Powershell run job at startup with admin rights using ScheduledJob - windows

Question

To ease some of my work I have created a powershell script which needs to :
Run at startup.
Run with admin rights as it has to write in c:\program files folder.
I created the startup service using powershell like this :
function MakeStartupService
{
Write-Host "Adding script as a startup service"
$trigger = New-JobTrigger -AtStartup -RandomDelay 00:00:15
Try
{
Register-ScheduledJob -Trigger $trigger -FilePath "absolute_path" -Name "Job-name" -EA Stop
}
Catch [system.exception]
{
Write-Host "Looks like an existing startup service exists for the same. Overwriting existing job"
Unregister-ScheduledJob "Job-name"
Register-ScheduledJob -Trigger $trigger -FilePath "absolute_path" -Name "Job-name"
}
}
The job is registered as a startup service successfully and is visible inside task scheduler. If I start it using Start-Job -DefinitionName Job-name or by right clicking from Task Scheduler, it works fine but it doesn't start when windows starts.
Currently I am testing this on my personal Windows 10 system, and have checked in another windows 10 system but the behavior remained name. I am attaching screenshot of task scheduler window for this job.
Sorry if this questions sounds repeated or dumb (I am a beginner in powershell), but believe me, none of the solutions I found online worked for this.
Thanks in advance !!

Answer 1

This is code that is already in production that I use. If it does not work for you, you must have something else going on with your system.
function Invoke-PrepareScheduledTask
{
$taskName = "UCM_MSSQL"
$task = Get-ScheduledTask -TaskName $taskName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($task -ne $null)
{
Unregister-ScheduledTask -TaskName $taskName -Confirm:$false
}
# TODO: EDIT THIS STUFF AS NEEDED...
$action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute 'powershell.exe' -Argument '-File "C:\Invoke-MYSCRIPT.ps1"'
$trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -AtStartup -RandomDelay 00:00:30
$settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -Compatibility Win8
$principal = New-ScheduledTaskPrincipal -UserId SYSTEM -LogonType ServiceAccount -RunLevel Highest
$definition = New-ScheduledTask -Action $action -Principal $principal -Trigger $trigger -Settings $settings -Description "Run $($taskName) at startup"
Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName $taskName -InputObject $definition
$task = Get-ScheduledTask -TaskName $taskName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
# TODO: LOG AS NEEDED...
if ($task -ne $null)
{
Write-Output "Created scheduled task: '$($task.ToString())'."
}
else
{
Write-Output "Created scheduled task: FAILED."
}
}

Answer 2

If it works, it's not a script problem. Assign it to the SYSTEM account or make a separate service account instead of the Gagan account shown. Make sure that service account has "Permission to run as batch job" in your local security policy.

Answer 3

If you want to get rid of that "on battery" crap, add
-DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries -AllowStartIfOnBatteries
to New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet options.
So, in Kory Gill answer, $settings becomes:
$settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -Compatibility Win8 -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries -AllowStartIfOnBatteries
so task will be created to get rid of battery restrictions.
If you just want to modify an existing task, you can do it with:
Set-ScheduledTask -taskname "taskName" -settings $(New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries -AllowStartIfOnBatteries)
or from cmd:
powershell -executionpolicy bypass Set-ScheduledTask -taskname "taskName" -settings $(New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries -AllowStartIfOnBatteries)

Answer 4

Please check the checkbox for "Run with highest privileges" for the task in the task scheduler and try again. Currently in the screenshot above it is unchecked.
I have circled it below in red for your easy reference: