Azure Automation Account - Powershell runbook stuck in Starting (intermittently)

Question

Azure Automation Account - Powershell runbook stuck in Starting (intermittently)

Justin Coon 60

Azure Automation Account - We have a Powershell runbook stuck in Starting (intermittently). Sometimes it works, other times its just stuck in Starting phase and never moves. Can't stop or cancel it

Danial Phetteplace 0 Reputation points

2023-06-13T12:37:21.0233333+00:00

I have the same issue using managed identity for the runbook. Sometimes it works just fine and sometimes it gets stuck on starting. This doesn't seem to happen with the azurerunas connection.
Philip Haglund 1 Reputation point

2023-06-14T13:11:22.2533333+00:00

Same here. Using Managed Identity with PowerShell 7.2.
Using West Europe as location.
Ron Rohlfs 16 Reputation points

2023-06-14T19:32:22.6033333+00:00

Same here.

Using Managed Identity with PowerShell 7.2.

Location: West US 2
Cook, Rhonda K 0 Reputation points

2023-06-15T14:17:13.6966667+00:00

Same here, we are using a MI and Powershell 7.2 and experiencing the same issues, location is East US
AnuragSingh-MSFT 21,551 Reputation points Moderator

2023-06-20T09:02:38.0266667+00:00
@Justin Coon ,

Apologies for the delayed response. Can you please answer the queries below:

Is your runbook using ManagedIdentity for authentication as well, which gets stuck?

When is it stuck what happens next? Does it resume on its own?

Is it happening only with specific runbook (and other runbook jobs working fine)?

For the jobs which are stuck, please see if there are any exception logged under the "Exception" tab as shown below:

Are you passing specific parameters to your runbook - for example, array/string etc? A sample code snippet should help understand the runbook.

Please let us know the answer to the question above to help us better undestand the scenario.
Atond 0 Reputation points

2023-06-21T08:49:59.85+00:00
Hello,

I have the same problem with a script :

$groupe_ressource = Get-AutomationVariable -Name 'var_ressourcegroup' $hostpool = Get-AutomationVariable -Name 'var_hostpool' $groupe_ressource = $groupe_ressource.Replace("`"","") $hostpool = $hostpool.Replace("`"","") try { "Logging in to Azure..." Connect-AzAccount -Identity -AccountId "<<redacted>>" } catch { Write-Error -Message $_.Exception throw $_.Exception } Update-AzWvdHostPool -ResourceGroupName $groupe_ressource -Name $hostpool -LoadBalancerType 'BreadthFirst'

And in exception i have :

The job was stopped because it did not complete after three attempts. Please try re-submitting a new job.

Sometines, the script doesn't find automation variable :

Get-AutomationVariable: Line | 5 | $groupe_ressource = Get-AutomationVariable -Name 'var_ressourcegroup' | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | {"type":"https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7231#section-6.6.1","title":"An error occurred while processing your request.","status":500,"traceId":"00-60790e2695fbae5a4e013faf4e1b530b-0e0d351c106633c0-00"}
AnuragSingh-MSFT 21,551 Reputation points Moderator

2023-06-21T09:28:11.9866667+00:00

Atond, thank you for the comment and I regret the inconvenience. The error in this case is "Internal Server error 500" which is related to the host itself which is processing the resource. I would suggest opening a support case so that it can be investigated at host level for your specific Automation Account - https://azure.microsoft.com/en-in/support/create-ticket
Peter van Rossum 30 Reputation points

2023-06-26T13:10:18.8466667+00:00

Same problem here. Jobs are stuck in "Starting".
I'm also using PowerShell 7.2 and Managed Identity.
I tried to use Stop-AzAutomationJob from an other runbook to stop the job, however that throws an error:

"The requested update for the Job is not allowed. The job already has a pending action."

What is the correct way to stop a job that is stuck in "Starting"?
And what is the cause? Can we avoid it?
Harsh Damania 1 Reputation point

2024-01-09T11:22:27.4366667+00:00

having the same issue north europe all jobs are getting queued
Report PowerBI 10 Reputation points

2024-01-10T03:26:43.3233333+00:00

Having the same issue at Southeast Asia region. All scheduled jobs was failed yesterday with Powershell exception error. And queued for long time (hours) today.
AnuragSingh-MSFT 21,551 Reputation points Moderator

2024-01-10T05:46:26.6966667+00:00

Hi Everyone, Apologies for the inconvenience because of this issue. Based on the issue being reported, the Automation team is investigating this issue. Please follow the latest thread below on this thread which will have latest update -

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1485512/runbook-jobs-getting-queued-status

7 answers

Your answer

Danial Phetteplace 0 Reputation points

2023-06-13T12:37:21.0233333+00:00

I have the same issue using managed identity for the runbook. Sometimes it works just fine and sometimes it gets stuck on starting. This doesn't seem to happen with the azurerunas connection.
Philip Haglund 1 Reputation point

2023-06-14T13:11:22.2533333+00:00

Same here. Using Managed Identity with PowerShell 7.2.
Using West Europe as location.
Ron Rohlfs 16 Reputation points

2023-06-14T19:32:22.6033333+00:00

Same here.

Using Managed Identity with PowerShell 7.2.

Location: West US 2
Cook, Rhonda K 0 Reputation points

2023-06-15T14:17:13.6966667+00:00

Same here, we are using a MI and Powershell 7.2 and experiencing the same issues, location is East US
AnuragSingh-MSFT 21,551 Reputation points Moderator

2023-06-20T09:02:38.0266667+00:00

@Justin Coon ,

Apologies for the delayed response. Can you please answer the queries below:

Is your runbook using ManagedIdentity for authentication as well, which gets stuck?

When is it stuck what happens next? Does it resume on its own?

Is it happening only with specific runbook (and other runbook jobs working fine)?

For the jobs which are stuck, please see if there are any exception logged under the "Exception" tab as shown below:

Are you passing specific parameters to your runbook - for example, array/string etc? A sample code snippet should help understand the runbook.

Please let us know the answer to the question above to help us better undestand the scenario.
Atond 0 Reputation points

2023-06-21T08:49:59.85+00:00

Hello,

I have the same problem with a script :

$groupe_ressource = Get-AutomationVariable -Name 'var_ressourcegroup' $hostpool = Get-AutomationVariable -Name 'var_hostpool' $groupe_ressource = $groupe_ressource.Replace("`"","") $hostpool = $hostpool.Replace("`"","") try { "Logging in to Azure..." Connect-AzAccount -Identity -AccountId "<<redacted>>" } catch { Write-Error -Message $_.Exception throw $_.Exception } Update-AzWvdHostPool -ResourceGroupName $groupe_ressource -Name $hostpool -LoadBalancerType 'BreadthFirst'

And in exception i have :

The job was stopped because it did not complete after three attempts. Please try re-submitting a new job.

Sometines, the script doesn't find automation variable :

Get-AutomationVariable: Line | 5 | $groupe_ressource = Get-AutomationVariable -Name 'var_ressourcegroup' | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | {"type":"https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7231#section-6.6.1","title":"An error occurred while processing your request.","status":500,"traceId":"00-60790e2695fbae5a4e013faf4e1b530b-0e0d351c106633c0-00"}
AnuragSingh-MSFT 21,551 Reputation points Moderator

2023-06-21T09:28:11.9866667+00:00

Atond, thank you for the comment and I regret the inconvenience. The error in this case is "Internal Server error 500" which is related to the host itself which is processing the resource. I would suggest opening a support case so that it can be investigated at host level for your specific Automation Account - https://azure.microsoft.com/en-in/support/create-ticket
Peter van Rossum 30 Reputation points

2023-06-26T13:10:18.8466667+00:00

Same problem here. Jobs are stuck in "Starting".
I'm also using PowerShell 7.2 and Managed Identity.
I tried to use Stop-AzAutomationJob from an other runbook to stop the job, however that throws an error:

"The requested update for the Job is not allowed. The job already has a pending action."

What is the correct way to stop a job that is stuck in "Starting"?
And what is the cause? Can we avoid it?
Harsh Damania 1 Reputation point

2024-01-09T11:22:27.4366667+00:00

having the same issue north europe all jobs are getting queued
Report PowerBI 10 Reputation points

2024-01-10T03:26:43.3233333+00:00

Having the same issue at Southeast Asia region. All scheduled jobs was failed yesterday with Powershell exception error. And queued for long time (hours) today.
AnuragSingh-MSFT 21,551 Reputation points Moderator

2024-01-10T05:46:26.6966667+00:00

Hi Everyone, Apologies for the inconvenience because of this issue. Based on the issue being reported, the Automation team is investigating this issue. Please follow the latest thread below on this thread which will have latest update -

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1485512/runbook-jobs-getting-queued-status

Answer 1

Johnson Steve Digital Group Caxton House 5

I have seen the same today with a script I've migrated over to 7.2 with an MSI. Ran for a couple hours then was suspended with the following error:

Job was suspended due to an internal error.

Brian Nixon 0 Reputation points

2025-04-07T14:32:21.8366667+00:00

We have the same issue, which just occurred at 2025-04-07 09:01 UTC. It suspended itself after 10 minutes. No errors or warnings on the job, just an Exception:

Job was suspended due to an internal error. Please retry after sometime.

Did you ever find a solution, or is it still happening to you, @Johnson Steve Digital Group Caxton House ?

Thanks.

Answer 2

Pedro Silva 5

I have the same issue with multiple scripts.

All using PowerShell 7.2, location Germany West Central, using a Managed Identity.

Tried everything in terms of logs, cannot find a single clue. Verbose logging shows nothing strange.

It just stops doing whatever it was doing and stays suspended. I then have to stop the suspended jobs.

Answer 3

Same as the original poster, although we able to stop the job. The job immediately suspended after it ran.

Using Managed Identity with PowerShell 7.2.

Location: Southeast Asia

The issue only started this year (3 Jan 2024), there was no issue last year.

{
    "id": "/subscriptions/d23b25b0-1858-4c34-942a-7a734243fcfe/resourceGroups/xxxxxxx/providers/Microsoft.Automation/automationAccounts/configure-elasticpool-dtu/jobs/SCH_d23b25b0-1858-4c34-942a-7a734243fcfe-d23b25b0-1858-4c34-942a-7a734243fcfe",
    "name": "SCH_d23b25b0-1858-4c34-942a-7a734243fcfe_d23b25b0-1858-4c34-942a-7a734243fcfe",
    "type": "Microsoft.Automation/AutomationAccounts/Jobs",
    "properties": {
        "jobId": "d23b25b0-1858-4c34-942a-7a734243fcfe",
        "creationTime": "2024-01-06T16:00:02.5883836+00:00",
        "provisioningState": "Suspended",
        "status": "Suspended",
        "statusDetails": "None",
        "startedBy": "",
        "startTime": null,
        "endTime": null,
        "lastModifiedTime": "2024-01-06T16:00:53.7878749+00:00",
        "lastStatusModifiedTime": "2024-01-06T16:00:53.7878749+00:00",
        "exception": "Job was suspended due to an internal error. Please retry after sometime.",
        "parameters": {
            "xxx": "\"xxx\"",
            "Edition": "\"Standard\"",
            "ResourceGroupName": "xxx\"",
            "Dtu": "100",
            "PoolName": "\"xxx\"",
            "DtuMax": "100",
            "DtuMin": "0"
        },
        "runOn": "",
        "runbook": {
            "name": "scaleup2023"
        }
    }
}

Harsh Damania 1 Reputation point

2024-01-10T06:32:17.44+00:00

Are you still facing the issue?

Answer 4

Harsh Damania 0

same issue in north europe. all automation account runbook using powershell core 7.1 and 7.2 are queued..or suspended

Answer 5

Aleksandr Melnikov 0

Same here, azure automation account, python 3.10, East-US, it gets stuck in the 'starting' status every other time. This has been going on for several months now. It doesn't produce any logs because it can't even start. Even after an hour, it remains in the 'starting' status, and I have to stop it using the PowerShell CLI.
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Azure Automation Account - Powershell runbook stuck in Starting (intermittently)

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