Script import-module Catastrophic failure

[drwolcot]

I currently am having an issue with a script we are scheduling through our RMM tool Kaseya. In my script I am importing the vmware.vimautomation.core module and it works great when I run the script manually.

However when I run the script through our RMM tool I am getting an error when trying to import the module. The RMM tool is using an account with full permissions. Below is the error that I am getting.

Import-Module : Exception calling "LoadFile" with "1" argument(s):

"Catastrophic failure (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8000FFFF (E_UNEXPECTED))"At

C:\vsm.ps1:22 char:9

+         Import-Module VMware.VimAutomation.Core -ea stop

+         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Import-Module], MethodInvocat

   ionException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : COMException,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Impor

   tModuleCommand

[LucD]

Which PowerCLI version is this ?

Do a Get-PowerCLIVersion

[drwolcot]

PowerCLI Version

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

   VMware vSphere PowerCLI 6.0 Release 3 build 3205540

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

Component Versions

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

   VMWare AutoDeploy PowerCLI Component 6.0 build 2358282

   VMWare ImageBuilder PowerCLI Component 6.0 build 2358282

   VMware vSphere PowerCLI Component 6.0 build 3205541

   VMware Cloud Infrastructure Suite PowerCLI Component 6.0 build 3205541

   VMware VDS PowerCLI Component 6.0 build 3205541

   VMware vCloud Director PowerCLI Component 6.0 build 3191743

   VMware HA PowerCLI Component 6.0 build 2591578

   VMware License PowerCLI Component 6.0 build 3188616

   VMware vCloud Air PowerCLI Component 6.0 build 3191743

   VMware PowerCLI Component for Storage Management 6.0 build 3191741

   VMware vROps PowerCLI Component 6.0 build 3191742

   VMware vSphere Update Manager PowerCLI 6.1 build 3191523

[LucD]

Can you ask for more details about the exception ?

Perhaps there is a pointer in there.

$error[0].Exception | select *

$error[0].Exception.InnerException | select *

[drwolcot]

Thanks for that.  Below is the error:

Import-Module : Exception calling "LoadFile" with "1" argument(s):
"Catastrophic failure (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8000FFFF (E_UNEXPECTED))"At
C:\vsm.ps1:22 char:9
+         Import-Module VMware.VimAutomation.Core -ea stop
+         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Import-Module], MethodInvocat
   ionException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : COMException,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Impor
   tModuleCommand

ErrorRecord                 : Exception calling "LoadFile" with "1"
                              argument(s): "Catastrophic failure (Exception
                              from HRESULT: 0x8000FFFF (E_UNEXPECTED))"
StackTrace                  :    at System.Management.Automation.ExceptionHandl
                              ingOps.ConvertToMethodInvocationException(Excepti
                              on exception, Type typeToThrow, String
                              methodName, Int32 numArgs, MemberInfo memberInfo)
                                 at CallSite.Target(Closure , CallSite ,
                              RuntimeType , Object )
                                 at System.Dynamic.UpdateDelegates.UpdateAndExe
                              cute2[T0,T1,TRet](CallSite site, T0 arg0, T1
                              arg1)
                                 at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.Dy
                              namicInstruction`3.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
                                 at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.En
                              terTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFram
                              e frame)
WasThrownFromThrowStatement : False
Message                     : Exception calling "LoadFile" with "1"
                              argument(s): "Catastrophic failure (Exception
                              from HRESULT: 0x8000FFFF (E_UNEXPECTED))"
Data                        : {System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.Interpr
                              etedFrameInfo}
InnerException              : System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException
                              (0x8000FFFF): Catastrophic failure (Exception
                              from HRESULT: 0x8000FFFF (E_UNEXPECTED))
                                 at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly.nLoadFile
                              (String path, Evidence evidence)
                                 at System.Reflection.Assembly.LoadFile(String
                              path)
                                 at CallSite.Target(Closure , CallSite ,
                              RuntimeType , Object )
TargetSite                  : Void ConvertToMethodInvocationException(System.Ex
                              ception, System.Type, System.String, Int32,
                              System.Reflection.MemberInfo)
HelpLink                    :
Source                      : System.Management.Automation
HResult                     : -2146233087

[LucD]

Never seen that one before, looks serious.

Do you have that only with the PowerCLI module(s) ?

A specific one ?

Or also with other modules ?

[drwolcot]

Sorry for the late reply.

Yes it appears to only be PowerCLI modules. I was able to successfully load ActiveDirectory module just fine.

I tested with other PowerCLI modules with the same result.

I was leaning towards an issue to .NET. Correct me if I am wrong, the new PowerCLI modules are built on .NET4?? Looking online showed similar issues and creating a wsmprovhost.exe.config file that contains the below info

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>
  <startup useLegacyV2RuntimeActivationPolicy="true">
   <supportedruntime version="v4.0.30319"/>
   <supportedruntime version="v2.0.50727"/>
  </startup>
</configuration>

This would work for the next subsequent run of the script but then fail thereafter.

I also tested this with a powershell.exe.config file and the same results happened. First run after modification was successful but any after failed. Even following a reboot.

[LucD]

You are correct on the .Net requirements. See the PowerCLI compatibility matrix.

That .config file sets up the "old" .Net 2 binding.

Could it be that some previous installation was not uninstalled properly ?

Can you replicate the same issues on another station ?

[drwolcot]

Ok, so removing the reference for .NET 2 wouldn't accomplish anything?

I've got about 150 Windows vCenter Servers and about 30% of them report the same issue. They will initially work and then stop. On occasion, I've had some machines start working and continue to work until a reboot.

[LucD]

That all sounds very strange, I would strongly suggest to open a SR for this.

PowerCLI is supported! (as long as you don't expect Support to debug your scripts :smileygrin:)