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I am using Azure DevOps to deploy PowerShell modules to a server. This release task deploys the modules to the directory C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\. I am able to use the modules once they are deployed to this folder successfully.

If I modify one of the modules and re-release it the file in C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\ gets updated, however the old version of the module is still used when running from a batch file using pwsh.

I discovered that the module file also exists in the following paths:

  • C:\Program Files\PowerShell\Modules\
  • C:\Program Files\PowerShell\6\Modules\

When deploying the new version using Azure DevOps the old version in the above two directories are not updated. Manually updating the module in those locations fixes the problem.

Why is the module file being copied into those two additional paths? Should those copies be overwritten when a new version of the module is deployed? What is the correct way of deploying a module in this scenario?

Alex Wiese
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1 Answers1

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Powershell uses different paths to load modules. Use $env:PSModulePath -split ";" to know which are the paths being used. The difference between each path is user scope and usage scope (e.g. made for custom modules or windows official modules).

Now, by default, PS looks for the latest version of each module across all the paths. So maybe the old version is being run because at the time you re-deploy. You are not updating the module version in the Module Manifest, so if PS see they are the "same" version it gets the last one loaded on the PSModulePath.

Take a look at this awesome post for more details: Everything you wanted to know about PowerShell's Module Path

Now to your questions.

  • Why is the module file being copied into those two additional paths?

    This could be a server configuration or the script that you are using to deploy.

  • Should those copies be overwritten when a new version of the module is deployed?

    Not necessarily, if the versions are maintained correctly. On the post shared says how to check the versions of each module.

Erick Guillen
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