Is DSC Debug mode on or off?

[Zuldan Participant Points: 0Rank: Member]

Hi all, I've come across something strange (well to me anyway). Is DSC debug on or off?

This event appears:

Microsoft-Windows-DSC/Operational
Source: Microsoft-Windows-DSC
Date: 20/01/2016 5:01:33 p.m.
Event ID: 4257
Task Category: None
Level: Information
Keywords:
User: SYSTEM
Computer: LABSERVER01.lab.local
Description:
Job {C2CAE6AC-BF27-11E5-80CA-005056B61AD8} :
Job runs under the following LCM setting.
ConfigurationMode: ApplyAndAutoCorrect
ConfigurationModeFrequencyMins: 30
RefreshMode: Pull
RefreshFrequencyMins: 60
RebootNodeIfNeeded: None
DebugMode: True

But DSC config managers debug mode is set to None.

PS C:\> Get-DscLocalConfigurationManager

ActionAfterReboot : ContinueConfiguration
AgentId : 9439A08F-B420-11E5-80C5-005056B61AD8
AllowModuleOverWrite : True
CertificateID : A53F41C9380B513E3EA5D472FCAF9998E75ED9BD
ConfigurationDownloadManagers : {[ConfigurationRepositoryWeb]DSCHTTP}
ConfigurationID : fb5b42e2-fb92-48ab-9eb0-d106495d293d
ConfigurationMode : ApplyAndAutoCorrect
ConfigurationModeFrequencyMins : 30
Credential :
DebugMode : {None}
DownloadManagerCustomData :
DownloadManagerName :
LCMCompatibleVersions : {1.0, 2.0}

PS C:\> $PSVersionTable

Name Value
—- —–
PSVersion 5.0.10586.51
PSCompatibleVersions {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0...}
BuildVersion 10.0.10586.51
CLRVersion 4.0.30319.34014
WSManStackVersion 3.0
PSRemotingProtocolVersion 2.3
SerializationVersion 1.1.0.1

[Don Jones Keymaster Points: 7Rank: Member]

Try explicitly setting the LCM to False. Does that change anything?

[Zuldan Participant Points: 0Rank: Member]

No luck Don.

PSDesiredStateConfiguration\Node : At least one of the values 'False' is not supported or valid for property 'DebugMode' on class 'Settings'. Please specify only supported values:
None, ForceModuleImport, All.

Every single production server showing as Debug is enabled in Event Logs. I wouldn't be surprised if other people have it too but just haven't noticed.
I wonder if this is some sort of RTM 5 bug?

[Don Jones Keymaster Points: 7Rank: Member]

"Bug" is a strong word. Worth filing on UserVoice, though.

[Zuldan Participant Points: 0Rank: Member]

Thanks Don. You're right, it may not be a bug. Could be something in my environment or something I'm doing wrong.

https://windowsserver.uservoice.com/forums/301869-powershell/suggestions/11564814–bug-ps5-rtm-debug-status

[Justin King Participant Points: 0Rank: Member]

I can confirm my WMF4 lab shows the same behavior. Nodes say debug is $true while the LCM query says none.

I initially thought it might be like a GPO where "none" meant undefined as opposed to true false but here, as well, it seems to be an explicit variable.

That said, I believe debug mode usually disables caching so you can easily tweak/test modules yet the behavior is clear (at least in my lab) that the modules are cached. I have a feeling it may be a simple reporting bug to the event log while the service behaves properly.

[Zuldan Participant Points: 0Rank: Member]

Justin thanks for your post. Interesting to see that this occurs in PS4 as well. If you can remember the steps to reproduce this please could you post them on http://windowsserver.uservoice.com/forums/301869-powershell/suggestions/11564814–bug-ps5-rtm-debug-status. Microsoft are asking for reproduction steps and I'll only have access to the lab environment in 2 weeks due to me being on leave.

[Justin King Participant Points: 0Rank: Member]

I posted my feedback on your report as well. From what I can ell it's one of two things:

1. A simple eventlog bug where the posted log isn't accurately reporting debug status. From what I can tell DSC is behaving properly when you toggle it.

2. We are misunderstanding of what's being reported. Possibly it's reporting if debug features are installed and ready vs what mode it is in (True/False are not even valid values in the list of none/forcemoduleimport/all)

[Zuldan Participant Points: 0Rank: Member]

Thanks for posting the feedback Justin. We'll have to wait and see what MS have to say about it.

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