In this tutorial, we’ll explain the process of keeping a PowerShell script continuously running, which can be especially useful if you have a script that you want to keep running in the background, even after the system experiences interruptions.
Step 1: Setting up the PowerShell Script
To begin with, you need to prepare your PowerShell script. It can be a script you already have or a simple one for testing purposes.
For this example, we’ll use a basic script that continuously outputs the current date-time to a Notepad file. Make sure to save your script as a “.ps1” file, which is the extension for PowerShell scripts.
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$filePath = "C:\temp\output.txt" while ($true) { Get-Date | Out-File $filePath -Append Start-Sleep -s 10 } |
Step 2: Setting up a Batch File
The next step is to create a batch file (.bat) that will be used to run the PowerShell script. This file will be configured to run indefinitely until you manually stop it.
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@echo off :loop powershell -File "C:\Path\Your_Script.ps1" goto loop |
Replace “C:\Path\Your_Script.ps1” with the actual location of the PowerShell script on your device. The “goto loop” command makes the batch file repeat indefinitely.
Step 3: Running the Batch File
Once you’ve created the batch file, all you have to do is to double-click on it to start running your PowerShell script. As long as this batch file is running, your PowerShell script will keep running continuously.
For a quick check, navigate to the C:\temp directory on your computer and open the “output.txt” file. You should see the current date and time being continuously updated every 10 seconds, just like our script commands.
01/01/2022 15:40:01 01/01/2022 15:40:11 01/01/2022 15:40:21
Step 4: Stopping the Script
To stop your PowerShell script from running, you can simply close the command prompt window where the batch file is executing.
Final PowerShell Code
$filePath = "C:\temp\output.txt"
while ($true) {
Get-Date | Out-File $filePath -Append
Start-Sleep -s 10
}
Final Batch Code
@echo off :loop powershell -File "C:\Path\Your_Script.ps1" goto loop
Conclusion
By following these steps, you have now set up a PowerShell script to run continuously using a batch file. This method allows your script to run without interruptions, ensuring a continuous workflow for critical operations.
Feel free to reinforce your knowledge about PowerShell, by visiting the official PowerShell documentation. Remember, it’s always a good practice to check and revise your scripts for efficiency and resource management as running scripts indefinitely can consume system resources over time.