Skip to main content

Start-DscConfiguration : The directory name is invalid.

By

I’ve been teaching PowerShell since version 1.  On occasion, I have to follow my own advice.  Here is the nifty little error that I received while playing around with DSC.

Start-DscConfiguration : The directory name is invalid.

At line:1 char:1

+ Start-DscConfiguration -Wait -Path C:\MyFaxConfig\LON-SVR1.mof -Verbo ...

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

    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Start-DscConfiguration], IOException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : System.IO.IOException,Microsoft.PowerShell.DesiredStateConfiguration.Commands.StartDscConfigurationCommand

Well, this is a pleasant one. Actually it is very simple.  Here is what I typed:

Start-DscConfiguration -Wait -Path C:\MyFaxConfig\LON-SVR1.mof -Verbose

Anybody???  After a lot of internet searches that came up with nothing, I turned to the help files.  Here is the example from the help file for Start-DscConfiguration:

Start-DscConfiguration -Path "C:\DSC\Configurations\" -Wait –Verbose

In my version, I added the MOF file in the path.  That is not what the Path parameter is used for. Here is what I found for the Path parameter in the help file:

Specifies a file path of a folder that contains configuration settings files. The cmdlet publishes and applies this configuration to computers specified by the ComputerName parameter.


In other words, it will apply all configurations in that folder, not a specific one.  My bad.

Labels:

Comments

Unknown said…
Hi Jason

Could you please let me know if DSC is developed only for windows 8 and over? It doesn't seem to be working on windows 7.

Thank you
February 18, 2016 at 8:10 AM
aflac for nonprofits said…
Don't put the file name in the path, just the directory.
September 20, 2016 at 3:35 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to list all the AD LDS instances on a server

By
AD LDS allows you to provide directory services to applications that are free of the confines of Active Directory.  To list all the AD LDS instances on a server, follow this procedure: Log into the server in question Open a command prompt. Type dsdbutil and press Enter Type List Instances and press Enter . You will receive a list of the instance name, both the LDAP and SSL port numbers, the location of the database, and its status.
Post a Comment
Read more

How to run GPResult on a remote client with PowerShell

By
In the past, to run the GPResult command, you would need to either physically visit this client, have the user do it, or use and RDP connection.  In all cases, this will disrupt the user.  First, you need PowerShell remoting enabled on the target machine.  You can do this via Group Policy . Open PowerShell and type this command. Invoke-Command –ScriptBlock {GPResult /r} –ComputerName <ComputerName> Replace <ComputerName> with the name of the target.  Remember, the target needs to be online and accessible to you.
Post a Comment
Read more

Error icon when creating a GPO Preference drive map

By
You may not have an error at all.  Take a look at the drive mapping below. The red triangle is what threw us off.  It is not an error.  It is simply a color representation of the Replace option of the Action field in the properties of the drive mappings. Create action This give you a green triangle. The Create action creates a new mapped drive for users. Replace Action The Replace action gives you a red triangle.  This action will delete and recreate mapped drives for users. The net result of the Replace action is to overwrite all existing settings associated with the mapped drive. If the drive mapping does not exist, then the Replace action creates a new drive mapping. Update Action The Update action will have a yellow triangle. Update will modify settings of an existing mapped drive for users. This action differs from Replace in that it only updates settings defined within the preference item. All other settings remain as configured on the mapped drive. If the
1 comment
Read more