Error "Cannot convert argument..." while Scheduling VM Snapshot with PowerCLI (ScheduledTaskSpec)

[CharuK]

I am trying below script from LucD (Schedule Snapshot with PowerCli ), but always stuck in last line with error mentioned below. Need help,

$vmName = 'MyVM'

$snapTime = Get-Date "31/10/16 23:00"

$snapName = 'Test'

$snapDescription = 'Scheduled snapshot'

$snapMemory = $false

$snapQuiesce = $true

$emailAddr = 'lucd@lucd.info'

###############

$vm = Get-VM -Name $vmName

$si = get-view ServiceInstance

$scheduledTaskManager = Get-View $si.Content.ScheduledTaskManager

$spec = New-Object VMware.Vim.ScheduledTaskSpec

$spec.Name = "Snapshot",$_.VMname -join ' '

$spec.Description = "Take a snapshot of $($vm.Name)"

$spec.Enabled = $true

$spec.Notification = $emailAddr

$spec.Scheduler = New-Object VMware.Vim.OnceTaskScheduler

$spec.Scheduler.runat = $snapTime

$spec.Action = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodAction

$spec.Action.Name = "CreateSnapshot_Task"

@($snapName,$snapDescription,$snapMemory,$snapQuiesce) | %{

    $arg = New-Object VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

    $arg.Value = $_

    $spec.Action.Argument += $arg

}

$scheduledTaskManager.CreateObjectScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData.MoRef, $spec)

================================================================================================

Error:

Cannot convert argument "spec", with value: "VMware.Vim.ScheduledTaskSpec", for "CreateObjectScheduledTask" to type "VMware.Vim.ScheduledTaskSpec": "Cannot convert the

"VMware.Vim.ScheduledTaskSpec" value of type "VMware.Vim.ScheduledTaskSpec" to type "VMware.Vim.ScheduledTaskSpec"."

At line:66 char:1

+ $scheduledTaskManager.CreateObjectScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData.MoR ...

+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : MethodArgumentConversionInvalidCastArgument

[LucD]

Which PowerCLI version are you using?

Check with

Get-Module -Name VMware* -ListAvailable

Where there any other errors before this one?

You did adjust the values at the beginning for your environment I assume?

Can you replace this line

$scheduledTaskManager.CreateObjectScheduledTask($vm.ExtensionData.MoRef, $spec)

with these line, and tell us what it says?

Make sure to hide any sensitive information.

$spec.GetType().Name

$spec | format-custom -Depth 2

[LucD]

And for me that script is still working in PowerCLI 11.0.0

[CharuK]

Hi LucD,

PowerCLI Version

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

   VMware PowerCLI 10.0.0 build 7895300

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

Component Versions

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

   VMware Cis Core PowerCLI Component PowerCLI Component 10.0 build 7893915

   VMware VimAutomation VICore Commands PowerCLI Component PowerCLI Component 10.0 build 7893909

======================================================================================================

Yes, I have adjsuted value as per my environemnt.

There is no other error before last line.

=======================================================================================================

/>>$spec | format-custom -Depth 2

class ScheduledTaskSpec

{

  Name = Snapshot

  Description = Take a snapshot of VMname

  Enabled = True

  Scheduler =

    class OnceTaskScheduler

    {

      RunAt =

        class DateTime

        {

          Date = 12/12/2018 12:00:00 AM

          Day = 12

          DayOfWeek = Wednesday

          DayOfYear = 346

          Hour = 23

          Kind = Unspecified

          Millisecond = 0

          Minute = 0

          Month = 12

          Second = 0

          Ticks = 636802524000000000

          TimeOfDay = 23:00:00

          Year = 2018

          DateTime = Wednesday, December 12, 2018 11:00:00 PM

        }

      ActiveTime =

      ExpireTime =

      DynamicType =

      DynamicProperty =

    }

  Action =

    class MethodAction

    {

      Name = CreateSnapshot_Task

      Argument =

        [

          VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

          VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

          VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

          VMware.Vim.MethodActionArgument

        ]

      DynamicType =

      DynamicProperty =

    }

  Notification = abcd@xyz.com

  DynamicType =

  DynamicProperty =

}

=====================================================================

[LucD]

I forgot to ask, is that PowerShell v5.1 or Powershell Core, aka v6?

[CharuK]

It's,

PSVersion                      5.1.14409.1018                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     BuildVersion                   10.0.14409.1018

[LucD · Accepted solution]

Very strange.

I ran the code you provided above, and only changed the VM and the time, and that created a scheduled task without a problem.

There might be something fishy with your PowerCLI installation.

Do you have the authority and time to uninstall your current PowerCLI (just remove the VMware folders).

You can check if there are any VMware folders left in any of the folders listed by $env:PSModulePath.Split(';')

Then do a fresh install with (requires Internet access).

Install-Module -Name VMware.PowerCLI

[CharuK]

Correct LucD, it worked fine now after modifying modules.