SMS: WMI Returns Win32_Share Instances Indefinitely (288547)

SYMPTOMS

Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) can return instances of the Win32_Share class indefinitely. This problem can occur until you restart the computer or you stop the Winmgmt service. When this problem occurs, the Winmgmt exhibits high levels of CPU usage.

On the Systems Management Server (SMS) clients, this problem may cause symptoms such as high CPU usage by the Winmgmt service and the creation of large hardware inventory MIF files by the SMS Hardware Inventory agent. The MIF files may be so large that they exceed the default maximum MIF file processing size that is defined in SMS 2.0 (5,000,000 bytes) and may not be processed.

CAUSE

If more than approximately 256 shares exist on the computer, querying for instances of the Win32_Share class by using WMI may be reiterative.

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

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

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem with SMS 2.0, disable the Win32_Share class enumeration in the SMS site's 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. This problem was first corrected in Windows 2000 Service Pack 3.