Please assist, getting these line of error when try to run some powerCLI syntax

[afhamsani]

my syntax:

Write-Host "Connecting to vCenter"

Write-Host "~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

Connect-VIServer "vcenter"

$VMs = Get-Content "C:\Batch\Scripts\poweredoffVMs.txt"

foreach ($VM in $VMs) {

#Days set to -60 to list of VMs that have been shutdown for 2 months and parsing to CSV helps in the sorting.

   Get-VIEvent -Start (Get-Date).AddDays(-60) -MaxSamples ([int]::MaxValue) |

        where{$_ -is [VMware.Vim.VmPoweredOffEvent] -or

              $_ -is [VMware.Vim.VmGuestShutdownEvent]} |

Select CreatedTime,@{N='VM';E={$_.Vm.Name}},UserName,FullFormattedMessage |

Export-CSV -NoTypeInformation C:\Batch\Scripts\poweredoffVMs_info.csv -Append

   }

[LucD]

Which PowerCLI version are you using?

Can you do

Get-Module -Name VMware* -ListAvailable

[afhamsani]

Hi LucD​, this seems due to outdated version?

PS C:\Users\xxxx> Get-Module -Name VMware* -ListAvailable

　

    Directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\PowerCLI\Modules

　

ModuleType Version    Name                                ExportedCommands                                                                                                                   

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

Binary     6.0.0.0    VMware.DeployAutomation                                                                                                                                                

Binary     6.0.0.0    VMware.ImageBuilder                                                                                                                                                    

Binary     6.5.0.4... VMware.VimAutomation.Cis.Core                                                                                                                                          

Binary     6.5.0.4... VMware.VimAutomation.Cloud                                                                                                                                             

Manifest   6.5.0.4... VMware.VimAutomation.Common                                                                                                                                            

Binary     6.5.0.2... VMware.VimAutomation.Core           HookGetViewAutoCompleter                                                                                                           

Binary     6.0.0.0    VMware.VimAutomation.HA                                                                                                                                                

Binary     7.0.2.4... VMware.VimAutomation.HorizonView                                                                                                                                       

Binary     6.5.0.4... VMware.VimAutomation.License                                                                                                                                           

Binary     6.5.0.4... VMware.VimAutomation.PCloud                                                                                                                                            

Manifest   6.5.0.4... VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk            Get-PSVersion                                                                                                                      

Binary     6.5.0.4... VMware.VimAutomation.Storage                                                                                                                                           

Binary     6.5.0.4... VMware.VimAutomation.Vds                                                                                                                                               

Binary     6.5.0.4... VMware.VimAutomation.vROps                                                                                                                                             

Binary     6.0.0.0    VMware.VumAutomation                                                                                                                                                   

[LucD]

I'm afraid that could indeed be the case.

It looks as if you have an older version that was installed with an MSI file.

You will first have to uninstall that package (from Programs and Features) and then install the latest version from the PSGallery.

See Welcome PowerCLI to the PowerShell Gallery – Install Process Updates for more details on the procedure to use.

[afhamsani]

Noted, thanks @LucD. But is there any reason why this happened only to this new script I was trying to construct but not to other existing script on the same server I executed it from?

[LucD · Accepted solution]

I have seen this error before, it was mostly caused by an incompatibility issue between the PowerCLI version and the vSphere version (6.* or higher).
Against which vSphere version are you running that script?
I suspect not all cmdlets suffer from this incompatibility.

[afhamsani]

understood, that make sense of certain cmdlet with vsphere.

I will upgrade the powerCLI first as what you recommended.

Thanks LucD for your promptly replies, appreciated it!

[afhamsani]

Hi LucD​,

I managed to run the script, but somehow it run without what I expected.

From the txt file, I have listed VM that I wanted to look for its information who powered it off,

but what I was getting was list of other VMs that was not even listed at all.

For trial run, I just use a VM, but was getting lengthy list of powered off VM in the output report.

Can you please point me where did I do wrong?

[LucD]

You didn't use the Entity parameter on the Get-VIEvent cmdlet, as a result you got back all events.

Try like this

Write-Host "Connecting to vCenter"

Write-Host "~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

Connect-VIServer "vcenter"

$VMs = Get-VM -Name (Get-Content "C:\Batch\Scripts\poweredoffVMs.txt")

#Days set to -60 to list of VMs that have been shutdown for 2 months and parsing to CSV helps in the sorting.

Get-VIEvent -Entity $VMs -Start (Get-Date).AddDays(-60) -MaxSamples ([int]::MaxValue) |

    where{$_ -is [VMware.Vim.VmPoweredOffEvent] -or $_ -is [VMware.Vim.VmGuestShutdownEvent]} |

Select CreatedTime,@{N='VM';E={$_.Vm.Name}},UserName,FullFormattedMessage |

Export-CSV -NoTypeInformation C:\Batch\Scripts\poweredoffVMs_info.csv -Append