first try (from powershell):

Am able to write these out to an .ispac files and rename to .zip

but the contents are garbage

2nd try (SSMS)

your OACREATE method works, creates the ispac/zip file fine

but if im hitting a remore server

the powershell calls TSQL on the remote server which calls OACreate (local to it) and saves it the file on the remote server's disk