Using a Variable to Copy Files From One Location to Multiple Using Powershell

Question

So i have a file that i want to transfer from one location to multiple computers on my network using powershell, this is what i have so far.

robocopy "\\PTFGW-061403573\c$\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" 
"\\$onlineComputers\c$\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" /mir /r:1 /o:0

when i run it it says the location is not found, and i can confirm that the variable holds all of the online computers within it. any ideas?

Answer 1

Zizzay,

Here's some code that should do what you want. It puts the copy-item command in a TRY/Catch construct to catch and report any errors in the copying process. I assumed that the last item on your source (Startup) is a folder, thus the need for the Recurse argument in the $CIArgs. If it is not a folder remove the Recurse line. I also broke up your paths to cut down on repetition and make things easier to change. Note: I tested this on a Peer-to-Peer LAN, should work on a Domain based LAN.

$onlineComputers = "Computer1","ComputerN"
$FSBase = "C$\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs"

$OnlineComputers  | 
   ForEach-Object {

 Try {
        $CIArgs = 
          @{Path        = "\\PTFGW-061403573\$FSBase"
            Destination = "\\$_.\$FSBase\Startup"
            Force       = $True
            Recurse     = $True
            ErrorAction = 'Stop'}
        Copy-Item @CIArgs
       }
       Catch {
             Write-Host @"
Could not write to: $_.
"@
       } #End Catch

} #End ForEach...

HTH