WMI Query Support for Win32_Group Is Not Optimized (268715)

SYMPTOMS

Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) query support for Win32_Group is not optimized to handle the case where both key properties, Domain and Name, are specified in the query. For example, queries of the following form are not optimized:

SELECT * FROM Win32_Group WHERE Domain="workgroup" AND Name="smith"

Similar queries against the parent class, Win32_Account, also experience poor performance because WMI passes the query to Win32_Group. Queries of this form may result in high CPU utilization on the primary domain controller (PDC).

CAUSE

This problem can occur because when both the Domain and Name keys are specified in a query against the Win32_Group class, all groups in the specified domain are enumerated by using the PDC. This results in performance problems on networks with numerous groups.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

260910 How to Obtain the Latest Windows 2000 Service Pack

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

   Version        Size       File name     Platform
   ------------------------------------------------
   1.50.1085.25   1,073,232  Cimwin32.dll  i386

Using the Hotfix Installer

NOTE: You can use this method only for Intel-based computers.

Copy the hotfix executable file (Q268715.exe) to a local folder on your computer or to a share on your network.
Run the Q268715.exe file and follow the directions.
Restart your computer.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem and obtain information about a particular user, queries should be made against the Win32_UserAccount class instead of Win32_Account. To obtain information about a specific group, GetObject should be used instead of a query. In general, if both the Domain and Account are specified, GetObject should be used instead of ExecQuery.

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 Windows 2000 Service Pack 2.