C#.net Run process on another computer

Question

Suppose there are two computers say computer1 and computer2, I run my application on computer1 and on execution of this application I want to run the exe file on computer2. Any idea?

Vulpes · Answer

If this line is now working from the command line: C:\PsTools>psexec.exe \ibi20-pc -u ibi20 -p 12345 -i c:\windows\system32
otepad.exe then, off the top of my head, I'd have thought this should work programatically: using System.Diagnostics; // .... Process p = new Process(); p.StartInfo.FileName = @"c:\PsTools\psexec.exe"; p.StartInfo.Arguments = @"\ibi20-pc -u ibi20 -p 12345 -i c:\windows\system32
otepad.exe"; p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false; p.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true; p.Start();

Vijay Yadav · Answer

Pravin, Thanks a lot Man!!! It really helped me out. Vulpes and you really deserve a party from my side. Thanks once again!!!

Waseem · Answer

Curious, would it not be better or possible, for a reason, to have a listener process on the other PC ?

Pravin Ghadge · Answer

Hi vijay, For Windows 2007, make some setting: 1)Go to Control Panel 2)Then Action Center. 3)then click on change account setting. 4)there is seek bar which is at middle site. Switch that seek bar at bottom side 5)Click on Apply 6)Restart ur PC. It may help u!

Vijay Yadav · Answer

It si working perfectly in Windows XP-3 but not in Windows 7 and Windows Vista as it gives me error ' Access is denied '. Lets see..!

Vijay Yadav · Answer

Vulpes, Thanks a lot man..!!!

Vulpes · Answer

It'll be something like: p.StartInfo.Arguments = @"\ibi20-pc -u ibi20 -p 12345 -i c:\somefolder\dotNetFx40_Full_setup.exe /q "; //or p.StartInfo.Arguments = @"\ibi20-pc -u ibi20 -p 12345 -i c:\somefolder\dotNetFx40_Full_setup.exe /passive ";

Vijay Yadav · Answer

how to pass this silent install or passive install with psexec?

Vulpes · Answer

You could try doing a 'silent' install with the /q switch or a 'passive' install with the /passive switch but I'm not sure whether they will suppress the license page or not. Check this link for other supported command line switches: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/ee942965.aspx

Vijay Yadav · Answer

Is there anyway to it?

Vijay Yadav · Answer

Actually I want ot install .net framework on target machine, now i am able to run the setup through psexec on target machine but then i need to accept the terms and conditions of the .net framewrok so i need to hit the next button. How to hit that button through argument?

Vulpes · Answer

You just follow the executable name with the command line arguments separated by spaces. For example: p.StartInfo.Arguments = @"\ibi20-pc -u ibi20 -p 12345 -i c:\windows\system32
otepad.exe c:\myfiles\somefile.txt"; However, if it's a file name, you will need to specify the full path on the target machine.

Vijay Yadav · Answer

ok, how can we do it command line argument?

Vulpes · Answer

SendKeys only works for applications on the same machine. When starting an application on a remote machine, I can think of two possibilities: 1. If the application supports command line arguments, pass it the appropriate argument(s) to do what you want. 2. Write another application yourself which starts the target application and passes it some keystrokes. Install your application on the remote machine and then use PsExec to start your application rather than the target application.

Vijay Yadav · Answer

Vulpes, Thanks a lot. It is working fine now. I was using like this, Process p = new Process(); p.StartInfo.FileName = @"c:\PsTools"; p.StartInfo.Arguments = @"psexec \ibi20-pc -u ibi20 -p 12345 -i c:\windows\system32
otepad.exe"; p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false; p.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true; p.Start(); And now the problem is I need to hit the next button of that exe so that the installation can proceed further. Can we use sendkey for this?

Vijay Yadav · Answer

Hi Vulpes, Thanks for your support. Now I am able to install it on Windows xp3 OS through command prompt using psexec after setting network access of the remote machine. But I am not able to install it through the code. Any help?

Vijay Yadav · Answer

No the machine is not locked and it is connected in LAN. I am trying to connect to another system but on that systm also it is giving Access denied error. I am running psexec command on window server 2008 machine and trying to connect windows7, Vista and XP3 but not able to connect it.

Vulpes · Answer

Is it possible that the machine could have been locked down to prevent remote access? If there are other machines on the network, can it be accessed from them?

Vijay Yadav · Answer

No, actually there is one user account on that machine(admin access).

Vulpes · Answer

Not really. Are there any other users you could log in as on the other machine?

Vijay Yadav · Answer

No still it is not working after disabling firewall and anti-virus. Any other suggestions?

Vulpes · Answer

Well, I can't see anything wrong with the second of those PsExec commands (where the machine name comes first) and I assume the username and password are correct for that machine. The only other thing I can think of is that it's an antivirus or firewall problem. I'd try temporarily disabling your AV software before running PsExec, just in case that's the problem.

Vijay Yadav · Answer

Please see the attached file.

Vulpes · Answer

Do you get the same error if you try to run some other program on the remote machine? I'd try notepad, which can be found on most Windows machines at c:\windows\system32
otepad.exe.

Vijay Yadav · Answer

yes i have referred this site as well but then also get error access is denied.

Vulpes · Answer

This link describes all the command line switches you can use and gives a number of examples: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897553

Vijay Yadav · Answer

Tried this as well then also getting same error. May be i am doing somthing wrong as i am new to psexec tool. Can you please tell how to use psexec through command prompt.

Vulpes · Answer

Try accessing the machine using its IP address rather than its name.

Vijay Yadav · Answer

From command prompt i am running the psexec but then also it gives me could not access computername. Access is denied. Any help?

Vijay Yadav · Answer

I have downloaded the PsTools, and have installed the psexec but I am not able to see the psexec command prompt. And may be because I don't know how to use it.

Vulpes · Answer

Can you post how you're doing it just now and tell me what difficulties you're having.

Vijay Yadav · Answer

Hi Vulpes, I am using pstool but i am not able to do it properly can you help me?

Vulpes · Answer

Sorry, Vijay, but if it's an 'access denied' error, then I don't think I can add to the suggestions for resolving it in the other thread :(

Vijay Yadav · Answer

No I didn't try that. I want to do it through WMI. Any help?

Vulpes · Answer

Did you try PsExec - you can launch it with the Process class and pass it the appropriate command line arguments. If that doesn't work, then nothing will.

Vijay Yadav · Answer

Hi Vulpes, you are right and have already gone through this site, it is not working properly. It gives runtime error "Access is denied". Still searching on google.

Vulpes · Answer

Well, you can't use the System.Diagnostics.Process class to start and stop a process on a remote machine. However, you might be able to use WMI. A quick google produced the following link with some sample code: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/csharpgeneral/thread/2b714d4f-92c1-4bd3-8ff1-226a278d129c/ If you can't get it to work then you could also try the free utility, PsExec, which is also linked to in the above thread.

C#.net Run process on another computer

Answers (37)