Applies To
Express Software Manager version 6.0 and higher

Summary
Express Metrix has created a WMI Viewer that allows you to browse WMI classes on a local machine. This technical note describes how to use the utility to determine what classes and properties you want to collect using the Express WMI client.

Gathering WMI Information with the Express WMI Client.
Beginning with Express Software Manager 6.1, WMI information is collected automatically by the Express WMI client (Exwmi.exe). Both Express 6.1 and Express 6.2 collect WMI information, but the process differs slightly between versions.

Express Software Manager 6.2
With Express Software Manager 6.2, the Express WMI client runs every time the Express Inventory client runs. The WMI client gathers a number of hard-coded (or “fixed”) WMI attributes, as well as any attributes specified in theExuser.ini file.

Note: For a list of the fixed WMI attributes collected by the 6.2 WMI client, see the online help.

Express Software Manager 6.1
With Express Software Manager 6.1, the Express WMI client runs when the Express client is installed. The WMI client gathers WMI attributes based on entries in the Exuser.ini file (unlike with the 6.2 WMI client, the 6.1 WMI client gathers no fixed attributes.

The Exuser.ini File
The default WMI properties specified in the Exuser.ini file are a “best guess” attempt to collect the properties most likely to be desired by customers. However, there are a large number of WMI properties and classes, and in some cases the default properties will not be those that a customer wants.

In order to make changes to the Exuser.ini file, you need to know what WMI class and property you want to collect. The Express WMI Viewer is a utility designed to help you identify specific WMI classes and properties on your local workstation. Using this information you can update the Exuser.ini file to collect those classes and properties on client workstations throughout your company.

Using the Express WMI Viewer
Step 1: Installing the WMI Viewer

1. Download the WMI Viewer (Wmiview.zip) from Express Metrix:

http://www.expressmetrix.com/support/support_downloads.asp

Note: If you have not already logged into the Support Site, you will be redirected to a login page.

Wmiview.zip includes four viewer files (WMIViewer.css, WMIViewer.html, WMIViewer.js, WMIViewerHelp.html).

2. To start the installation, unzip wmiview.zip after downloading it.

1. To run the Express WMI Viewer, double-click on WMIViewer.html.

Note: The WMI Viewer requires Internet Explorer 5.0 or above. In addition, you must configure IE to allow scripts and ActiveX controls.

The WMI Viewer page allows you to browse WMI classes on your machine. The WMI information is grouped into 3 main categories:

• Hardware—Information about the physical PC hardware.

• Operating System—Information about the operating system, file system, registry, drivers, etc.

• Installed Applications—Information about installed and running applications.

Class groups within these three categories are color-coded within the WMI Viewer to make it easy to identify which category the classes fall into.

2. Click on one of the groups of classes to display a list of the classes within the group. The listing appears beneath the list of categories.

3. Select one of the classes to display properties of that particular class on your local workstation.

Note: In some cases a class may not have any valid properties. In these cases the WMI Viewer will display a message indicating that no information was found.

http://www.microsoft.com

Related Technical Notes

9989	Express Software Manager 6.x Technical Notes