SMS: Hardware Inventory Is Rejected If Environment Variable Ends with Backslash (279441)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0
  • Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 SP1
  • Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 SP2
  • Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 SP3
This article was previously published under Q279441

SYMPTOMS

When environment variable data is collected by using the Systems Management Server (SMS) 2.0 Hardware Inventory process, the SMS Hardware Inventory agent truncates any string that is more than 260 characters long. If the resulting string is truncated such that it ends with an odd number of backslashes (\) in the hardware inventory (MIF) file, the Inventory Dataloader component on the site server does not add that computer's hardware inventory information to the SMS database.

CAUSE

Depending on how the environment variable data is truncated, a MIF file that contains incorrect syntax may be created. For string data in a MIF file, a backslash (\) must be represented as two backslashes (\\) to be processed correctly.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Systems Management Server version 2.0. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

288239 SMS: How to Obtain the Latest Systems Management Server 2.0 Service Pack


WORKAROUND

To avoid this problem, adjust the environment variables on the computers that are affected, or disable the Win32_Environment class in the Sms_def.mof file.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Systems Management Server 2.0 Service Pack 4.

MORE INFORMATION

This problem occurs only if the default hardware inventory is changed to include the Win32_Environment class. For additional information about changing the default hardware inventory collection criteria, refer to the "Modifying the Sms_def.mof File" section in the online SMS Administrator's Guide.

The environment variable that is most often affected by this problem is the system PATH variable. However, other environment variables that are created by installed programs can also cause this behavior as well.

When the Hardware Inventory agent truncates the data, it records the following text in the Hinv32.log file:
CLASS - Process Class: Win32_Environment
WARNING - Truncate attribute VariableValue of Win32_Environment.
Later, when the Inventory Dataloader component attempts to process the computer's inventory file, it produces this syntax error message:
Processing file H2WOUU0W.MIF
Compilation failed~syntax error on line 42, token '~~'
Could not convert file: F:\SMS\inboxes\dataldr.box\process\XH2WOUU0W.MIF
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:9/23/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbbug kbDataLoader kbfix kbInventory kbsms200preSP3fix kbsms200preSP4fix KB279441
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