Foreach parallel does not work credentials

[Tjamat]

Prerequisites

• Write a descriptive title.
• Make sure you are able to repro it on the latest released version
• Search the existing issues.
• Refer to the FAQ.
• Refer to Differences between Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell.

Steps to reproduce

Set up a list of computers
Pipe it to a foreach-object -Parallel with an Invoke-Command, specifying credentials, already stored in a variable $cred.
Example:
$computerList | % -Parallel {Invoke-Command -ComputerName $_ -Credential $cred -ScriptBlock {ipconfig} }

Expected behavior

Powershell should behave in the same way whether or not -Parallel is specified.
Without -Parallel, Powershell processes every line sequentially successfully, with the payload written in the scriptblock parameter.

Actual behavior

Powershell gives out an error for each computer specified :

> Invoke-Command: Cannot process argument transformation on parameter 'Credential'. A command that prompts the user failed because the host program or the command type does not support user interaction. The host was attempting to request confirmation with the following message: Enter your credentials.

Error details

Exception             :
    Type              : System.Management.Automation.ParameterBindingArgumentTransformationException
    Message           : Cannot process argument transformation on parameter 'Credential'. A command that prompts the
user failed because the host program or the command type does not support user interaction. The host was attempting to
request confirmation with the following message: Enter your credentials.
    ParameterName     : Credential
    ParameterType     : pscredential
    ErrorId           : ParameterArgumentTransformationError
    Line              : 1
    Offset            : 50
    CommandInvocation :
        MyCommand        : Invoke-Command
        BoundParameters  :
            Comparer : System.OrdinalIgnoreCaseComparer
            Count    : 1
            Keys     :
                Length : 12
            Values   :
                Length      : 1
                LongLength  : 1
                Rank        : 1
                SyncRoot    :
                    Length : 9
                IsFixedSize : True
                Count       : 1
            SyncRoot :
                Comparer : System.OrdinalIgnoreCaseComparer
                Count    : 1
                Keys     :
                    Length : 12
                Values   :
                    Length      : 1
                    LongLength  : 1
                    Rank        : 1
                    SyncRoot    :
                        Length : 9
                    IsFixedSize : True
                    Count       : 1
                SyncRoot :
                    Comparer : System.OrdinalIgnoreCaseComparer
                    Count    : 1
                    Keys     :
                        Length : 12
                    Values   :
                        Length      : 1
                        LongLength  : 1
                        Rank        : 1
                        SyncRoot    :
                            Length : 9
                        IsFixedSize : True
                        Count       : 1
                    SyncRoot :
                        Comparer : System.OrdinalIgnoreCaseComparer
                        Count    : 1
                        Keys     :
                            Length : 12
                        Values   :
                            Length      : 1
                            LongLength  : 1
                            Rank        : 1
                            SyncRoot    :
                                Length : 9
                            IsFixedSize : True
                            Count       : 1
                        SyncRoot :
                            Comparer : System.OrdinalIgnoreCaseComparer
                            Count    : 1
                            Keys     :
                                Length : 12
                            Values   :
                                Length      : 1
                                LongLength  : 1
                                Rank        : 1
                                SyncRoot    :
                                    Length : 9
                                IsFixedSize : True
                                Count       : 1
                            SyncRoot :
                                Comparer : System.OrdinalIgnoreCaseComparer
                                Count    : 1
                                Keys     :
                                    Length : 12
                                Values   :
                                    Length      : 1
                                    LongLength  : 1
                                    Rank        : 1
                                    SyncRoot    : …
                                    IsFixedSize : True
                                    Count       : 1
                                SyncRoot :
                                    Comparer : System.OrdinalIgnoreCaseComparer
                                    Count    : 1
                                    Keys     : …
                                    Values   : …
                                    SyncRoot : …
        ScriptLineNumber : 1
        OffsetInLine     : 1
        HistoryId        : 1
        Line             : Invoke-Command -ComputerName $_ -Credential $cred -ScriptBlock {ipconfig}
        PositionMessage  : At line:1 char:1
                           + Invoke-Command -ComputerName $_ -Credential $cred -ScriptBlock { …
                           + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
        InvocationName   : Invoke-Command
        PipelineLength   : 1
        PipelinePosition : 1
    ErrorRecord       :
        Exception             :
            Type    : System.Management.Automation.ParentContainsErrorRecordException
            Message : Cannot process argument transformation on parameter 'Credential'. A command that prompts the
user failed because the host program or the command type does not support user interaction. The host was attempting to
request confirmation with the following message: Enter your credentials.
            HResult : -2146233087
        CategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (:) [Invoke-Command], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
        FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentTransformationError,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.InvokeCommandCommand
        InvocationInfo        :
            MyCommand        : Invoke-Command
            ScriptLineNumber : 1
            OffsetInLine     : 50
            HistoryId        : 1
            Line             : Invoke-Command -ComputerName $_ -Credential $cred -ScriptBlock {ipconfig}
            PositionMessage  : At line:1 char:50
                               + Invoke-Command -ComputerName $_ -Credential $cred -ScriptBlock { …
                               +                                             ~~~~~
            CommandOrigin    : Internal
        ScriptStackTrace      : at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 1
    TargetSite        :
        Name          : BindParameter
        DeclaringType : System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderBase, System.Management.Automation,
Version=7.1.5.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35
        MemberType    : Method
        Module        : System.Management.Automation.dll
    StackTrace        :
   at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderBase.BindParameter(CommandParameterInternal parameter,
CompiledCommandParameter parameterMetadata, ParameterBindingFlags flags)
   at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindParameter(CommandParameterInternal argument,
MergedCompiledCommandParameter parameter, ParameterBindingFlags flags)
   at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindParameter(UInt32 parameterSets,
CommandParameterInternal argument, MergedCompiledCommandParameter parameter, ParameterBindingFlags flags)
   at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindNamedParameter(UInt32 parameterSets,
CommandParameterInternal argument, MergedCompiledCommandParameter parameter)
   at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderController.BindNamedParameters(UInt32 parameterSets, Collection`1
arguments)
   at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindCommandLineParametersNoValidation(Collection`1
arguments)
   at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindCommandLineParameters(Collection`1 arguments)
   at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.BindCommandLineParameters()
   at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.Prepare(IDictionary psDefaultParameterValues)
   at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoPrepare(IDictionary psDefaultParameterValues)
   at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.Start(Boolean incomingStream)
   at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input)
--- End of stack trace from previous location ---
   at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input)
   at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.InvokePipeline(Object input, Boolean ignoreInput,
CommandParameterInternal[][] pipeElements, CommandBaseAst[] pipeElementAsts, CommandRedirection[][]
commandRedirections, FunctionContext funcContext)
   at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`6.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
   at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
    Data              : System.Collections.ListDictionaryInternal
    InnerException    :
        Type        : System.Management.Automation.Host.HostException
        ErrorRecord :
            Exception             :
                Type    : System.Management.Automation.ParentContainsErrorRecordException
                Message : A command that prompts the user failed because the host program or the command type does not
support user interaction. The host was attempting to request confirmation with the following message: Enter your
credentials.
                HResult : -2146233087
            CategoryInfo          : NotImplemented: (:) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
            FullyQualifiedErrorId : HostFunctionNotImplemented
        TargetSite  :
            Name          : ThrowPromptNotInteractive
            DeclaringType : System.Management.Automation.Internal.Host.InternalHostUserInterface,
System.Management.Automation, Version=7.1.5.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35
            MemberType    : Method
            Module        : System.Management.Automation.dll
        StackTrace  :
   at System.Management.Automation.Internal.Host.InternalHostUserInterface.ThrowPromptNotInteractive(String
promptMessage)
   at System.Management.Automation.Internal.Host.InternalHostUserInterface.PromptForCredential(String caption, String
message, String userName, String targetName, PSCredentialTypes allowedCredentialTypes, PSCredentialUIOptions options)
   at System.Management.Automation.Internal.Host.InternalHostUserInterface.PromptForCredential(String caption, String
message, String userName, String targetName)
   at System.Management.Automation.CredentialAttribute.Transform(EngineIntrinsics engineIntrinsics, Object inputData)
   at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderBase.BindParameter(CommandParameterInternal parameter,
CompiledCommandParameter parameterMetadata, ParameterBindingFlags flags)
        Message     : A command that prompts the user failed because the host program or the command type does not
support user interaction. The host was attempting to request confirmation with the following message: Enter your
credentials.
        Source      : System.Management.Automation
        HResult     : -2146233087
    Source            : System.Management.Automation
    HResult           : -2146233087
CategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (:) [Invoke-Command], ParameterBindingArgumentTransformationException
FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentTransformationError,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.InvokeCommandCommand
InvocationInfo        :
    MyCommand        : Invoke-Command
    ScriptLineNumber : 1
    OffsetInLine     : 50
    HistoryId        : 1
    Line             : Invoke-Command -ComputerName $_ -Credential $cred -ScriptBlock {ipconfig}
    PositionMessage  : At line:1 char:50
                       + Invoke-Command -ComputerName $_ -Credential $cred -ScriptBlock { …
                       +                                             ~~~~~
    CommandOrigin    : Internal
ScriptStackTrace      : at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 1

Environment data

Name                           Value
----                           -----
PSVersion                      7.1.5
PSEdition                      Core
GitCommitId                    7.1.5
OS                             Microsoft Windows 10.0.18363
Platform                       Win32NT
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion              3.0

Visuals

No response

[PaulHigin]

Powershell should behave in the same way whether or not -Parallel is specified.

This is an incorrect expectation. Running script in parallel sessions is different than running sequentially in a single session, and is documented as such.

You need to use the $using keyword to pass in variables. The variables must be thread safe if mutable, but in this case the $creds variable is always read and should be safe for use.

$cred = Get-Credential
$computerList | % -Parallel {Invoke-Command -ComputerName $_ -Credential $using:cred -ScriptBlock {ipconfig} }

https://devblogs.microsoft.com/powershell/powershell-foreach-object-parallel-feature/

PowerShell Team

PowerShell ForEach-Object Parallel Feature

PowerShell ForEach-Object Parallel Feature PowerShell 7.0 Preview 3 is now available with a new ForEach-Object Parallel Experimental feature. This feature is a great new tool for parallelizing work, but like any tool, it has its uses and drawbacks. This article describes this new feature,

[Tjamat]

Hi @PaulHigin, thanks for your answer. I read the documentation but I thought the $using keyword was necessary only for the scriptblock part. Sorry for that misinterpretation. Regards

[djgus]

@PaulHigin you saved me, I struggled with this the entire day. Thanks.