chef_client_updater 3.12.3 is unable to preemptively shutdown services attached to the eventlog system on windows, as that part of the upgrade script: https://github.com/chef-cookbooks/chef_client_updater/blob/main/providers/default.rb#L499 fails to complete on some systems when the piped-for construction is used in the generated powershell script

A portion of the Eventlog restart function fails while iterating through services attached to the Eventlog service.

[execute] C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Temp\2\chef-script20221108-5540-8gml25.ps1 : Collection was modified; enumeration operation may not execute.

So, this seems to mean that while the script was reading items in a loop, the list of items changed and caused a failure. See the complete Error Message in the Clarifying Information below.

The prevents the chef-client upgrade on these Windows systems completing.

Complete error message while running chef_client_updater 3.12.3

    [execute] C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Temp\2\chef-script20221108-5540-8gml25.ps1 : Collection was modified; enumeration operation may not execute.

                    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Write-Error], WriteErrorException

                    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.WriteErrorException,chef-script20221108-5540-8gml25.ps1

                 

[2022-11-08T16:32:16+00:00] TRACE: Token Elevation Type: TokenElevationTypeDefault
[2022-11-08T16:32:16+00:00] TRACE: Token Elevation Type: TokenElevationTypeDefault
      
      ================================================================================
      [31mError executing action `run` on resource 'powershell_script[EventLog Restart]'[0m
      ================================================================================
      
      Mixlib::ShellOut::ShellCommandFailed
      ------------------------------------
      Expected process to exit with [0], but received '1'
      ---- Begin output of "C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe" -NoLogo -NonInteractive -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -InputFormat None  -File "C:/Users/ADMINI~1/AppData/Local/Temp/2/chef-script20221108-5540-8gml25.ps1" ----
      STDOUT: 
      STDERR: C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Temp\2\chef-script20221108-5540-8gml25.ps1 : Collection was modified; enumeration operation may not execute.

          + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Write-Error], WriteErrorException

          + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.WriteErrorException,chef-script20221108-5540-8gml25.ps1
      ---- End output of "C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe" -NoLogo -NonInteractive -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -InputFormat None  -File "C:/Users/ADMINI~1/AppData/Local/Temp/2/chef-script20221108-5540-8gml25.ps1" ----
      Ran "C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe" -NoLogo -NonInteractive -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -InputFormat None  -File "C:/Users/ADMINI~1/AppData/Local/Temp/2/chef-script20221108-5540-8gml25.ps1" returned 1
      
      Resource Declaration:
      ---------------------
      # In C:/chef/cache/cookbooks/chef_client_updater/providers/default.rb
      
      500:   powershell_script 'EventLog Restart' do
      501:     code <<-EOH
      502:     $windows_kernel_version = (Get-CimInstance -class Win32_OperatingSystem).Version
      503:     if (-Not ($windows_kernel_version.Contains('6.0') -or $windows_kernel_version.Contains('6.1'))) {
      504:       # Get Dependent Services for Eventlog that are running
      505:       $depsvcsrunning = Get-Service -Name 'EventLog' | Select-Object -ExpandProperty DependentServices |
      506:                         Where-Object Status -eq 'Running' | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Name
      507:       # Attempt to preemptively stop Dependent Services
      508:       $depsvcsrunning | ForEach-Object {
      509:         Stop-Service -Name "$_" -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
      510:       }
      511:       # Stop EventLog Service - First Politely, then Forcibly
      512:       try {
      513:         Stop-Service -Name 'EventLog' -Force -ErrorAction Stop
      514:       } catch {
      515:         $process='svchost.exe'
      516:         $data = Get-CimInstance Win32_Process -Filter "name = '$process'" | Select-Object ProcessId, CommandLine | Where-Object {$_.CommandLine -Match "LocalServiceNetworkRestricted"}
      517:         $data = $data.ProcessId
      518:         Stop-Process -Id $data -Force
      519:         Start-Sleep -Seconds 10
      520:       }
      521:       # Restart EventLog Service, if Not AutoStarted
      522:       $evtlogstate = Get-Service -Name 'EventLog'
      523:       if ($evtlogstate.Status -eq 'Stopped') {
      524:         Start-Service -Name 'EventLog'
      525:       }
      526:       # Restart Dependent Services - if Stopped
      527:       $depsvcsrunning | ForEach-Object {
      528:         $svcstate = Get-Service -Name "$_"
      529:         if ($svcstate.Status -eq 'Stopped') {
      530:           Start-Service -Name "$_" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
      531:         }
      532:       }
      533:     }
      534:     EOH
      535:   end
      536: end

chef_client_updater at 3.12.3 provider/default.rb unable to handle all possible objects when using the piped for-each construction like this https://github.com/chef-cookbooks/chef_client_updater/blob/main/providers/default.rb#L508-L510

As of 11-09-2022, awaiting release with this change incorporated from https://github.com/chef-cookbooks/chef_client_updater

 

Instead produce another version locally, like this

1. Replace the code on lines 508 and 509 of chef_client_updater/providers/default.rb with the provided code.

Original Loop

508 $depsvcsrunning | ForEach-Object {
509 Stop-Service -Name "$_" -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Updated complete loop 

# Get Dependent Services for Eventlog that are running
$depsvcsrunning = Get-Service -Name 'EventLog' | Select-Object -ExpandProperty DependentServices | Where-Object Status -eq 'Running' | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Name

# Attempt to preemptively stop Dependent Services 
$depsvcsrunning | ForEach-Object { $depsvc = $_ try { Stop-Service -Name "$($depsvc)" -Force -ErrorAction Stop } catch { $process='svchost.exe' $data = Get-CimInstance Win32_Process -Filter "name = '$process'" | Select-Object ProcessId, CommandLine | Where-Object {$_.CommandLine -Match "$($depsvc)"} $data = $data.ProcessId Stop-Process -Id $data -Force Start-Sleep -Seconds 3 } }

 

2. Save that under a new version, say 3.12.4

3: Use the updated chef_client_updater cookbook as just another cookbook. You can use it in Policyfiles or in a run-list by uploading cookbook to your Chef Infra server.