PSRemoteInstaller

Remote software deployment scripts for Windows machines via PowerShell remoting.

Overview

This project provides reusable PowerShell scripts for deploying .exe and .msi installers to remote Windows machines. Configuration is driven by JSON files, making it easy to add support for new software packages.

Requirements

• PowerShell 5.1 or later
• Administrator privileges on the local machine
• WinRM enabled on target machines (Enable-PSRemoting -Force)
• Network access to target machines (ping, admin shares)
• Installer files accessible via network share

File Structure

PSRemoteInstaller/
├── Install-RemoteExe.ps1      # Script for .exe installers (NSIS, etc.)
├── Install-RemoteMsi.ps1      # Script for .msi installers
├── configs/
│   ├── anaconda-exe.json      # Anaconda configuration
│   ├── python-exe.json        # Python configuration
│   └── office-msi.json        # MSI example (SSMS)
└── README.md

Usage

Installing software

# Install Anaconda via .exe installer
.\Install-RemoteExe.ps1 -ComputerName SERVER01 -Config .\configs\anaconda-exe.json

# Install software via .msi installer
.\Install-RemoteMsi.ps1 -ComputerName SERVER01 -Config .\configs\office-msi.json

Getting help

.\Install-RemoteExe.ps1 -Help
.\Install-RemoteMsi.ps1 -Help

JSON Configuration

Each installer requires a JSON configuration file with the following fields:

Field	Description
DisplayName	Human-readable name for logging and help output
NetworkSharePath	UNC path to the network share containing the installer
InstallerFilename	Name of the installer file
RemoteTempPath	Temporary directory on the remote machine
InstallPath	Target installation directory
SilentArgs	Command-line arguments with {{InstallPath}} placeholder
VerifyPath	Relative path to verify after installation (confirms success)
ExitCodes	Maps installer-specific exit codes to messages

Example configuration (anaconda-exe.json)

{
    "DisplayName": "Anaconda3 2025.12",
    "NetworkSharePath": "\\\\SMB\\Shared\\",
    "InstallerFilename": "Anaconda3-2025.12-1-Windows-x86_64.exe",
    "RemoteTempPath": "C:\\Temp",
    "InstallPath": "C:\\ProgramData\\Anaconda3",
    "SilentArgs": "/S /AddToPath=1 /RegisterPython=0 /D={{InstallPath}}",
    "VerifyPath": "Scripts\\conda.exe",
    "ExitCodes": {
        "0": "Success",
        "1": "Installation cancelled by user",
        "2": "Installation aborted (disk space, permissions, path issues)"
    }
}

Adding a new installer

1. Copy an existing config file
2. Update the values (paths, args, exit codes)
3. Save as <software>-<type>.json
4. Run with the appropriate script

Exit Codes

Script-level exit codes (same for both scripts):

Code	Description
0	Success
1	Not run as Administrator
10	Target unreachable (ping failed)
11	DNS resolution failed
12	WinRM unavailable
13	Remote session failed
20	Failed to create temp directory
21	Source file not found
22	File copy failed
23	File copy verification failed
30	Config file not found
31	Config file invalid
99	Unexpected error
100+	Installer-specific exit codes (offset by 100)

Common MSI exit codes

Code	Description
0	Success
1641	Success, reboot initiated
3010	Success, reboot required
1602	User cancelled installation
1603	Fatal error during installation

Troubleshooting

WinRM not available

Run on the target machine:

Enable-PSRemoting -Force

Access denied to admin share

Ensure:

• You're running as an administrator with domain credentials
• The target machine's firewall allows File and Printer Sharing
• Administrative shares (C$, ADMIN$) are enabled

Installer fails with verification error

The VerifyPath setting checks if a specific file exists after installation. If installation succeeds but verification fails:

• Check if the InstallPath is correct
• Verify the VerifyPath is the correct relative path from InstallPath
• Some installers may require a reboot before files appear

Notes

• No automatic reboots - exit codes 1641/3010 indicate reboot is needed
• PowerShell 5.1 compatible (no newer language features used)
• All file transfers use admin shares (\target\C$...)