Windows Powershell Remote Commands Not Working -RPC Server Unavailable

mountaincabbage · 10 Jul 2018

Hi All,

So I'm looking for a way to remote shutdown multiple windows PCs. I was recommended in another thread to use the Stop Computer command in powershell. I've been trying to get this to work with one PC this morning, but have not had any success.

Here is the issue I am getting:
Stop-Computer : The RPC server is unavailable. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x800706BA)
At Z:\2 - keep\Powershell\stopseanpc.ps1:1 char:1
+ Stop-Computer -ComputerName "DESKTOP-P7D90PC" -Force
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidOperation: (DESKTOP-P7D90PC:String) [Stop-Computer],
COMException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : StopComputerException,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.StopComp
uterCommand

I've tried following this tutorial:
How to Fix Error in Windows - Driver Easy
Among others, I've made sure all the services are running, permissions are set etc.

Could it be to do with our router's settings? Do I need to configure ports?

Thanks,
Sean

Kari · 10 Jul 2018

First thing to test is Firewall. Temporarily disable any Firewall on target computer and try again.

Bree · 10 Jul 2018

mountaincabbage said:

.I've been trying to get this to work with one PC this morning, but have not had any success.

Here is the issue I am getting:
Stop-Computer : The RPC server is unavailable. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x800706BA)

Is the PC running the 32-bit version of 1803, os build 17134? If so, it may be related to this known bug that only affects 32-bit 1803. As yet, MS have not fixed this one.

1803 creating a system image fails with RPC server error 0x800706BA

bro67 · 10 Jul 2018

Use WOL and a Remote Shutdown Agent. PsShutdown - Windows Sysinternals | Microsoft Docs

mountaincabbage · 11 Jul 2018

Kari said:

First thing to test is Firewall. Temporarily disable any Firewall on target computer and try again.

Hi Kari,

Thanks for replying again, I have disabled windows firewall on both PC's, set execution policy to unrestricted, attempted to add the -Credential prompt, but I am continuing to get the following error:
Stop-Computer : Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))
At C:\Users\Render 1\Documents\stopseanpc.ps1:1 char:1
+ Stop-Computer -ComputerName DESKTOP-P7D90PC -Credential DESKTOP-P7R59 ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Stop-Computer], UnauthorizedAccessExcepti
on
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : System.UnauthorizedAccessException,Microsoft.PowerShell.Comm
ands.StopComputerCommand

I've tried entering with and without quotations - unsure if this matters, but it doesn't appear to.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Sean

Kari · 11 Jul 2018

mountaincabbage said:

Any ideas?

On target computer, change these services from manual start (or disabled) to automatic start (no delay), restart target computer and check that they are all running, then try again:

Remote Access Auto Connection Manager
Remote Access Connection Manager
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator
Remote Registry
Windows Remote Management

Kari

mountaincabbage · 13 Jul 2018

Hi Kari,

I've done all of that and I'm still getting the same issue. I've tried all the above on a separate target PC and still the same.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Sean

Kari · 13 Jul 2018

I have an idea, let me test it first, I will post here when done.

mountaincabbage · 13 Jul 2018

Thanks :)

Kari · 13 Jul 2018

In your other thread, you mentioned you had tried a scheduled task but it did not work.

I tested now, creating a task to force shutdown at certain time, exported it to three virtual and two physical machines. Task worked without any issues on all of them

Let's check you configured the task correctly.

First, select Create Task, do not use Create Basic Task.

New task, I've highlighted all important items. General tab:

Windows Powershell Remote Commands Not Working -RPC Server Unavailable-image.png

Trigger:

Action:

Conditions, clear everything:

Settings, clear everything except the highlighted items:

The task shown in above screenshots would force computer to shutdown daily at midnight (00:00), starting today. As I mentioned, I tested this now on five machines forcing them to shut down at certain time, as it is afternoon here I used 16:30 (4:30 PM) as trigger. To my satisfaction I saw all virtual and physical machines to shut down within 30 seconds after specified time.

Should work.

Kari