> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://devops-collective-inc.gitbook.io/the-big-book-of-powershell-gotchas/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://devops-collective-inc.gitbook.io/the-big-book-of-powershell-gotchas/commands-that-need-a-user-profile-may-fail-when-run-remotely.md). # Commands that Need a User Profile May Fail When Run Remotely Many commands act against the currently logged-on user’s profile. Those commands can sometimes fail when you run them over a Remoting connection, such as by using Invoke-Command or Enter-PSSession. For example, many installers default to creating per-user icons, and those can fail when run remotely – even when run in a “silent install” mode. The problem is that, when you connect to a remote computer, you aren’t spinning up a complete user environment. You’re technically not “logging on” to the machine in the usual sense. You’re authenticating, yes, but in much the same way that you’d authenticate to a shared folder. Your remote connection doesn’t have a complete user profile, and so anything that’s expecting one can get errors and fail (even if they don’t show those errors). There’s no easy fix for this, unfortunately. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://devops-collective-inc.gitbook.io/the-big-book-of-powershell-gotchas/commands-that-need-a-user-profile-may-fail-when-run-remotely.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.