Unable to launch PowerCli

[deemee1988]

Hello,

I am about to start learning PowerCli for admisitrative purpose, I have Powershell 3.0 and PowerCli installed on my machine (Win 7), in powershell I have assigned execution policy as 'remotesingned' and added the snap in 'Add-PSSnapin VMware.VimAutomation.Core'. When I try to launch powercli, a CMD (like) windows pops up and vanishes  the screen in seconds, no luck on launching powercli with administrator. The bainry used for installation is 'VMware-PowerCLI-5.1.0-793510.exe'

Could you please assit me setting the powercli console.

Regards,

Demee1988

[LucD]

Strange, PowerCLI 5.1, although not officially supported in PowerShell v3, should work.

To recap, you have opened a PowerShell prompt and then did the Add-PSSnapin, correct ?

From that PowerShell prompt can you check if the PowerCLI snapin was loaded ? Do

Get-PSSnapin -Name VMware.VimAutomation.Core

Do you get anything back on screen ?

If yes, check if you can see the PowerCLI cmdlets. Do a

Get-Command -Module VMware.VimAutomation.Core

If you see a whole bunch of cmdlets passing, try to connect to a vCenter or an ESXi host with

Connect-VIServer YourVCHostname

Does that work (you might have to use an account and password with the User and Password parameters)

[deemee1988]

Hi LucD,

I followed your steps and it worked well , but on opening powercli it flashes away

Regards,

deeme1988

[LucD]

Try starting PowerShell in v2 mode.

In the Run option type

powershell.exe -version 2

Now from the PowerShell prompt load the PowerCLI snapin and connect to the vCenter.

Does that work ?

[deemee1988]

Hi LucD,

I tried running powercli cmdlets on powershell 2 and the results in below.

PS C:\Users\deemee1988> powershell.exe -version 2

Windows PowerShell

Copyright (C) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.


PS C:\Users\deemee1988> powercli

powercli : The term 'powercli' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. C

heck the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.

At line:1 char:9

+ powercli <<<<

    + CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (powercli:String) [], CommandNotFoundException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException


PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Connect-viserver

Connect-viserver : The term 'Connect-viserver' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or ope

rable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again

.

At line:1 char:17

+ Connect-viserver <<<<

    + CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (Connect-viserver:String) [], CommandNotFoundException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException


PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Connect-viserver 192.168.190.3

Connect-viserver : The term 'Connect-viserver' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or ope

rable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again

.

At line:1 char:17

+ Connect-viserver <<<<  192.168.190.3

    + CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (Connect-viserver:String) [], CommandNotFoundException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException


PS C:\Users\deemee1988>

But I had luck with errors on running it over Powershell 3

PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Connect-VIServer 192.168.190.3
WARNING: There were one or more problems with the server certificate:

* A certification chain processed correctly, but terminated in a root certificate which isn't trusted by the trust
provider.

* The certificate's CN name does not match the passed value.

Certificate: [Subject]
  E=support@vmware.com, CN=VC.mytestlab.com, OU="VMware, Inc.", O="VMware, Inc."

[Issuer]
  E=support@vmware.com, CN=VC.mytestlab.com, OU="VMware, Inc.", O="VMware, Inc."

[Serial Number]
  EEF00DE5

[Not Before]
  12/18/2012 7:03:20 PM

[Not After]
  12/16/2022 7:03:20 PM

[Thumbprint]
  4F2CBD6DEC902B7C4DB90614AF9BD192AC86ED61



The server certificate is not valid.

WARNING: THE DEFAULT BEHAVIOR UPON INVALID SERVER CERTIFICATE WILL CHANGE IN A FUTURE RELEASE. To ensure scripts are
not affected by the change, use Set-PowerCLIConfiguration to set a value for the InvalidCertificateAction option.


Working with multiple default servers?

    Select [Y] if you want to work with more than one default servers. In this case, every time when you connect to a
different server using Connect-VIServer, the new server connection is stored in an array variable together with the
previously connected servers. When you run a cmdlet and the target servers cannot be determined from the specified
parameters, the cmdlet runs against all servers stored in the array variable.
    Select [N] if you want to work with a single default server. In this case, when you run a cmdlet and the target
servers cannot be determined from the specified parameters, the cmdlet runs against the last connected server.

    WARNING: WORKING WITH MULTIPLE DEFAULT SERVERS WILL BE ENABLED BY DEFAULT IN A FUTURE RELEASE. You can explicitly
set your own preference at any time by using the DefaultServerMode parameter of Set-PowerCLIConfiguration.

[Y] Yes  [N] No  [S] Suspend  [?] Help (default is "Y"): y

Name                           Port  User
----                           ----  ----
192.168.190.3                  443   mytestlab\vcadmin


PS C:\Users\deemee1988> get-vm
get-vm : 12/21/2012 8:06:32 PM    Get-VM        Server localhost is not connected.
At line:1 char:1
+ get-vm
+ ~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Get-VM], ViServerConnectionException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Client20_ConnectivityServiceImpl_TryVerifyIsConnected_NotConnected,VMware.VimAutomation.
   ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.GetVM


Name                 PowerState Num CPUs MemoryGB
----                 ---------- -------- --------
Test                 PoweredOff 1        0.250


PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Get-Datacenter
Get-Datacenter : 12/21/2012 8:33:35 PM    Get-Datacenter        Server localhost is not connected.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-Datacenter
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Get-Datacenter], ViServerConnectionException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Client20_ConnectivityServiceImpl_TryVerifyIsConnected_NotConnected,VMware.VimAutomation.
   ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.GetDatacenter


Name
----
MyTestLab


PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Get-EsxTop
Get-EsxTop : 12/21/2012 8:33:53 PM    Get-EsxTop        Server localhost is not connected.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-EsxTop
+ ~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Get-EsxTop], ViServerConnectionException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Client20_ConnectivityServiceImpl_TryVerifyIsConnected_NotConnected,VMware.VimAutomation.
   ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.GetEsxTop

PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Get-NetworkAdapter
Get-NetworkAdapter : 12/21/2012 8:34:08 PM    Get-NetworkAdapter        Please specify at least one of the following:
VirtualMachine, Template or Snapshot.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-NetworkAdapter
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Get-NetworkAdapter], ViError
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Core_VirtualDeviceGetter_GetMoListFromCmdletParameter_InsufficientParameters,VMware.VimA
   utomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.VirtualDevice.GetNetworkAdapter

PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Connect-VIServer 192.168.190.3

Name                           Port  User
----                           ----  ----
192.168.190.3                  443   mytestlab\vcadmin


PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Get-EsxTop
Get-EsxTop : 12/21/2012 8:35:21 PM    Get-EsxTop        Server localhost is not connected.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-EsxTop
+ ~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Get-EsxTop], ViServerConnectionException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Client20_ConnectivityServiceImpl_TryVerifyIsConnected_NotConnected,VMware.VimAutomation.
   ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.GetEsxTop

PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Get-Task
Get-Task : 12/21/2012 8:35:41 PM    Get-Task        Server localhost is not connected.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-Task
+ ~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Get-Task], ViServerConnectionException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Client20_ConnectivityServiceImpl_TryVerifyIsConnected_NotConnected,VMware.VimAutomation.
   ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.GetTask

PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Get-VMGuestNetworkInterface
Get-VMGuestNetworkInterface : 12/21/2012 8:35:51 PM    Get-VMGuestNetworkInterface        You must specify at least
one of the VM and VMGuest parameters.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-VMGuestNetworkInterface
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Get-VMGuestNetworkInterface], VimException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Core_GetVmGuestInfoBaseCmdlet_ValidateParameters_MandatoryParameters,VMware.VimAutomatio
   n.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.GetVmGuestNetworkInterface

PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Get-VMHost
Get-VMHost : 12/21/2012 8:36:09 PM    Get-VMHost        Server localhost is not connected.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-VMHost
+ ~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Get-VMHost], ViServerConnectionException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Client20_ConnectivityServiceImpl_TryVerifyIsConnected_NotConnected,VMware.VimAutomation.
   ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.GetVMHost


Name                 ConnectionState PowerState NumCpu CpuUsageMhz CpuTotalMhz   MemoryUsageGB   MemoryTotalGB Version
----                 --------------- ---------- ------ ----------- -----------   -------------   ------------- -------
esxi5-1.mytestlab... Connected       PoweredOn       2          74        5382           0.906           2.000   5.0.0
esxi5-2.mytestlab... Connected       PoweredOn       2         119        5382           0.909           2.000   5.0.0


PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Get-VMHostAccount
Get-VMHostAccount : 12/21/2012 8:36:23 PM    Get-VMHostAccount        Server localhost is not connected.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-VMHostAccount
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Get-VMHostAccount], ViServerConnectionException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Client20_ConnectivityServiceImpl_TryVerifyIsConnected_NotConnected,VMware.VimAutomation.
   ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.Host.GetVMHostAccount

Get-VMHostAccount : 12/21/2012 8:36:23 PM    Get-VMHostAccount        The requested operation is only supported when
connected directly to ESX host.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-VMHostAccount
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidOperation: (:) [Get-VMHostAccount], VimException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Client20_ConnectivityServiceImpl_TryValidateEsxConnection_ConnectedToVC,VMware.VimAutoma
   tion.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.Host.GetVMHostAccount

PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Get-VMHostDisk
Get-VMHostDisk : 12/21/2012 8:36:36 PM    Get-VMHostDisk        Server localhost is not connected.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-VMHostDisk
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Get-VMHostDisk], ViServerConnectionException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Client20_ConnectivityServiceImpl_TryVerifyIsConnected_NotConnected,VMware.VimAutomation.
   ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.Host.Storage.GetVMHostDisk


DeviceName                                                      TotalSectors
----------                                                      ------------
/vmfs/devices/disks/mpx.vmhba1:C0:T0:L0                             83886080
/vmfs/devices/disks/mpx.vmhba1:C0:T0:L0                             83886080


PS C:\Users\deemee1988>

Regards,

deemee1988

[LucD]

In that first session, you should load the PowerCLI snapin first.

Like this

Add-PSSnapin -Name VMware.VimAutomation.Core

Then you can continue with the Connect-VIServer.

In that 2nd session you seem to have started the PowerCLI prompt (PowerShell and the PowerCLI loaded) from the PowerCLI Start menu or desktop.

In that session it looks as if you have a problem

Is 192.168.190.3 the vCenter server ?

Are you running the PowerCLI session on that server ?

It looks as if the PowerCLI cmdlets can't connect to the server "localhost", could it be that ports 442 and 902 are not opened ?

Do you have a firewall running on the vCenter server ?

[deemee1988]

Hi LucD,

Over here Localhost is Win 7 clinet, my VC runs over ip 192.168.190.3, now powershell is clean without error.

PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Connect-viserver 192.168.190.3

Name                           Port  User
----                           ----  ----
192.168.190.3                  443   mytestlab\vcadmin

PS C:\Users\deemee1988> get-vm

Name                 PowerState Num CPUs MemoryGB
----                 ---------- -------- --------
Test                 PoweredOff 1        0.250

PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Get-Datacenter

Name
----
MyTestLab
PS C:\Users\deemee1988> Get-HAPrimaryVMHost

Name                 ConnectionState PowerState NumCpu CpuUsageMhz CpuTotalMhz   MemoryUsageGB   MemoryTotalGB Version

----                 --------------- ---------- ------ ----------- -----------   -------------   ------------- -------

esxi5-2.mytestlab... Connected       PoweredOn       2          70        5382           0.911           2.000   5.0.0

PS C:\Users\deemee1988>

Loading powercli snapin on powershell 2 works well with cmdlets, but any solution for loading powercli and thank you for provinding a work around

Regards,

deemee1988

[LucD]

So, is your problem solved, or are there still problems ?