IIS:\Sites\Login\Pre00CprData' created sucessfully
 ... Adding a virtual directory 'Pre00DprData' for physical path \\myTeamreview_eu_dev.enr.ihsenergy.com\myTeamreview_eu_dev\Archive\Barra\live_content\Pre2000\dpr
     - Virtual directory 'IIS:\Sites\Login\Pre00DprData' created sucessfully
 ... Adding a virtual directory 'Pre15BprData' for physical path \\myTeamreview_eu_dev.enr.ihsenergy.com\myTeamreview_eu_dev\Archive\Barra\live_content\Pre2000\bpr
     - Virtual directory 'IIS:\Sites\Login\Pre15BprData' created sucessfully
 ... Adding a virtual directory 'WBook' for physical path \\myTeamreview_eu_dev.enr.ihsenergy.com\myTeamreview_eu_dev\Archive\Barra\live_content\wbook
     - Virtual directory 'IIS:\Sites\Login\WBook' created sucessfully
Applied configuration changes to section "system.web/globalization" for "MACHINE/WEBROOT/APPHOST" at configuration commit path "MACHINE/WEBROOT"
Applied configuration changes to section "system.web/globalization" for "MACHINE/WEBROOT/APPHOST" at configuration commit path "MACHINE/WEBROOT"

PSPath                   : Microsoft.PowerShell.Security\Certificate::LocalMachine\my\0F006BBA30488C454380998CD818B7933
                           CBABB7F
PSParentPath             : Microsoft.PowerShell.Security\Certificate::LocalMachine\my
PSChildName              : 0F006BBA30488C454380998CD818B7933CBABB7F
PSIsContainer            : False
Archived                 : False
Extensions               : {System.Security.Cryptography.Oid, System.Security.Cryptography.Oid, 
                           System.Security.Cryptography.Oid, System.Security.Cryptography.Oid}
FriendlyName             : myTeamId
IssuerName               : System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X500DistinguishedName
NotAfter                 : 10/21/2023 10:02:35 AM
NotBefore                : 10/21/2022 9:42:35 AM
HasPrivateKey            : True
PrivateKey               : 
PublicKey                : System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.PublicKey
RawData                  : {48, 130, 3, 42...}
SerialNumber             : 3A249AE70AC9BC96464EDE49BEDD319B
SubjectName              : System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X500DistinguishedName
SignatureAlgorithm       : System.Security.Cryptography.Oid
Thumbprint               : 0F006BBA30488C454380998CD818B7933CBABB7F
Version                  : 3
Handle                   : 1568489766128
Issuer                   : CN=EC2AMAZ-K1I0FAF
Subject                  : CN=EC2AMAZ-K1I0FAF
EnhancedKeyUsageList     : {Client Authentication (1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.2), Server Authentication (1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.1)}
DnsNameList              : {EC2AMAZ-K1I0FAF}
SendAsTrustedIssuer      : False
EnrollmentPolicyEndPoint : Microsoft.CertificateServices.Commands.EnrollmentEndPointProperty
EnrollmentServerEndPoint : Microsoft.CertificateServices.Commands.EnrollmentEndPointProperty
PolicyId                 : 

2022/10/21 09:52:36Z: User data script completed.

Probably the script is being run as System user. Can you share the log output of the userdata execution — Vikram S, Oct 21 '22 at 12:15
Good point, @VikramS. [`Set-Culture`](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/international/set-culture) indeed sets the _current user's_ culture (locale), persistently. — mklement0, Oct 21 '22 at 13:03
Thank you both, I have updated my question with the `user-data` execution log. Also, I noticed that I have this in my `user-data` - `true`. Does that mean that the script is run as a System user? — Georgi Koemdzhiev, Oct 21 '22 at 15:26
Yes, that's what that means. Are you looking to set the culture for a specific user only, or for _all_ (real) users? — mklement0, Oct 21 '22 at 15:26
Ah, I see. I would like to set the culture for all of the users. — Georgi Koemdzhiev, Oct 21 '22 at 15:29
I'm not sure if there are better approaches, but one is to walk the SID subkeys of `HKEY_USERS` in the registry, each of which represents a user-specific registry hive (what a given user see as `HKEY_CURRENT_USER`), and patch the values there. — mklement0, Oct 21 '22 at 15:31
Thank you, I can do more research on how to achieve that. Meanwhile, I will keep an eye out here in case of anyone posts a different approach. — Georgi Koemdzhiev, Oct 21 '22 at 15:45

Unable to change the Regional format for EC2 instance via User-Data script

0 Answers0