Error Description

The Windows Remote Management (WinRM) error "The WinRS client cannot process the Receive request because the shell plugin returned an empty response to the request" occurs when a WinRS (Windows Remote Shell) session is abruptly terminated or failed to provide output. This typically happens because the remote process or shell crashed, reached a system resource limit, timed out, or had its execution policy blocked by security software.

Step-by-Step Fixes

Follow these steps in order to resolve the issue.

Step 1: Increase WinRM Memory Limits

The most common cause is the remote shell running out of allocated memory, causing the plugin to crash and return an empty response.

1. Open PowerShell as an Administrator on the remote target machine.
2. Check the current memory limit by running:

   Get-Item WSMan:\localhost\Shell\MaxMemoryPerShellMB

3. Increase the memory limit to 1024 MB (or higher if needed) by running:

   Set-Item WSMan:\localhost\Shell\MaxMemoryPerShellMB 1024

4. Restart the WinRM service to apply changes:

   Restart-Service WinRM

Step 2: Adjust Concurrent Users and Shell Limits

If multiple sessions are opening or a script spawns many processes, the system might block the plugin from responding.

1. Open PowerShell as an Administrator on the remote machine.
2. Increase the maximum number of concurrent shells allowed per user:

   Set-Item WSMan:\localhost\Shell\MaxShellsPerUser 30

3. Increase the maximum number of concurrent users:

   Set-Item WSMan:\localhost\Shell\MaxUsers 10

4. Restart the WinRM service:

   Restart-Service WinRM

Step 3: Check for Process Crashes via Event Viewer

If memory is not the issue, the application or script you are executing remotely might be crashing.

1. On the remote machine, press Win + R, type eventvwr.msc, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to Windows Logs > Application.
3. Look for Error level logs at the exact timestamp the WinRS error occurred.
4. If you see a crash related to powershell.exe, cmd.exe, or your specific application, fix the underlying code or application crash.

Step 4: Verify Group Policy Controls

Sometimes Group Policy Objects (GPO) restrict the execution time or resource allocation of remote shells.

1. On the remote machine, press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Remote Shell.
3. Check the status of Specify maximum amount of memory in MB per Shell. If enabled, ensure it matches the high value set in Step 1.
4. Check Allow Remote Shell Access and ensure it is set to Not Configured or Enabled.

Step 5: Check Antivirus and EDR Solutions

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools or Antivirus software often flag unexpected background shells as suspicious activity and silently terminate the process.

1. Temporarily disable your antivirus or EDR on the remote machine.
2. Run your WinRS command again.
3. If it succeeds, add an exclusion rule for winrshost.exe or the specific path of the script you are executing.