PowerShell Start-Process

Introduction PowerShell Start-Process

Here are neat examples of how Start-Process can be used to launch executables and other files.

Topics for PowerShell Start-Process Cmdlet

• Example 1: Launch a Program Such as Notepad
• Example 2: Launch Internet Explorer
• Help with Start-Process
• Invoke-Item An Alternative to Start-Process
• Summary of PowerShell Get-Process

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Example 1: Launch a Program Such as Notepad

Let us begin by executing a built-in Windows program such as Notepad.  Start-Process requires V 2.0 or later, I used the PowerShell_ISE (GUI) in Windows 8, but the commands work just as well in plain PowerShell (command-line) in Windows 7.

Note 1: The program in this example is in the system’s path, namely
C:\WINDOWS\system32\notepad.exe

Example 2: Launch Internet Explorer

The problem in the second example is that the executable, iexplore, is not in the path.  Fortunately, the solution is straightforward, namely define the path to the program files.

Note 2: In 64-bit operating systems there are two versions of Internet Explorer.

Note 3: Check your path with this PowerShell variable
$env:Path

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Help with Start-Process

PowerShell’s own Get-Help command reveals interesting parameters that can refine the process, for example start Maximized.

Note 4: The parameter -WindowStyle allows you to maximize or minimize the application.  Whereas, -WorkingDirectory is an alternative to specifiying the full path.  I discovered that -FilePath is only useful for examples where you call for document type and need the underlying program.

Invoke-Item An Alternative to Start-Process

Both Invoke-Item and Start-Process emulate the ond trick of WinKey +r –> ‘name of executable’.

Note 5: Once again, I find that we need to specify the full path to the Internet Explorer.

Start-Process -ArgumentList
This is most useful for parameter for modifying the behavior of the underling program you wish to execute.

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List More Members of the Process Family

With a noun such as -Process you may suspect that there other members of this family such as Get-Process and Stop-Process, this is how you can find the full list:

Start-Process Aliases

I am not a great fan of PowerShell aliases, however it’s worth knowing that Start is an alias for Start-Process.  Incidentally, there is a lesser known alias SAPS.

Next – Stop-Process »

Summary of PowerShell’s Start-Process

Start-Process provides a sound way to launch executables from a script, or from the PowerShell interface.

See more PowerShell examples of process and service

• PowerShell Home   • Get-Process   • Stop-Process   • PowerShell Start-Process   • Set-Service

• Get-Service   • Start-Service   • Stop-Service   • Restart-Service   • Free WMI Monitor

• PowerShell Start-Sleep   • Get-WmiObject win32_service   • Windows PowerShell

Please email me if you have a better example script. Also please report any factual mistakes, grammatical errors or broken links, I will be happy to correct the fault.