CODEWITHSUNDEEP
windowsshellpowershellpsexec
Trevor Hickey
Trevor Hickey

Reputation: 37834

No password for psExec works, but empty string to password flag does not

I'm using a program called psExec to remotely connect to a machine and start an interactive program.
The machine I'm connecting to, does not have a password.

So if I run this: 

psExec \\Computer_Name -u User -i -d calc.exe

It prompts me for a password: 

Password:

I just hit enter(since the computer doesn't have a password), and it works.

I don't want to have to hit enter every time, because I am writing a script.
So I tried this: 

psExec \\Computer_Name -u User -p -i -d calc.exe

and this: 

psExec \\Computer_Name -u User -p"" -i -d calc.exe

and this: 

psExec \\Computer_Name -u User -p'' -i -d calc.exe

and this: 

psExec \\Computer_Name -u User -p "" -i -d calc.exe

and this: 

psExec \\Computer_Name -u User -p '' -i -d calc.exe

but no matter what, specifying the p flag results in a "Wrong Username or Password error."

How can I tell my script to either press enter automatically, or automate psExec to connect automatically without a password?

I'm in PowerShell if that is relevant.

Upvotes: 2

Views: 15736

Answers (3)

Blake Drumm
Blake Drumm

Reputation: 165

Give this a shot when all else fails. It just passes a return.

Write-Host "" | psExec \\Computer_Name -u User -i -d calc.exe

Upvotes: 0

jhiller
jhiller

Reputation: 211

It seems to work if you put a ~ for the password in powershell.

./psexec -i -u domain\gmsa$ -p ~ notepad.exe

My use case was getting it to skip the enter keypress when using psexec to run something as a group managed service account (gMSA).

Upvotes: 1

Luke
Luke

Reputation: 667

PSEXEC is a program that is offered as a suite of tools from Microsoft. PSEXEC Link

but for security reasons this can cause some issues, you can add a second account to the machine and give it a simple password and run the script against that account, that would be the easiest way, other wise you can most likely accomplish the same task in powershell not using PSEXEC, what is it that you are trying to do and we can try help get something written.

UPDATE:

param (
    [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)]
    $Password
)
psExec \\OAIJCTDU8024272 -u User -p $Password -i -d calc.exe

Upvotes: 1

Related Questions