Registry: Set "Absent" with ValueData fails if Key uses "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\..."

[dbaileyut]

Details of the scenario you tried and the problem that is occurring

Trying to remove a registry value. I had been successfully creating Registry resources specifying the Keys in the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\*" format. However, when I switched to Ensure = 'Absent', it failed.

Verbose logs showing the problem

PowerShell DSC resource MSFT_RegistryResource failed to execute Set-TargetResource functionality with error message: The running command stopped because the preference variable "ErrorActionPreference" or common parameter is set to Stop: Cannot find path 'C:\Windows\system32\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run' because it does not exist. + CategoryInfo : InvalidOperation: (:) [], CimException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ProviderOperationExecutionFailure + PSComputerName : localhost

Suggested solution to the issue

Account for specifying keys in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE format (which works for 'Present') in the code at:

PSDscResources/DscResources/MSFT_RegistryResource/MSFT_RegistryResource.psm1

Lines 309 to 313 in 7064eda

	if (-not [System.String]::IsNullOrEmpty($ValueName))
	{
	# If the user specified a registry key value with a name to remove, remove the registry key value with the specified name
	$null = Remove-ItemProperty -Path $Key -Name $ValueName -Force
	}

The DSC configuration that is used to reproduce the issue (as detailed as possible)

Registry RemoveTeamsMachineAutoStart
{
    Key = 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run'
    ValueName = 'Teams'
    ValueType = 'String'
    ValueData = '"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Teams\current\Teams.exe"'
    Ensure = 'Absent'
    Force =  $true
}

The operating system the target node is running

OsName : Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise for Virtual Desktops
OsOperatingSystemSKU : 175
OsArchitecture : 64-bit
WindowsVersion : 2009
WindowsBuildLabEx : 19041.1.amd64fre.vb_release.191206-1406
OsLanguage : en-US
OsMuiLanguages : {en-US}

Version and build of PowerShell the target node is running

Name Value

---

PSVersion 5.1.19041.1023
PSEdition Desktop
PSCompatibleVersions {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0...}
BuildVersion 10.0.19041.1023
CLRVersion 4.0.30319.42000
WSManStackVersion 3.0
PSRemotingProtocolVersion 2.3
SerializationVersion 1.1.0.1

Version of the DSC module that was used ('dev' if using current dev branch)

2.12.0.0

[heinejeppesen]

Just ran into this, because I inadvertently had imported PSDscResources.
Not importing PSDscResources makes it work, as it then falls back to PSDesiredStateConfiguration.

It also works just writing 'HKLM:\Software...' instead of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, so it utilizes the PSDrive for Cert:

Incase anyone else stumples upon this down the road.