Wait-Process

Wait-Process fails if a process name is not found

When Wait-Process is used with a process name (not a process ID or instance) then it is supposed to wait for all processes with the specified name. Thus, it is used in order to ensure that none is running. But when this is already the case, none is running, Wait-Process fails with an error:

Wait-Process : Cannot find a process with the name "X". Verify the process name and call the cmdlet again.

Workarounds

The straightforward workaround is to specify ErrorAction as Ignore (v3+) or SilentlyContinue:

    Wait-Process Notepad -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Yet another workaround which avoids errors is the fake wildcard trick:

    Wait-Process [N]otepad

The wildcard [N]otepad means exactly Notepad and yet Wait-Process works because unlike with literal names it is not designed to fail with wildcards even if processes are not found.

Scripts

• Test-1-fails.ps1 shows that Wait-Process fails with NotRunningProcess.
• Test-2-works.ps1 shows the fake wildcard workaround.

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• Microsoft Connect 449181