WMI script in commandlines.txt

[thammerling]

does anyone know if WMI is up and running during the gui portion of an xp install? I have a script that will check the model of a machine and then install certain drivers (which are being troublesome and won't install properly without the setup file being run) based on that machines model. it works fine in a full blown already installed windows xp box, but it doesnt run properly when put into the commandlines.txt. it starts to run but fails. I am thinking this is because WMI isn't up and running yet there... any thoughts?

[RogueSpear]

It's not available yet. This is a well documented issue.

[cluberti]

You'll need to consider WinPE to deploy your images then, as WinPE 2005 includes WMI support. You can also use BartPE, as I believe there's a hack to get most WMI working there as well.

[thammerling]

*mgrin* yeaaaah... my boss thinks i "overcomplicate" things, so i think introducing either bartpe or winpe isn't an option. They are just going to have to understand that not everything can be done exactly like they want

[cluberti]

Well, you need to explain it to him in terms "management" can understand, live with it, or find a new boss . Any boss that actively hindered me from doing my job in the past was no longer my boss.

[thammerling]

i'm going with the "live with it" portion i'm really new here, and still feeling out the way things work.

[cluberti]

- just keep nodding...

[sgraves66]

I've had to do the following to get WMI working. Follow these steps exactly:

1> Set the following registry key:

Key: 'HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup'

Value: 'SystemSetupInProgress'

Type: DWORD

Data: '0'

2> net stop winmgmt /y

3> net start winmgmt

4> <Execute your WMI script(s) now>

5> Reset 'SystemSetupInProgress' to '1'

6> net stop winmgmt /y

7> net start winmgmt

NOTE: I've only queried 'Win32_ComputerSystem' for 'model'. Not sure if all functionality is available.

Edited August 2, 2006 by sgraves66

[RogueSpear]

That's similar to process required for installing .NET 2.0 from svcpack.inf. I would use it sparingly. I've seen some spectacular failures when something goes wrong with that little reg hack.