Cannot start SQL Server PowerShell

Question

Have you guys had this problem where, when you start PowerShell from SQL Server, it throws an exception like the following?

Cannot resolve alias 'cd' because it refers to term 'Microsoft.PowerShell.Manag ement\Set-Location', which is not recognized as a cmdlet, function, operable pr ogram, or script file. Verify the term and try again. At line:1 char:140 + &{[System.Console]::Title = 'SQL Server Powershell';Convert-UrnToPath 'Server [@Name=''AIMLESS'']/Database[@Name=''AdventureWorks2008'']'|cd <<<< }

I cannot navigate around with some common aliases like pwd, cd, etc.. even though get-alias clears shows that cd is set-location and pwd is get-location.

[UPDATE] Alias cannot be set either

Answer 1

I'm pretty sure I ran across this several months ago, but can't find it anymore after a quick search. I believe the user's GAC some how got corrupted/mixed up.

Are you able to start a regular PowerShell session OK?

How you updated .NET versions?

Answer 2

Are you using PowerShell Community Extensions? Unfortunately they use the default profile.ps1 file instead of Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1. IF this is the case all you need to do is rename your Profile.ps1 to Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1. SQLPS will not load the Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1 profile only the host agnostic profile profile.ps1. There is work item for it here

http://www.codeplex.com/Pscx/WorkItem/View.aspx?WorkItemId=18417

Answer 3

It definitely sounds like a profile issue to me. I found an article(a) that talks about a similar problem caused by Powershell version 1 beta being installed at one time.

I would look through each of the files in the profile chain to see which one is remapping those aliases on you. You could then rename the profile file to test if it was the problem. I am not exactly sure how you are starting Powershell, but if SQL Server is starting Powershell, you will want to look at it's user account's profile.

This should do it...

notepad '$env:windir\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\profile.ps1' notepad '$env:windir\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1' notepad '$env:UserProfile\My Documents\WindowsPowerShell\profile.ps1' notepad '$env:UserProfile\My Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1' 

(a) Profile.msh possible errors:

If you load the profile.msh file, and you have previously installed an earlier version of Monad, then on startup you may see a series of errors like:

set-alias : The AllScope option cannot be removed from the alias 'cat'. At C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\msh\profile.msh:9 char:10 + set-alias <<<< cat get-content

To fix this, either delete the file named ("C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\msh\profile.msh" in this example), or remove all the "set-alias" lines from it. Aliases defined in profile.msh in earlier versions of Monad are now defined internally by Monad before the profile is run; therefore, the definitions in profile.msh will generate an error attempting to redefine the alias.

http://www.latenighthacking.com/archives/reference/PowerShellDocumentationPack_rc1/Windows%20PowerShell%20RC1%20release%20notes.htm