Re: Cannot connect to vCenter server

alexander_d · ‎03-28-2019

Hi!

I'm trying to connec to to a vCenter server from powershell session with PowerCLI module loaded but receive the following error:

Connect-VIServer : Could not load file or assembly 'VMware.Vim, Version=6.7.0.185, Culture=neutral,PublicKeyToken=null' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.At line:1 char:1

Here is the script code:

#Unload existing PowerCLI

If (Get-PSSnapin | ? {$_.Name -like "VMware*"}) { Get-PSSnapin VMware* | Remove-PSSnapin }

If (Get-Module | ? {$_.Name -like "VMware*"}) { Get-Module VMware* | Remove-Module -Force }

#Import PowerCLI v11

$ModulePath = $PSScriptRoot +"\Modules\VMware-PowerCLI-11.2.0.12780525"

$env:PSModulePath = $ModulePath

Import-Module VMware.VimAutomation.Core

#Set PowerCLI configuration

Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore -Scope Session -DisplayDeprecationWarnings:$false -Confirm:$false | out-null

Connect-VIServer ********

....

$env:PSModulePath variable does not contain old PowerCLI paths and after loading new path to $env:PSModulePath shows :

PS C:\Users\a> get-module -listavailable

Directory: D:\*******\Modules\VMware-PowerCLI-11.2.0.12780525

ModuleType Name ExportedCommands

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

Script VMware.DeployAutomation {Add-DeployRule, Add-ProxyServer, Add-ScriptBundle, Copy-DeployRule...}

Script VMware.ImageBuilder {Add-EsxSoftwareDepot, Add-EsxSoftwarePackage, Compare-EsxImageProfil...

Manifest VMware.PowerCLI

Script VMware.Vim

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Cis.Core {Connect-CisServer, Disconnect-CisServer, Get-CisService}

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Cloud {Add-CIDatastore, Connect-CIServer, Disconnect-CIServer, Get-Catalog...}

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Common

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Core {Add-PassthroughDevice, Add-VirtualSwitchPhysicalNetworkAdapter, Add-...

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Hcx {Connect-HCXServer, Disconnect-HCXServer, Get-HCXAppliance, Get-HCXAp...

Script VMware.VimAutomation.HorizonView {Connect-HVServer, Disconnect-HVServer}

Script VMware.VimAutomation.License Get-LicenseDataManager

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Nsxt {Connect-NsxtServer, Disconnect-NsxtServer, Get-NsxtPolicyService, Ge...

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk {Get-ErrorReport, Get-InstallPath, Get-PSVersion}

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Security {Get-SecurityInfo, Get-VTpm, Get-VTpmCertificate, Get-VTpmCSR...}

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Srm {Connect-SrmServer, Disconnect-SrmServer}

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Storage {Add-KeyManagementServer, Copy-VDisk, Export-SpbmStoragePolicy, Get-K...

Script VMware.VimAutomation.StorageUtility Update-VmfsDatastore

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Vds {Add-VDSwitchPhysicalNetworkAdapter, Add-VDSwitchVMHost, Export-VDPor...

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Vmc {Connect-Vmc, Disconnect-Vmc, Get-VmcSddcNetworkService, Get-VmcServi...

Script VMware.VimAutomation.vROps {Connect-OMServer, Disconnect-OMServer, Get-OMAlert, Get-OMAlertDefin...

Script VMware.VumAutomation {Add-EntityBaseline, Copy-Patch, Get-Baseline, Get-Compliance...}

Get-Module also shows different VMware.Vim that in the error:

PS C:\Users\a> Get-Module | select ModuleType,name,version

ModuleType Name Version

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

Manifest Microsoft.PowerShell.Management 3.0.0.0

Manifest Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility 3.0.0.0

Script VMware.Vim 6.7.0.12483609

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Cis.Core 11.2.0.12483642

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Common 11.2.0.12483627

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Core 11.2.0.12483638

Script VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk 11.2.0.12483635

Which is quite weird imho...

PowerCLI 5.5 is installed on the following machine (do not ask me to remove or update it, I cannot modify it). If i remove PowerCLI 5.5 from the system- everything works fine. But i cannot remove it.

Any ideas how can I resolve it and import PowerCLI 11 without removing 5.5 into a powershell session?

P.S. OS is w2012 (not R2), and it is isolated from the Internet.

LucD · ‎03-28-2019

What a challenging setup :smileygrin:

Why can't you remove 5.5?
You can not Uninstall via Programs & Features?
You can not delete the folders?

How did you get that strange folder under Modules?

That's not where PowerCLI module normally go.

Blog: lucd.info Twitter: @LucD22 Co-author PowerCLI Reference

alexander_d · ‎03-28-2019

Hi!

I replaced actual path with *****

In fact it's somewhere on a D drive.

I cannot modify existing PowerCLI because it's being used by set of scripts that were developed a long ago and no one will adjust it to newer PowerCLI version.

Plus this PowerCLI version is a part of a solution build, so i'll have to write a sh***t ton of papers to change it without entire solution update.

So what I'm actually doing is importing it on the fly. removing all the loaded PowerCLI modules and snapins first.

It perfectly works with PowerShell version 6.5 and higher (with powershell 3,4 and 5). But doesn't work with 5.5 . I performed a test and removed PowerCLI 5.5. And everything works.... but as mentioned earlier - i must keep existing PowerCLI and load newer version on the fly.

LucD · ‎03-28-2019

Since PowerCLI 5.5 was not installed in any of the "standard" locations, why can't you just start PowerShell with an adapted $env:PSModulePath, depending on which version you want to use.

If you want to use 11.2, you should only that folder on the D-drive to $env:PSModulePath and make sure the C:\Program Files (x86) is not in there.

You can ask the question on which PowerCLI in your PS profile, and then take appropriate action.

Blog: lucd.info Twitter: @LucD22 Co-author PowerCLI Reference

alexander_d · ‎03-28-2019

PowerCLI is installed in standard Program files folder.

If you take a look at the code I gave - I do exactly what you're saying. but it doesn't work )

LucD · ‎03-28-2019

The version in the error is for the DLL that can not be loaded, which is not necessarily the exact build number of the module.

When you look at Properties-Details of the VMware.Vim.dll you should see the number of the error message.

I checked, but for the me the DLL version says 6.7.0.1825 (not the same as you have in your error message).
Could that be a typo?

Blog: lucd.info Twitter: @LucD22 Co-author PowerCLI Reference

alexander_d · ‎03-28-2019

I'll check tomorrow. can be a typo.

alexander_d · ‎03-29-2019

Ok, here we go...

PS D:\Modules> $PSVersionTable

Name Value

---- -----

PSVersion 3.0

WSManStackVersion 3.0

SerializationVersion 1.1.0.1

CLRVersion 4.0.30319.18449

BuildVersion 6.2.9200.22199

PSCompatibleVersions {1.0, 2.0, 3.0}

PSRemotingProtocolVersion 2.2

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

PS D:\Modules> $env:PSModulePath

C:\Users\a\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Modules;C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\;D:\Program Fil

es (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Tools\PowerShell\Modules\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Cisco\Cisco UCS PowerTool\Modules\

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

PS D:\Modules> $PSVersionTable

Name Value

---- -----

PSVersion 3.0

WSManStackVersion 3.0

SerializationVersion 1.1.0.1

CLRVersion 4.0.30319.18449

BuildVersion 6.2.9200.22199

PSCompatibleVersions {1.0, 2.0, 3.0}

PSRemotingProtocolVersion 2.2

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

PS D:\Modules> Get-Module

ModuleType Name ExportedCommands

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

Manifest Microsoft.PowerShell.Management {Add-Computer, Add-Content, Checkpoint-Computer, Clear-Content...}

Manifest Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility {Add-Member, Add-Type, Clear-Variable, Compare-Object...}

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

PS D:\Modules> Get-PSSnapin

Name : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core

PSVersion : 3.0

Description : This Windows PowerShell snap-in contains cmdlets used to manage components of Windows PowerShell.

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

PS D:\Modules> Get-Module -ListAvailable

Directory: C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules

ModuleType Name ExportedCommands

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

Manifest ActiveDirectory {Add-ADCentralAccessPolicyMember, Add-ADComputerServiceAccount, Add-A...

Manifest AppLocker {Get-AppLockerFileInformation, Get-AppLockerPolicy, New-AppLockerPoli...

Manifest Appx {Add-AppxPackage, Get-AppxPackage, Get-AppxPackageManifest, Remove-Ap...

Manifest BitsTransfer {Add-BitsFile, Complete-BitsTransfer, Get-BitsTransfer, Remove-BitsTr...

Manifest BranchCache {Add-BCDataCacheExtension, Clear-BCCache, Disable-BC, Disable-BCDowng...

Manifest CimCmdlets {Get-CimAssociatedInstance, Get-CimClass, Get-CimInstance, Get-CimSes...

Manifest DirectAccessClientComponents {Disable-DAManualEntryPointSelection, Enable-DAManualEntryPointSelect...

Script Dism {Add-AppxProvisionedPackage, Add-WindowsDriver, Add-WindowsPackage, C...

Manifest DnsClient {Resolve-DnsName, Clear-DnsClientCache, Get-DnsClient, Get-DnsClientC...

Manifest DnsServer {Add-DnsServerConditionalForwarderZone, Add-DnsServerDirectoryPartiti...

Manifest GroupPolicy {Backup-GPO, Block-GPInheritance, Copy-GPO, Get-GPInheritance...}

Manifest iSCSI {Get-IscsiTargetPortal, New-IscsiTargetPortal, Remove-IscsiTargetPort...

Manifest IscsiTarget {Add-ClusteriSCSITargetServerRole, Add-IscsiVirtualDiskTargetMapping,...

Script ISE {New-IseSnippet, Import-IseSnippet, Get-IseSnippet}

Manifest Kds {Add-KdsRootKey, Get-KdsRootKey, Test-KdsRootKey, Set-KdsConfiguratio...

Manifest Microsoft.PowerShell.Diagnostics {Get-WinEvent, Get-Counter, Import-Counter, Export-Counter...}

Manifest Microsoft.PowerShell.Host {Start-Transcript, Stop-Transcript}

Manifest Microsoft.PowerShell.Management {Add-Content, Clear-Content, Clear-ItemProperty, Join-Path...}

Manifest Microsoft.PowerShell.Security {Get-Acl, Set-Acl, Get-PfxCertificate, Get-Credential...}

Manifest Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility {Format-List, Format-Custom, Format-Table, Format-Wide...}

Manifest Microsoft.WSMan.Management {Disable-WSManCredSSP, Enable-WSManCredSSP, Get-WSManCredSSP, Set-WSM...

Manifest MsDtc {New-DtcDiagnosticTransaction, Complete-DtcDiagnosticTransaction, Joi...

Manifest NetAdapter {Disable-NetAdapter, Disable-NetAdapterBinding, Disable-NetAdapterChe...

Manifest NetConnection {Get-NetConnectionProfile, Set-NetConnectionProfile}

Manifest NetLbfo {Add-NetLbfoTeamMember, Add-NetLbfoTeamNic, Get-NetLbfoTeam, Get-NetL...

Manifest NetQos {Get-NetQosPolicy, Set-NetQosPolicy, Remove-NetQosPolicy, New-NetQosP...

Manifest NetSecurity {Get-DAPolicyChange, New-NetIPsecAuthProposal, New-NetIPsecMainModeCr...

Manifest NetSwitchTeam {New-NetSwitchTeam, Remove-NetSwitchTeam, Get-NetSwitchTeam, Rename-N...

Manifest NetTCPIP {Get-NetIPAddress, Get-NetIPInterface, Get-NetIPv4Protocol, Get-NetIP...

Manifest NetworkConnectivityStatus {Get-DAConnectionStatus, Get-NCSIPolicyConfiguration, Reset-NCSIPolic...

Manifest NetworkTransition {Add-NetIPHttpsCertBinding, Disable-NetDnsTransitionConfiguration, Di...

Manifest PKI {Add-CertificateEnrollmentPolicyServer, Export-Certificate, Export-Pf...

Manifest PrintManagement {Add-Printer, Add-PrinterDriver, Add-PrinterPort, Get-PrintConfigurat...

Script PSDiagnostics {Disable-PSTrace, Disable-PSWSManCombinedTrace, Disable-WSManTrace, E...

Binary PSScheduledJob {New-JobTrigger, Add-JobTrigger, Remove-JobTrigger, Get-JobTrigger...}

Manifest RemoteAccess {Add-DAAppServer, Add-DAClient, Add-DAClientDnsConfiguration, Add-DAE...

Manifest ScheduledTasks {Get-ScheduledTask, Set-ScheduledTask, Register-ScheduledTask, Unregi...

Manifest SecureBoot {Confirm-SecureBootUEFI, Set-SecureBootUEFI, Get-SecureBootUEFI, Form...

Manifest SmbShare {Get-SmbShare, Remove-SmbShare, Set-SmbShare, Block-SmbShareAccess...}

Manifest Storage {Add-InitiatorIdToMaskingSet, Add-PartitionAccessPath, Add-PhysicalDi...

Manifest TroubleshootingPack {Get-TroubleshootingPack, Invoke-TroubleshootingPack}

Manifest TrustedPlatformModule {Get-Tpm, Initialize-Tpm, Clear-Tpm, Unblock-Tpm...}

Manifest VpnClient {Add-VpnConnection, Set-VpnConnection, Remove-VpnConnection, Get-VpnC...

Manifest Wdac {Get-OdbcDriver, Set-OdbcDriver, Get-OdbcDsn, Add-OdbcDsn...}

Manifest WebAdministration {Start-WebCommitDelay, Stop-WebCommitDelay, Get-WebConfigurationLock,...

Manifest Whea {Get-WheaMemoryPolicy, Set-WheaMemoryPolicy}

Manifest WindowsDeveloperLicense {Get-WindowsDeveloperLicense, Show-WindowsDeveloperLicenseRegistratio...

Script WindowsErrorReporting {Enable-WindowsErrorReporting, Disable-WindowsErrorReporting, Get-Win...

Directory: D:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Tools\PowerShell\Modules

ModuleType Name ExportedCommands

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

Manifest SQLASCMDLETS {Add-RoleMember, Backup-ASDatabase, Invoke-ASCmd, Invoke-ProcessCube...}

Manifest SQLPS {Backup-SqlDatabase, Add-SqlAvailabilityDatabase, Disable-SqlAlwaysOn...

Directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\Cisco\Cisco UCS PowerTool\Modules

ModuleType Name ExportedCommands

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

Binary CiscoUcsPS {Export-UcsXml, Export-UcsMoXml, Compare-UcsManagedObject, Start-UcsK...

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

PS D:\Modules> $env:PSModulePath += ";D:\Modules\VMware-PowerCLI-11.2.0.12780525"