Fixing WMI on XP SP1?

[Terry Pinnell]

I've been trying in vain to fix this for the last few days, and
getting increasingly frustrated! I had generous help from various
contributors, including MVPs, in
microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general and
microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain, but
no one mentioned this specialised WMI group! Just discovered it via
one of the web Forums.

I have downloaded many potentially relevant threads and have a lot of
reading to do. But meanwhile, cutting to the chase, maybe if I
summarise the problem someone may be able to point me to a likely fix
please.

WMI is implicated in several problems I have at present on this XP
Home PC. For example, when I to run SysInfo (msinfo32.exe) I get
"Can't Collect Information; Access denied to Windows Management
Instrumentation server on this computer. Have an administrator change
your access permissions."

I'm the only user (Terry, Computer administrator, Password protected).
But exactly how do I change my 'access permissions'? It's a black art
to me!

Apart from obvious steps (like ensuring Windows Management Interface
is started) I've tried the following in vain. (Maybe this will also be
useful to others who end up googling their way here.)

====================

Msinfo32.exe Generates a "Can't Collect Information" Error Message:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=323209
All 3 services it suggest are running OK here.

====================

And that KB 259733 which that article also suggests is a long and (to
me) dauntingly complex page. In overview it says:
"To resolve these issues, you can configure the service to use the
built-in system account, change the password for the specified user
account to match the current password for that user, or restore the
user's right to log on as a service."

What's that in plain non-techie English? What are 'the built-in system
account', 'the specified user account', and 'that user'?
I assume the part of the body of the article that is relevant is that
which begins:
"Member Server; If the user is a member of a stand-alone member
server: 1. Start the Local Security Settings MMC snap-in,"

That also is hard going for me! How *do* I start that in practice on
XP Home please?

====================

I tried various commands :
In Command Prompt:
winmgmt /clearadap
winmgmt /kill
winmgmt /unregserver
winmgmt /regserver
winmgmt /resyncperf
regsvr32 c:\windows\system32\wbem\wmiutils.dll

====================
In Command Prompt:
net stop winmgmt.
Then delete the %windir&\system32\wbem\repository directory. Once done
go back to Start/Run/CMD and type in: net start winmgmt

====================
In Command Prompt:
winmgmt /clearadap
to clear prior WMI/resyncperf information from the registry.
Then winmgmt /resyncperf to register the system performance libraries
with WMI again.

====================

Kelly's fix for SysInfo: run msinforestore.reg from
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
(Line #221 - right hand side)

(No explanation; just a 12 line registry hack, all to
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID)

====================

A complex one I've just found but not yet attempted is from Crazy One
at
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP/Q_20802031.html

====================

That's it. I suspect this issue stems somehow from my SP2 install and
prompt uninstall a couple of weeks ago. I've eliminated several other
possibilities, partly by restoring to my registry position of 5 days
ago. (Which reminds me - I now need to go through a fairly long WU of
about 5 'Security Updates' I did since.)


Any help would be much appreciated please.

 

[Terry Pinnell]

A complex one I've just found but not yet attempted is from Crazy One
at
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP/Q_20802031.html

I tried that just now, and it failed to fix the problem.

The two most obvious symptoms remain:
- Can't run SysInfo (msinfo32.exe)
- Get 'No Dependencies' for every entry in my Services list.

Anyone able to offer other ideas please? I tend to think it's an issue
of Permissions - a subject that I find very confusing!

 

[Terry Pinnell]

At this page
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;867652
there are instructions to '...set permissions for WMI namespaces by
using the Microsoft Management Console (MMC),' which looked
conceivably relevant to my problem.
The instructions start:
'To set the permissions, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type compmgmt.msc, and then click OK.
2. Under Computer Management (Local), expand Services and
Applications, right-click WMI Control, and then click Properties. '

But here, the WMI Control Properties window comes up with its General
tab displayed, and these entries:
Failed to initialize all required WMI classes.
Win32_Processor: WMI: Access denied
Win32_WMISetting: Successful
Security information: Successful
Win32_OperatingSystem: WMI: Access denied

None of the other tabs (Logging, Backup/Restore, Security, Advanced)
can be opened.

Anyone able to offer any insight please?

 

[Mark Jennings]

I posted this exact problem but no-one answered it and someone even deleted
my entry!
Charming eh?

Mark Jennings

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

I posted this exact problem but no-one answered it and someone even deleted
my entry!
Charming eh?

Hi

If you are thinking about the entry with subject

"Win32_Processor: WMI: Access denied" and "Win32_OperatingSystem:
WMI: Access denied"

it is not deleted, I see it fine on Microsoft's newsgroup server.

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

Hi

Try (using e.g. Start/Run, or a command prompt):

regsvr32 %windir%\system32\atl.dll
regsvr32 %windir%\system32\netshell.dll
regsvr32 %windir%\system32\hnetcfg.dll
regsvr32 %windir%\system32\netcfgx.dll
regsvr32 %windir%\system32\netman.dll

If that doesn't fix it, a lot of good information in this one about
repairing WMI:

From: Ivan Brugiolo [MSFT] ([email protected])
Subject: Re: Windows XP WMI Reinstall
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.win32.programmer.wmi
Date: 2004-04-21 00:46:56 PST
http://groups.google.com/[email protected]


WinXP Pro only:
If nothing in the link above helped, you might want to follow
the procedure here and see if it helps:

How To Reset Security Settings Back to the Defaults
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=313222

 

[Terry Pinnell]

Hi

Try (using e.g. Start/Run, or a command prompt):

regsvr32 %windir%\system32\atl.dll
regsvr32 %windir%\system32\netshell.dll
regsvr32 %windir%\system32\hnetcfg.dll
regsvr32 %windir%\system32\netcfgx.dll
regsvr32 %windir%\system32\netman.dll

If that doesn't fix it, a lot of good information in this one about
repairing WMI:

From: Ivan Brugiolo [MSFT] ([email protected])
Subject: Re: Windows XP WMI Reinstall
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.win32.programmer.wmi
Date: 2004-04-21 00:46:56 PST
http://groups.google.com/[email protected]


WinXP Pro only:
If nothing in the link above helped, you might want to follow
the procedure here and see if it helps:

How To Reset Security Settings Back to the Defaults
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=313222

Thanks Torgeir, appreciate your help.

I had tried those resvr32 commands, unfortunately in vain.

I will study Ivan's comprehensive material, some of which is new to
me.

Meanwhile, as I'm 99% sure this is a permissions-related problem, I
enthusiastically immediately tried that Reset hack. Disappointingly, I
failed at the first hurdle. As soon as I issue the secedit command, I
get this:

"secedit.exe - Entry Point Not Found
The procedure entry point JetSetIndexRange@12 could not be located in
the dynamic link library ESENT.dll"

I suspect a sort of Catch 22: because my permissions are screwed, I
can't reset my permissions to the stable default state.

It's looking as if sooner or later I'll have to either repair XP SP1
from my OEM 'Recovery' console (and apply 2 years of Updates, some of
which I've read were unreliable or quirky), or try SP2 again. I think
the expression is 'between a rock and a hard place' <g>. Meanwhile
I'll continue looking for fixes. After all, it only seems to be taking
about 90% of my time!

 

[Terry Pinnell]

I posted this exact problem but no-one answered it and someone even deleted
my entry!
Charming eh?

Mark, I see Torgeir replied to your original post, with similar
suggestions to those he kindly gave me. As you see from my reply, the
'permissions reset' is a non-starter here. If you try it, please let
me know how you get on. And any other progress. I'll do the same.

-------

I also posted on 18th elsewhere that I'd strayed into other unfamiliar
territory while trying to track down these WMI problems. The following
may be *totally* unrelated, but I'll mention them just in case:

In Component Services (Run DCOMCNFG.EXE) I left clicked 'COM+
Applications' and that gave me this error message:

"An error occurred while processing the last operation,
Error code 8004E00F - COM+ was unable to talk to the Microsoft
Distributed Transaction Coordinator.
The event log may contain additional troubleshooting information"

In the Event Viewer, looking at the COM+ line, I see this:
"The run-time environment was unable to initialize for transactions
required to support transactional components. Make sure that MS-DTC is
running. (DtcGetTransactionManagerEx(): hr = 0x8004d01b)"

-------
It's probably my downright ignorance about 'permissions' but I'll also
mention this other point that puzzles me, again in case it helps or
rings bells. WMI is apparently executed by
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs

But if I look at the Security tab for that file
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe, it says I already have 'Full'
control. Which doesn't intuitively square with that message I reported
in my OP.

 

[bogdanMo [MSFT]]

Terry,

Does the problem go away when you connect to WMI using a different admin
user? So, create another admin user, login and then try to connect. If still
doesn't work, you might have a DCOM problem or a corrupted repository, in
which case you should try what Ivan suggests.

--
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
Thx_Bogdan

Hi

Try (using e.g. Start/Run, or a command prompt):

regsvr32 %windir%\system32\atl.dll
regsvr32 %windir%\system32\netshell.dll
regsvr32 %windir%\system32\hnetcfg.dll
regsvr32 %windir%\system32\netcfgx.dll
regsvr32 %windir%\system32\netman.dll

If that doesn't fix it, a lot of good information in this one about
repairing WMI:

From: Ivan Brugiolo [MSFT] ([email protected])
Subject: Re: Windows XP WMI Reinstall
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.win32.programmer.wmi
Date: 2004-04-21 00:46:56 PST
http://groups.google.com/[email protected]

l

WinXP Pro only:
If nothing in the link above helped, you might want to follow
the procedure here and see if it helps:

How To Reset Security Settings Back to the Defaults
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=313222

Thanks Torgeir, appreciate your help.

I had tried those resvr32 commands, unfortunately in vain.

I will study Ivan's comprehensive material, some of which is new to
me.

Meanwhile, as I'm 99% sure this is a permissions-related problem, I
enthusiastically immediately tried that Reset hack. Disappointingly, I
failed at the first hurdle. As soon as I issue the secedit command, I
get this:

"secedit.exe - Entry Point Not Found
The procedure entry point JetSetIndexRange@12 could not be located in
the dynamic link library ESENT.dll"

I suspect a sort of Catch 22: because my permissions are screwed, I
can't reset my permissions to the stable default state.

It's looking as if sooner or later I'll have to either repair XP SP1
from my OEM 'Recovery' console (and apply 2 years of Updates, some of
which I've read were unreliable or quirky), or try SP2 again. I think
the expression is 'between a rock and a hard place' <g>. Meanwhile
I'll continue looking for fixes. After all, it only seems to be taking
about 90% of my time!

 

[Terry Pinnell]

Terry,

Does the problem go away when you connect to WMI using a different admin
user? So, create another admin user, login and then try to connect. If still
doesn't work, you might have a DCOM problem or a corrupted repository, in
which case you should try what Ivan suggests.

Thanks, appreciate your reply. I'll try your suggestion asap and
report back.