Start a process under a user

Description

This example shows how you can use the WindowsProcess resource to ensure a process is running under a specific account.

You are prompted for a credential if you don't pass one explicitly with the Credential parameter. The Credential property of the resource is set to this value.

With Ensure set to Present, Path set to C:\Windows\System32\gpresult.exe, and Arguments set to /h C:\gp2.htm, the resource starts gpresult.exe with the specified arguments if it isn't running. Because the Credential property is set, the resource starts the process as that account.

With Invoke-DscResource

This script shows how you can use the WindowsProcess resource with the Invoke-DscResource cmdlet to ensure gpresult.exe is running with the arguments /h C:\gp2.htm as a user-specified account.

[CmdletBinding()]
param(
    [System.Management.Automation.PSCredential]
    [System.Management.Automation.Credential()]
    $Credential = (Get-Credential)
)

begin {
    $SharedParameters = @{
        Name       = 'WindowsFeatureSet'
        ModuleName = 'PSDscResource'
        Properties = @{
            Path       = 'C:\Windows\System32\gpresult.exe'
            Arguments  = '/h C:\gp2.htm'
            Credential = $Credential
            Ensure     = 'Present'
        }
    }

    $NonGetProperties = @(
        'Ensure'
    )
}

process {
    $TestResult = Invoke-DscResource -Method Test @SharedParameters

    if ($TestResult.InDesiredState) {
        $QueryParameters = $SharedParameters.Clone()

        foreach ($Property in $NonGetProperties) {
            $QueryParameters.Properties.Remove($Property)
        }

        Invoke-DscResource -Method Get @QueryParameters
    } else {
        Invoke-DscResource -Method Set @SharedParameters
    }
}

With a Configuration

This snippet shows how you can define a Configuration with a WindowsProcess resource block to ensure gpresult.exe is running with the arguments /h C:\gp2.htm as a user-specified account.

Configuration StartUnderUser {
    [CmdletBinding()]
    param(
       [System.Management.Automation.PSCredential]
       [System.Management.Automation.Credential()]
       $Credential = (Get-Credential)
    )

    Import-DSCResource -ModuleName 'PSDscResources'

    Node localhost {
        WindowsProcess ExampleWindowsProcess {
            Path       = 'C:\Windows\System32\gpresult.exe'
            Arguments  = '/h C:\gp2.htm'
            Credential = $Credential
            Ensure     = 'Present'
        }
    }
}