powershell-mcp

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control_service

Start, stop, restart, or check the status of Windows services by exact service name, enabling AI agents to manage service state during PowerShell automation.

Instructions

Start, stop, or restart a Windows service (requires the MCP host process to have sufficient privileges).

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`name`	Yes	Exact service name.
`action`	Yes	Action to perform.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`log`	No
`detail`	Yes
`stderr`	Yes
`stdout`	Yes
`target`	Yes
`exitCode`	Yes
`timedOut`	Yes
`transport`	Yes
`durationMs`	Yes
`truncation`	Yes
`executionId`	Yes
`errorRecords`	No
`schemaVersion`	Yes
`terminationStatus`	Yes
`terminationCertainty`	Yes
`errorRecordsTruncated`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedv0.7.0Oct 24, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "properties": {
+    "detail": {
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "properties": {
+        "bytes": {
+          "type": "number"
+        },
+        "cleanup": {
+          "enum": [
+            "not_needed",
+            "removed",
+            "failed",
+            "unknown"
+          ],
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "direction": {
+          "enum": [
+            "upload",
+            "download"
+          ],
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "error": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "finalized": {
+          "type": "boolean"
+        },
+        "localExitCode": {
+          "type": [
+            "number",
+            "null"
+          ]
+        },
+        "sha256": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "shell": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "signal": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "verification": {
+          "enum": [
+            "not_started",
+            "sha256_matched",
+            "failed"
+          ],
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "version": {
+          "type": "string"
+        }
+      },
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "durationMs": {
+      "minimum": 0,
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "errorRecords": {
+      "items": {
+        "additionalProperties": false,
+        "properties": {
+          "category": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "exceptionType": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "fullyQualifiedErrorId": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "message": {
+            "type": "string"
+          }
+        },
+        "required": [
+          "category",
+          "fullyQualifiedErrorId",
+          "exceptionType",
+          "message"
+        ],
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "errorRecordsTruncated": {
+      "type": "boolean"
+    },
+    "executionId": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "exitCode": {
+      "anyOf": [
+        {
+          "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+          "minimum": -9007199254740991,
+          "type": "integer"
+        },
+        {
+          "type": "null"
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    "log": {
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "properties": {
+        "complete": {
+          "type": "boolean"
+        },
+        "expiresAt": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "handle": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "stderrBytes": {
+          "type": "number"
+        },
+        "stdoutBytes": {
+          "type": "number"
+        }
+      },
+      "required": [
+        "handle",
+        "complete",
+        "stdoutBytes",
+        "stderrBytes",
+        "expiresAt"
+      ],
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "schemaVersion": {
+      "const": 1,
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "stderr": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "stdout": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "target": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "terminationCertainty": {
+      "enum": [
+        "unknown",
+        "root_exited"
+      ],
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "terminationStatus": {
+      "enum": [
+        "completed",
+        "nonzero_exit",
+        "script_error",
+        "remote_error",
+        "timeout",
+        "cancelled",
+        "transport_error",
+        "unknown"
+      ],
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "timedOut": {
+      "type": "boolean"
+    },
+    "transport": {
+      "enum": [
+        "powershell",
+        "program",
+        "winrm",
+        "ssh",
+        "sftp"
+      ],
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "truncation": {
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "properties": {
+        "limitBytesPerStream": {
+          "type": [
+            "number",
+            "null"
+          ]
+        },
+        "stderr": {
+          "additionalProperties": false,
+          "properties": {
+            "capturedBytes": {
+              "minimum": 0,
+              "type": "number"
+            },
+            "observedBytes": {
+              "minimum": 0,
+              "type": "number"
+            },
+            "omittedBytes": {
+              "minimum": 0,
+              "type": "number"
+            },
+            "truncated": {
+              "type": "boolean"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "observedBytes",
+            "capturedBytes",
+            "omittedBytes",
+            "truncated"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "stdout": {
+          "additionalProperties": false,
+          "properties": {
+            "capturedBytes": {
+              "minimum": 0,
+              "type": "number"
+            },
+            "observedBytes": {
+              "minimum": 0,
+              "type": "number"
+            },
+            "omittedBytes": {
+              "minimum": 0,
+              "type": "number"
+            },
+            "truncated": {
+              "type": "boolean"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "observedBytes",
+            "capturedBytes",
+            "omittedBytes",
+            "truncated"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "truncated": {
+          "type": "boolean"
+        }
+      },
+      "required": [
+        "truncated",
+        "limitBytesPerStream"
+      ],
+      "type": "object"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "schemaVersion",
+    "executionId",
+    "transport",
+    "target",
+    "stdout",
+    "stderr",
+    "exitCode",
+    "durationMs",
+    "timedOut",
+    "truncation",
+    "terminationStatus",
+    "terminationCertainty",
+    "detail"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

First observedv0.5.0Aug 6, 2026

TDQS

B3.3/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations at all, the description carries the full burden, and it does add real value by disclosing the privilege requirement of the MCP host process. It says nothing about whether stop is graceful or forceful, what happens to dependent services or running processes, or failure modes — meaningful gaps for a state-mutating tool on critical OS infrastructure.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

A single sentence that leads with the action set and appends the prerequisite as a parenthetical. Nothing is redundant or padded.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

An output schema exists, so return values need no explanation, and the privilege caveat covers the main environmental prerequisite. But for an unannotated mutation tool it should also flag that the service state actually changes and that the tool supports a read-only "status" action the description never mentions.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100% and both parameters are documented in-schema, including an enum for action, so the description need not duplicate them. It adds only the implication that "name" refers to a Windows service name, which the schema description ("Exact service name") already covers.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Names a specific resource (Windows service) and three concrete verbs (start/stop/restart), which is enough to distinguish it from list_services and get_service. However, the description omits the fourth action the schema supports ("status"), so it does not fully match the tool's actual capability.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

There is no statement of when to choose this over run_powershell, get_service, or list_services, nor any exclusion guidance. The only usage context given is the privilege prerequisite, which is a precondition rather than routing guidance.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.