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TOPIC
	about_WMI_cmdlets

SHORT DESCRIPTION
	Provides background information about Windows Management Instrumentation
	(WMI) and Windows PowerShell.
		 
LONG DESCRIPTION
	This topic provides information about WMI technology, the WMI cmdlets for 
	Windows PowerShell, WMI-based remoting, WMI accelerators,
	and WMI troubleshooting. This topic also provides links to more information
	about WMI.

				 
  About WMI 

	Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) is the Microsoft implementation
	of Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM), which is an industry 
	initiative to develop a standard technology for accessing management 
	information in an enterprise environment. WMI uses the Common Information
	Model (CIM) industry standard to represent systems, applications, 
	networks, devices, and other managed components. CIM is developed and 
	maintained by the Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF). You can use
	WMI to manage both local and remote computers. For example, you can use
	WMI to do the following: 

		-- Start a process on a remote computer.

		-- Restart a computer remotely.

		-- Get a list of the applications that are installed on a local or 
			 remote computer.

		-- Query the Windows event logs on a local or remote computer.

 
  The WMI Cmdlets for Windows PowerShell

	Windows PowerShell implements WMI functionality through a set of cmdlets
	that are available in Windows PowerShell by default. You can use these 
	cmdlets to complete the end-to-end tasks necessary to manage local and 
	remote computers.
 
	The following WMI cmdlets are included.

	Cmdlet				 Description
	------------------	 ----------------------------------------------
	Get-WmiObject		Gets instances of WMI classes or information 
							 about the available classes.

	Invoke-WmiMethod	 Calls WMI methods.

	Register-WmiEvent	Subscribes to a WMI event.

	Remove-WmiObject	 Deletes WMI classes and instances.

	Set-WmiInstance		Creates or modifies instances of WMI classes.


  Sample Commands

	The following command displays the BIOS information for the local 
	computer.
		 
		C:\PS> get-wmiobject win32_bios | format-list *

	
	The following command  displays information about the WinRM service
	for three remote computers.
	
		C:\PS> get-wmiobject -query "select * from win32_service where name='WinRM'" -computername server01, server01, server03
				 

	The following more complex command exits all instances of a program.
		 
		C:\PS> notepad.exe
		C:\PS> $np = get-wmiobject -query "select * from win32_process where name='notepad.exe'" 
		C:\PS> $np | remove-wmiobject


  WMI-Based Remoting 

	While the ability to manage a local system through WMI is useful, it is
	the remoting capabilities that make WMI a powerful administrative tool. 
	WMI uses Microsoft's Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) to 
	connect to and manage systems. You might have to configure some systems
	to allow DCOM connections. Firewall settings and locked-down DCOM 
	permissions can block WMI's ability to remotely manage systems. 
   

  WMI Type Accelerators

	Windows PowerShell includes WMI type accelerators. These WMI type 
	accelerators (shortcuts) allow more direct access to a WMI objects
	than a non-type accelerator approach would allow. 

	The following type accelerators are supported with WMI:

		[WMISEARCHER] - A shortcut for searching for WMI objects.

		[WMICLASS] - A shortcut for accessing the static properties
					 and methods of a class.

		[WMI] - A shortcut for getting a single instance of a class.

	[WMISEARCHER] is a type accelerator for a ManagementObjectSearcher.
	It can take a string constructor to create a searcher that you can then
	do a GET() on.

	For example:

	PS> $s = [WmiSearcher]'Select * from Win32_Process where Handlecount > 1000'
	PS> $s.Get() |sort handlecount |ft handlecount,__path,name -auto

	handlecount  __PATH											name
	-----------  ------											----
	1105		 \\SERVER01\root\cimv2:Win32_Process.Handle="3724"   powershell...
	1132		 \\SERVER01\root\cimv2:Win32_Process.Handle="1388"   winlogon.exe
	1495		 \\SERVER01\root\cimv2:Win32_Process.Handle="2852"   iexplore.exe
	1699		 \\SERVER01\root\cimv2:Win32_Process.Handle="1204"   OUTLOOK.EXE
	1719		 \\SERVER01\root\cimv2:Win32_Process.Handle="1912"   iexplore.exe
	2579		 \\SERVER01\root\cimv2:Win32_Process.Handle="1768"   svchost.exe


	[WMICLASS] is a type accelerator for ManagementClass. This has a 
	string constructor that takes a local or absolute WMI path to a WMI 
	class and returns an object that is bound to that class. 

	For example:

	PS> $c = [WMICLASS]"root\cimv2:WIn32_Process"
	PS> $c |fl *
	Name			 : Win32_Process
	__GENUS		: 1
	__CLASS		: Win32_Process
	__SUPERCLASS	 : CIM_Process
	__DYNASTY		: CIM_ManagedSystemElement
	__RELPATH		: Win32_Process
	__PROPERTY_COUNT : 45
	__DERIVATION	 : {CIM_Process, CIM_LogicalElement, CIM_ManagedSystemElement}
	__SERVER		 : SERVER01
	__NAMESPACE	: ROOT\cimv2
	__PATH		 : \\SERVER01\ROOT\cimv2:Win32_Process

	[WMI] is a type accelerator for ManagementObject. This has a string 
	constructor that takes a local or absolute WMI path to a WMI instance
	and returns an object that is bound to that instance. 

	For example:

	PS> $p = [WMI]'\\SERVER01\root\cimv2:Win32_Process.Handle="1204"'
	PS> $p.Name
	OUTLOOK.EXE
 

  WMI Troubleshooting 

	The following problems are the most common problems that might occur 
	when you try to connect to a remote computer.

	Problem 1: The remote computer is not online. 

	If a computer is offline, you will not be able to connect to it by 
	using WMI. You may receive the following error message:

		"Remote server machine does not exist or is unavailable"


	If you receive this error message, verify that the computer is online.
	Try to ping the remote computer.
 
 
	Problem 2: You do not have local administrator rights on the remote 
			 computer.
 
	To use WMI remotely, you must have local administrator rights on the
	remote computer. If you do not, access to that computer will be denied.

	To verify namespace security:

		a. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Manage.

		b. In Computer Management, expand Services and Applications, 
			 right-click WMI Control, and then click Properties.

		c. In the WMI Control Properties dialog box, click  the Security tab.
	 
 
	Problem 3: A firewall is blocking access to the remote computer. 

	WMI uses the DCOM (Distributed COM) and RPC (Remote Procedure Call) 
	protocols to traverse the network. By default, many firewalls block
	DCOM and RPC traffic. If your firewall is blocking these protocols,
	your connection will fail. For example, Windows Firewall in Microsoft
	Windows XP Service Pack 2 is configured to automatically block all
	unsolicited network traffic, including DCOM and WMI. In its default 
	configuration, Windows Firewall rejects an incoming WMI request, and 
	you receive the following error message:

		"Remote server machine does not exist or is unavailable" 
	 

  More Information about WMI

	For more information about WMI, see the following topics in the MSDN
	(Microsoft Developer Network) library:

		"About WMI:
		http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=142212

		"WMI Troubleshooting"
		http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=142213


	And, see "Secrets of Windows Management Instrumentation - Troubleshooting
	and Tips" in the Microsoft TechNet Script Center:

		http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=142214
 

SEE ALSO
	Online version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=142219
	Get-WmiObject
	Invoke-WmiMethod
	Register-WmiEvent
	Remove-WmiObject
	Set-WmiInstance