Enable Force BIOS for VM

[leitsu]

Why the script is getting the following error?

Get-VM *jump01 | D:\SM\8VMConfig\BIOSForce.ps1 -PassThru

   param(
        [switch]$Disable,
        [switch]$PassThru
   )
   if($_ -is [VMware.VimAutomation.Types.VirtualMachine])
    {
       trap { throw $_ }       
       
       $vmbo = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineBootOptions
       $vmbo.EnterBIOSSetup = $true
       
       if($Disable)
        {
           $vmbo.EnterBIOSSetup = $false
        }

       $vmcs = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec
       $vmcs.BootOptions = $vmbo

        ($_ | Get-View).ReconfigVM($vmcs)
       
       if($PassThru)
        {
           Get-VM $_
        }
    }
   else
    {
       Write-Error "Wrong object type. Only virtual machine objects are allowed."
    }

D:\SM\8VMConfig\BIOSForce.ps1 : Wrong object type. Only virtual machine objects are allowed.
At line:1 char:53
+ Get-VM tajump01 | D:\BIOSForce.ps1 <<<<  -PassThru
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Write-Error], WriteErrorException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.WriteErrorException,BIOSForce.ps1

[LucD]

The script tests for the type of the parameter in

if($_ -is [VMware.VimAutomation.Types.VirtualMachine])

In the newer builds of PowerCLI that is not the correct name of the VirtualMachine type.

It should be

VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Impl.V1.Inventory.VirtualMachineImpl

Try changing the line where the test is done into

if($_ -is [VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Impl.V1.Inventory.VirtualMachineImpl])

Which PowerCLI version are you running ? Do a

Get-PowerCLIVersion

[leitsu]

Get-VM slwsavcjump01 | D:\BIOSForce.ps1 -PassThru

   param(
        [switch]$Disable,
        [switch]$PassThru
   )
   if($_ -is [VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Impl.V1.Inventory.VirtualMachineImpl])
    {
       trap { throw $_ }       
       
       $vmbo = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineBootOptions
       $vmbo.EnterBIOSSetup = $true
       
       if($Disable)
        {
           $vmbo.EnterBIOSSetup = $false
        }

       $vmcs = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec
       $vmcs.BootOptions = $vmbo

        ($_ | Get-View).ReconfigVM($vmcs)
       
       if($PassThru)
        {
           Get-VM $_
        }
    }
   else
    {
       Write-Error "Wrong object type. Only virtual machine objects are allowed."
    }

D:\SM\8VMConfig\BIOSForce.ps1 : Wrong object type. Only virtual machine objects are allowed.
At line:1 char:53
+ Get-VM slwsavcjump01 | D:\SM\8VMConfig\BIOSForce.ps1 <<<<  -PassThru
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Write-Error], WriteErrorException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.WriteErrorException,BIOSForce.ps1

[LucD]

Just noticed, if you don't declare a parameter that is accepted through the pipeline, you have to use the $input variable.

So that line should be

if($input -is [VMware.VimAutomation.Types.VirtualMachine])

[leitsu]

What's the variable $input ? Sorry I'm not good with Powershell.

[LucD]

The $input variable is an automatic PowerShell variable, that contains the object you passed through the pipeline ('|').

In your script it will contain the object returned by the Get-VM cmdlet

[leitsu]

I am getting this error message.

PowerCLI D:\> Get-VM test | D:\BIOSForce.ps1 -PassThru
D:\BIOSForce.ps1 : Wrong object type. Only virtual machine objects are allowed.
At line:1 char:31
+ Get-VM test | D:\BIOSForce.ps1 <<<<  -PassThru
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Write-Error], WriteErrorException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.WriteErrorException,BIOSForce.ps1

Here is the script

   param(
        [switch]$Disable,
        [switch]$PassThru
   )
   if($input -is [VMware.VimAutomation.Types.VirtualMachine])
    {
       trap { throw $_ }       
       
       $vmbo = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineBootOptions
       $vmbo.EnterBIOSSetup = $true
       
       if($Disable)
        {
           $vmbo.EnterBIOSSetup = $false
        }

       $vmcs = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec
       $vmcs.BootOptions = $vmbo

        ($_ | Get-View).ReconfigVM($vmcs)
       
       if($PassThru)
        {
           Get-VM $_
        }
    }
   else
    {
       Write-Error "Wrong object type. Only virtual machine objects are allowed."
    }

[LucD]

There could be several reasons.

Is there a VM with that name . Is there an object that is returned ?

Is

Get-VM test

returning only 1 object ?

[leitsu]

yes, there is only one object called test

[leitsu]

I tried other virtual machines names, the error message is the same.

[LucD]

Let's check if the type is correct. Do a

Get-VM test | %{$_.GetType().FullName}

[leitsu]

PowerCLI D:\> Get-VM test | %{$_.GetType().FullName}
VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Impl.V1.Inventory.VirtualMachineImpl

[LucD]

Change the line

if($input -is [VMware.VimAutomation.Types.VirtualMachine])

to

if($input -is [VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Impl.V1.Inventory.VirtualMachineImpl])

[leitsu]

Sorry, that doesn't work. I am still getting the same error message >.<

   param(
        [switch]$Disable,
        [switch]$PassThru
   )
    if($input -is [VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Impl.V1.Inventory.VirtualMachineImpl])
    {
       trap { throw $_ }       
       
       $vmbo = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineBootOptions
       $vmbo.EnterBIOSSetup = $true
       
       if($Disable)
        {
           $vmbo.EnterBIOSSetup = $false
        }

       $vmcs = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec
       $vmcs.BootOptions = $vmbo

        ($_ | Get-View).ReconfigVM($vmcs)
       
       if($PassThru)
        {
           Get-VM $_
        }
    }
   else
    {
       Write-Error "Wrong object type. Only virtual machine objects are allowed."
    }

[LucD]

Can you include a screenshot of what you actually entered at the PowerCLI prompt, and attach that .ps1 file ?

The error says there is an error in a position that is way beyond the length of the first line in that .ps1 file.

[leitsu]

Please see attached screenshots

[LucD]

That is another error message than the first one you mentioned.

Can you remove the PassThru parameter from the line ?

And attach the current version of the script should there still be an error after that ?

[leitsu]

Thanks for you help

The attached is the script and error message

PowerCLI D:\> Get-VM slwsavcjump01 | D:\temp.ps1
D:\temp.ps1 : Wrong object type. Only virtual machine objects are allowed.
At line:1 char:35
+ Get-VM slwsavcjump01 | D:\temp.ps1 <<<<
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Write-Error], WriteErrorException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.WriteErrorException,temp.ps1

PowerCLI D:\> Get-VM slwsavcjump01 | %{$_.GetType().FullName}
VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Impl.V1.Inventory.VirtualMachineImpl

[LucD · Accepted solution]

This seems to be working

param( 
  [switch]$Disable, 
  [switch]$PassThru 
)

foreach($vm in $input){
  if($vm -is [VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Impl.V1.Inventory.VirtualMachineImpl])
  {
    trap { throw $_ } 

    $vmbo = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineBootOptions 
    $vmbo.EnterBIOSSetup = $true 

    if($Disable) 
    {
      $vmbo.EnterBIOSSetup = $false 
    } 

    $vmcs = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec 
    $vmcs.BootOptions = $vmbo 

    $vm.ExtensionData.ReconfigVM($vmcs)

    if($PassThru) 
    {
      $vm 
    } 
  } 
  else 
  {
    Write-Error "Wrong object type. Only virtual machine objects are allowed." 
  } 
}

I called it like this

Get-VM MyVM | D:\force-bios.ps1 -PassThru

[leitsu]

Brilliant, thank you