Run Windows PowerShell scripts first at computer startup, shutdown
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Scripts Description
This policy setting determines whether Windows PowerShell scripts are run before non-Windows PowerShell scripts during computer startup and shutdown. By default, Windows PowerShell scripts run after non-Windows PowerShell scripts. If you enable this policy setting, within each applicable Group Policy Object (GPO), Windows PowerShell scripts are run before non-Windows PowerShell scripts during computer startup and shutdown. For example, assume the following scenario: There are three GPOs (GPO A, GPO B, and GPO C). This policy setting is enabled in GPO A. GPO B and GPO C include the following computer startup scripts: GPO B: B.cmd, B.ps1 GPO C: C.cmd, C.ps1 Assume also that there are two computers, DesktopIT and DesktopSales. For DesktopIT, GPOs A, B, and C are applied. Therefore, the scripts for GPOs B and C run in the following order for DesktopIT: Within GPO B: B.ps1, B.cmd Within GPO C: C.ps1, C.cmd For DesktopSales, GPOs B and C are applied, but not GPO A. Therefore, the scripts for GPOs B and C run in the following order for DesktopSales: Within GPO B: B.cmd, B.ps1 Within GPO C: C.cmd, C.ps1 Note: This policy setting determines the order in which computer startup and shutdown scripts are run within all applicable GPOs. You can override this policy setting for specific script types within a specific GPO by configuring the following policy settings for the GPO: Computer Configuration\Policies\Windows Settings\Scripts (Startup/Shutdown)\Startup Computer Configuration\Policies\Windows Settings\Scripts (Startup/Shutdown)\Shutdown
Registry
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System Value name: RunComputerPSScriptsFirst
Enabled: RunComputerPSScriptsFirst = 1
Disabled: RunComputerPSScriptsFirst = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_Scripts/Run_Computer_PS_Scripts_First Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Run Windows PowerShell scripts first at computer startup, shutdown
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"RunComputerPSScriptsFirst"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Run Windows PowerShell scripts first at computer startup, shutdown
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'RunComputerPSScriptsFirst' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_Scripts/Run_Computer_PS_Scripts_First
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Run Windows PowerShell scripts first at computer startup, shutdown
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' -Name 'RunComputerPSScriptsFirst' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Run Windows PowerShell scripts first at computer startup, shutdown
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'RunComputerPSScriptsFirst' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Run Windows PowerShell scripts first at computer startup, shutdown
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Run Windows PowerShell scripts first at computer startup, shutdown
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' -Name 'RunComputerPSScriptsFirst' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Run Windows PowerShell scripts first at computer startup, shutdown
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'RunComputerPSScriptsFirst' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.