Powershell script to check if service is started, if not then start it

Question

I have built a small powershell script to check if a service is started. If it is not started, try to start it then wait one minute and check again. Keep repeating this process until the service start successfully. I have found the loop does not behave the way I expected in that I seem to have to re-assign the service variable within the loop in order to get the updated status. Here is my code:

$ServiceName = 'Serenade' $arrService = Get-Service -Name $ServiceName  if ($arrService.Status -ne 'Running'){ $ServiceStarted = $false} Else{$ServiceStarted = $true}  while ($ServiceStarted -ne $true){ Start-Service $ServiceName write-host $arrService.status write-host 'Service started' Start-Sleep -seconds 60 $arrService = Get-Service -Name $ServiceName #Why is this line needed? if ($arrService.Status -eq 'Running'){ $ServiceStarted = $true} } 

If I run the code without the third last line (the one with the comment), I get the following output. I can check in the Windows service manager and the service was clearly started after the first loop. Why is that third last line required?

Given this behavior, is there a better way to write this code?

Thank you

Answer 1

I think you may have over-complicated your code: If you are just checking to see if a service is running and, if not, run it and then stop re-evaluating, the following should suffice:

Good point on the refresh.

$ServiceName = 'Serenade' $arrService = Get-Service -Name $ServiceName  while ($arrService.Status -ne 'Running') {      Start-Service $ServiceName     write-host $arrService.status     write-host 'Service starting'     Start-Sleep -seconds 60     $arrService.Refresh()     if ($arrService.Status -eq 'Running')     {         Write-Host 'Service is now Running'     }  } 

Answer 2

Given $arrService = Get-Service -Name $ServiceName, $arrService.Status is a static property, corresponding to the value at the time of the call. Use $arrService.Refresh() when needed to renew the properties to current values.

MSDN ~ ServiceController.Refresh()

Refreshes property values by resetting the properties to their current values.