How to run a PowerShell script

If you are on PowerShell 2.0, use PowerShell.exe's -File parameter to invoke a script from another environment, like cmd.exe. For example:

Powershell.exe -File C:\my_path\yada_yada\run_import_script.ps1

Type:

powershell -executionpolicy bypass -File .\Test.ps1

NOTE: Here Test.ps1 is the PowerShell script.


If you want to run a script without modifying the default script execution policy, you can use the bypass switch when launching Windows PowerShell.

powershell [-noexit] -executionpolicy bypass -File <Filename>

Prerequisites:

  • You need to be able to run PowerShell as an administrator
  • You need to set your PowerShell execution policy to a permissive value or be able to bypass it

Steps:

  1. Launch Windows PowerShell as an Administrator, and wait for the PS> prompt to appear

  2. Navigate within PowerShell to the directory where the script lives:

    PS> cd C:\my_path\yada_yada\ (enter)
    
  3. Execute the script:

    PS> .\run_import_script.ps1 (enter)
    

Or: you can run the PowerShell script from the Command Prompt (cmd.exe) like this:

powershell -noexit "& ""C:\my_path\yada_yada\run_import_script.ps1""" (enter)

according to Invoking a PowerShell script from cmd.exe (or Start | Run) by Kirk Munro.

Or you could even run your PowerShell script asynchronously from your C# application.