WMI Does Not Return SMBIOS Data in Windows NT 4.0 (255924)

SYMPTOMS

On a System Management BIOS (SMBIOS) 2.1 or later computer with Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4 (SP4) or later and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) 1.5 installed, the Win32_Bios properties (that is, Win32_Bios.BiosCharacteristics) are empty.

CAUSE

During the Windows NT 4.0 boot process, the Smbios.sys device driver creates a data file named Smbios.dat. This data file contains a copy of the system board's SMBIOS information. The device driver should create the data file in the %SystemRoot%\System folder, but instead creates it in the %SystemRoot%\System32\Drivers folder. Because the data file is created in the wrong folder, the WMI Win32 provider cannot obtain the Win32_Bios properties.

RESOLUTION

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that this article describes. Apply it only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.

To resolve this problem, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:

   Version        Size    File name    Platform
   --------------------------------------------
   1.50.1085.18   3,720   Smbios.sys   Intel

MORE INFORMATION

This issue does not affect Microsoft Windows 2000.

If the computer does not support SMBIOS 2.1 or later, the size of the Smbios.dat data file is four bytes. In this case, the WMI Win32 provider cannot obtain the Win32_Bios properties.

SMBIOS upgrades may be available from the computer manufacturer.