Permission denied [generic:13] when executing script via Sunshine Service (Windows 11)

[Sieboldianus]

Environment:

• Host OS: Windows 11
• Sunshine Version: 2026.131.140325
• ResolutionAutomation Version: 2.2.0
• Display Driver: IddSampleDriver (Virtual Display)
• Sunshine Mode: Running as Windows Service (Local System Account)

Description:
The script fails to execute when a Moonlight stream is initiated. Sunshine logs a "Permission denied" error (code 13) when attempting to run StreamMonitor.ps1.

Steps taken:

1. Installed via Install.bat with admin rights.
2. Verified folder permissions (Added "Everyone" with Read/Execute rights).
3. Set Default Terminal to "Windows Console Host" in Windows 11 settings.
4. Tested manual execution: Running the script via an elevated PowerShell session (RDP) works perfectly and changes the resolution of the virtual display as expected.

Issue:
When Sunshine (running as a Service) tries to trigger the script, it is blocked by the OS.

• Log error: Error: Couldn't run [...]: System: Permission denied
• Log error: Error: [...] wait failed with error code [generic:13]

Changing the Sunshine service logon to a user account or running as an application is not a viable option for this headless server setup.

Sunshine Logs:

[2026-03-22 06:47:45.567]: Info: NvEnc: created encoder HEVC P4 async yuv444 10-bit two-pass rfi
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.634]: Info: Creating encoder [av1_nvenc]
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.634]: Info: Color coding: SDR (Rec. 709)
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.634]: Info: Color depth: 10-bit
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.634]: Info: Color range: JPEG
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.743]: Error: NvEnc: gpu doesn't support YUV444 encode
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.743]: Error: NvEnc: NvEncUnregisterAsyncEvent() failed: NV_ENC_ERR_DEVICE_NOT_EXIST
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.782]: Info: Creating encoder [av1_nvenc]
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.782]: Info: Color coding: SDR (Rec. 709)
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.782]: Info: Color depth: 10-bit
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.782]: Info: Color range: JPEG
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.849]: Info: NvEnc: created encoder AV1 P4 async 10-bit two-pass rfi
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.920]: Info:
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.920]: Info: // Ignore any errors mentioned above, they are not relevant. //
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.920]: Info:
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.920]: Info: Found H.264 encoder: h264_nvenc [nvenc]
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.921]: Info: Found HEVC encoder: hevc_nvenc [nvenc]
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.921]: Info: Found AV1 encoder: av1_nvenc [nvenc]
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.921]: Info: Executing Do Cmd: [C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -executionpolicy bypass -file "C:\Tools\ResolutionAutomation\StreamMonitor.ps1" -n ResolutionMatcher]
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.922]: Error: Couldn't run [C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -executionpolicy bypass -file "C:\Tools\ResolutionAutomation\StreamMonitor.ps1" -n ResolutionMatcher]: System: Permission denied
[2026-03-22 06:47:45.923]: Error: [C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -executionpolicy bypass -file "C:\Tools\ResolutionAutomation\StreamMonitor.ps1" -

I tried different configuration options, including "Start Elevated" in Sunshine etc. Nothing worked. I tried to debug this now for 2 hours and giving up. Maybe someone has experienced the same issue and has a solution at hand.

[Sieboldianus]

Ok, this is now totally offtopic, but I found a workaround that works for me. Context:

• I have a Windows 11 Gaming VM
• I have 3 clients (notebook 1, notebook 2, tablet), all different solutions
• I have a son who owns tablet; I want him to set/fix the resolution himself when connecting via moonlight

I tried for weeks to make this happen, but I could not get it to work.

Now I set it up like this:

1. Install HASS.Agent on Windows VM
2. Connect HASS.Agent to your MQTT Broker/Server
3. Connect Home Assistant to MQTT Broker
4. Add C:\Tools\ChangeRes.ps1 with the following contents:

param([int]$width, [int]$height)

$code = @'
using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
public struct DEVMODE {
    [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst = 32)] public string dmDeviceName;
    public short dmSpecVersion; public short dmDriverVersion; public short dmSize; public short dmDriverExtra;
    public int dmFields; public int dmPositionX; public int dmPositionY; public int dmDisplayOrientation;
    public int dmDisplayFixedOutput; public short dmColor; public short dmDuplex; public short dmYResolution;
    public short dmTTOption; public short dmCollate;
    [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst = 32)] public string dmFormName;
    public short dmLogPixels; public int dmBitsPerPel; public int dmPelsWidth; public int dmPelsHeight;
    public int dmDisplayFlags; public int dmDisplayFrequency; public int dmICMMethod; public int dmICMIntent;
    public int dmMediaType; public int dmDitherType; public int dmReserved1; public int dmReserved2;
    public int dmPanningWidth; public int dmPanningHeight;
}
public class User32 {
    [DllImport("user32.dll")] public static extern int ChangeDisplaySettings(ref DEVMODE devMode, int flags);
}
'@

if (-not ([System.Management.Automation.PSTypeName]'User32').Type) {
    Add-Type -TypeDefinition $code
}

$d = New-Object DEVMODE
$d.dmSize = [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::SizeOf($d)
$d.dmPelsWidth = $width
$d.dmPelsHeight = $height
$d.dmDisplayFrequency = 60
$d.dmFields = 0x580000 # Width + Height + Frequency

$result = [User32]::ChangeDisplaySettings([ref]$d, 0)
Write-Host "Ergebnis: $result für $width x $height"

5. Add three commands in HASS.Agent

# tablet
powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\Tools\ChangeRes.ps1" -width 2048 -height 1536
# notebook 1
powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\Tools\ChangeRes.ps1" -width 1980 -height 1080
# notebook 2
powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\Tools\ChangeRes.ps1" -width 1680 -height 1050

6. Install Microsoft Autologon and login as your RDP/Lokal Administrator account by default
   https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autologon
7. Make HASS.Agent start automatically in your Windows 11 account
8. Add Buttons to your Home Assistant Dashboard

This works for me. My son can now go to the Home Assistant App, go to his (limited) dashboard and set/fix the resolution himself, without the need for him to navigate to the Display Settings Windows UI and finding the crrect resolution among 50 choices.

[Nonary]

I can't do anything to fix permission errors, this only happens from cold starts or extended periods of inactivity. This is a security restriction from Windows itself, sometimes it won't accept the resolution unless machine is unlocked. Setting up automatic logon is a workaround but not recommended.