Introduction to the WMI Class Win32ComputerSystem
The WMI class Win32ComputerSystem contains useful properties such as PCSystemType and DomainRole. We can use PowerShell to display information about these and other computer properties.
Topics for PowerShell WMI Win32ComputerSystem
- Get-WmiObject Win32_ComputerSystem – Getting Started
- WMI Class and Get-Member
- WMI Win32ComputerSystem – Real Life Examples
- Computer’s DomainRole and PCSystemType
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WMI Perspective
Whenever I work with WMI it reminds me that the operating system must know everything that’s going on! Therefore, provided the PowerShell script has sufficient rights, it can use WMI and tap into that vast fountain of operating system knowledge. I think of WMI as a database, which keeps information about a computer’s components such as PCSystemType and DomainRole.
Get-WmiObject Win32_ComputerSystem – Getting Started
Get-WmiObject is the key command. As we will see, the class Win32_Computer holds a rich source of data about the computer, much of which is not displayed in the System Icon in the control panel, or any other GUI.
# List Win32_ComputerSystem properties
Clear-Host
Get-WmiObject -class Win32_ComputerSystem
Note 1: Provided Win32_ComputerSystem follows directly after Get-WmiObject you can omit -class because PowerShell assumes the first word is a WMI class.
Problem: The above script does not display many properties.
Solution: Employ [WMI] or Get-Member see below…
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[WMI] Win32_ComputerSystem – More Properties
Important: It will only work if you change the value of $SysName
Clear-Host
$Comp=""
$SysName = ‘YourComputer
$CimPlace = "Root\Cimv2:Win32_ComputerSystem"
[WMI]$Comp = "$CimPlace.name=’$SysName’"
$Comp
Note 2: The above example displays not only the properties, but also any values.
Note 3: For a production script you could simplify to:
[WMI]"Root\Cimv2:Win32_ComputerSystem.name=’YourComputer’"
Naturally, change ‘YourComputer’ to the name of a real server or workstation.
WMI Class and Get-Member
Here is an alternative method which uses Get-Member to list the properties.
Clear-Host
Get-WmiObject -class Win32_ComputerSystem `
| Get-Member -memberType property [a-z]*
Note 4: You could simplify by stripping out the parameter and using aliases, however, you still need the name of the WMI class:
Gwmi Win32_ComputerSystem | gm
WMI Win32ComputerSystem – Real Life Examples
The idea of the following script is to interrogate the operating system for information about the Domain Role (Standalone or Member) and PC System Type (Laptop or Desktop). Once again, Win32ComputerSystem is the crucial WMI class.
# Win32ComputerSystem example .DomainRole
Clear-Host
$CompConfig = Get-WmiObject Win32_ComputerSystem
foreach ($ObjItem in $CompConfig) {
$Role = $ObjItem.DomainRole
Switch ($Role) {
0 {"Standalone Workstation"}
1 {"Member Workstation"}
2 {"Standalone Server"}
3 {"Member Server"}
4 {"Backup Domain Controller"}
5 {"Primary Domain Controller"}
default {"Not a known Domain Role"}
}
}
Note 5: You could append -computerName otherMachine
# Win32ComputerSystem example .PCSystemType
Clear-Host
$CompConfig = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem -computer otherM
foreach ($ObjItem in $CompConfig) {
$Type = $objItem.PCSystemType
Switch ($Type) {
1 {"Desktop"}
2 {"Mobile / Laptop"}
3 {"Workstation"}
4 {"Enterprise Server"}
5 {"Small Office and Home Office (SOHO) Server"}
6 {"Appliance PC"}
7 {"Performance Server"}
8 {"Maximum"}
default {"Not a known Product Type"}
}
}
Note 6: For PCSystemType Switch starts at 1 and not zero.
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Script to Discover Your Computer’s DomainRole and PCSystemType
Clear-Host
$Victim = ‘.’
$CompConfig = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem -computer $Victim
foreach ($ObjItem in $CompConfig) {
$x = $ObjItem.PCSystemType
$Type = Switch ($x) {
1 {"Desktop"}
2 {"Mobile / Laptop"}
3 {"Workstation"}
4 {"Enterprise Server"}
5 {"Small Office and Home Office (SOHO) Server"}
6 {"Appliance PC"}
7 {"Performance Server"}
8 {"Maximum"}
default {"Not a known Product Type"}
}
$y = $ObjItem.DomainRole
$Role = Switch ($y) {
0 {"Standalone Workstation"}
1 {"Member Workstation"}
2 {"Standalone Server"}
3 {"Member Server"}
4 {"Backup Domain Controller"}
5 {"Primary Domain Controller"}
default {"Not a known Domain Role"}
}
}
Write-Host "Computer $Victim is a $Type and $Role "
Researching More Win32_ComputerSystem Properties
This script is getting a bit cumbersome, but my aim is just to give you ideas for a script to suit your circumstances.
Clear-Host
$Victim = ‘Jasmine’
$CompConfig = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem -computer $Victim
foreach ($ObjItem in $CompConfig) {
$Sys = $ObjItem.SystemType
$a = $ObjItem.PCSystemType
$Type = Switch ($a) {
1 {"Desktop"}
2 {"Mobile / Laptop"}
3 {"Workstation"}
4 {"Enterprise Server"}
5 {"Small Office and Home Office (SOHO) Server"}
6 {"Appliance PC"}
7 {"Performance Server"}
8 {"Maximum"}
default {"Not a known Product Type"}
}
$b = $ObjItem.DomainRole
$Role = Switch ($b) {
0 {"Standalone Workstation"}
1 {"Member Workstation"}
2 {"Standalone Server"}
3 {"Member Server"}
4 {"Backup Domain Controller"}
5 {"Primary Domain Controller"}
default {"Not a known Domain Role"}
}
$c = $ObjItem.AutomaticResetBootOption
$Reboot = Switch ($c) {
1 {"Reserved"}
2 {"Operating System"}
3 {"System Utilities"}
4 {"Not Set"}
default {"Puzzling"}
}
$d = $ObjItem.AdminPasswordStatus
$Pswd = Switch ($d) {
0 {"Disabled"}
1 {"Enabled"}
2 {"Not Implemented"}
3 {"Unknown"}
default {"Puzzling"}
}
$e = $ObjItem.WakeUpType
$WakeUp = Switch ($e) {
0 {"Unknown"}
1 {"Unsupported"}
2 {"Disabled"}
3 {"Enabled – Standard Settings"}
4 {"Power Saving Auto"}
5 {"Power State Settable"}
6 {"Power Cycling Supported"}
7 {"Timed Power-On Supported"}
default {"Strange Power Setting"}
}
$f = $ObjItem.WakeUpType
$WakeUp = Switch ($f) {
0 {"Reserved"}
1 {"Other"}
2 {"Unknown"}
3 {"APM Timer"}
4 {"Modem Ring"}
5 {"Lan Remote"}
6 {"Power Switch"}
7 {"PCI PME#"}
8 {"AC Power Restored"}
default {"Unusual Wakeup Setting"}
}
}
Write-Host "Computer $Victim, $Sys is a $Type and $Role with $Reboot, $Wakeup "
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Researching More WMI Classes
I was curious to discover what other WMI Objects were available for scripting; then I remembered the -List switch from another PowerShell command (Get-Eventlog -List). Thus I tried:
# PowerShell Get-WmiObject example to list classes
Clear-Host
Get-WmiObject -List
Next, I redirected the output from the screen to a file by appending ‘Out-File’:
out-File WmiObject.txt. To make:
# PowerShell Get-WmiObject example
Clear-Host
Get-WmiObject -List | Out-File WmiObject.txt
Researching WMI Classes with ‘Where-Object’
My next problem was the list was too long, therefore I added a ‘Where’ filter
Get-WmiObject -List | Where-Object {$_.name -Match "Win32"}
And even better:
Get-WmiObject -List |Where-Object {$_.name -Match "Win32"} `
| Out-File D:\wmi\win.txt
Learning Points
Note 1: The tiny backtick (`) tells PowerShell that the command continues on the next line.
Note 2: On other pages I use plain ‘Where’, or even ‘?’ instead of the full ‘Where-Object’.
Note 3: I expect you have guessed that PowerShell commands are case insensitive. At present I am not sure which is best, WmiObject, wmiObject or WmiObject – they all produce the same results. Another minor point, since the verb ‘get’ is the default, you can shorten the command to:
WmiObject Win32_computersystem. Or if you like aliases: gwmi Win32_computersystem.
Summary of PowerShell WMI Win32_ComputerSystem
The PowerShell WMI class Win32ComputerSystem reveals properties such as PCSystemType and DomainRole. You can use PowerShell to display information about these and many other computer properties.
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See More Microsoft PowerShell WMI Examples:
• Home • PowerShell Get-WmiObject • Win32_ComputerSystem • Free WMI Monitor
• WMI Class • [WMI] Type • Win32_printer • Win32_product • SystemRestore • WMI Services
• WMI Disk • DNS • Memory • PowerShell -Filter • Check Server UpTime • ConvertToDateTime
Please email me if you have a script examples. Also please report any factual mistakes, grammatical errors or broken links, I will be happy to correct the fault.
