Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) on computers running Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition (322363)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 98 Driver Development Kit (DDK)
  • Microsoft Windows ME Driver Development Kit (DDK)
This article was previously published under Q322363

SUMMARY

If you install Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition from a CD, you may have to manually install Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). By default, the Windows 98 release CD and the Windows 98 Second Edition release CD do not install Windows Management Instrumentation. Also, Windows Management Instrumentation on a computer that is running Windows 98 or Windows 98 Second Edition may behave unpredictably after you manually install it.

By default, the Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me) release CD installs Windows Management Instrumentation.

MORE INFORMATION

The installation and the behavior of Windows Management Instrumentation vary depending on the version of Windows that a computer is running.

Windows Management Instrumentation on computers running Windows 98

The version of Windows Management Instrumentation that the CD provides and that Control Panel installs does not work properly. For example, test applications such as the Windows Management Instrumentation Tester (WBEMTest) utility and the Wmicli.exe sample in the Windows XP DDK do not work with this version of Windows Management Instrumentation.

Read the description of Windows Management Instrumentation that appears on the following Microsoft Web page:

Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) CORE 1.5
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/wmisdk/wmi/wmi_start_page.asp

Then download the correct file from the Microsoft Download Center:

Download Wmi9x.exe nowhttp://download.microsoft.com/download/platformsdk/wmi9x/1.5/W9X/EN-US/wmi9x.exe

This version does not support all classes. Missing classes include the network driver interface specification (NDIS) classes. NDIS does not install a handler for IRP_MJ_SYSTEM_CONTROL on the retail versions of the Windows operating system. (This is fixed for Windows 98 Second Edition. WBEMTest and Wmicli.exe work with this version of Windows Management Instrumentation.)

Windows Management Instrumentation on a computer that is running Windows 98 Second Edition

To install Windows Management Instrumentation on a computer that is running Windows 98 Second Edition, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
  3. Click the Windows Setup tab.
  4. In the Components box, click Internet Tools, and then click Details.
  5. Select the Web-Based Enterprise Mgmt check box, and then click OK two times.
WBEMTest and Wmicli.exe work properly on this version of the Windows operating system.

The NDIS behavior for Windows Management Instrumentation on a computer that is running Windows 98 Second Edition is different from the behavior on a computer that is running Windows 2000 or Windows XP. Windows 98 Second Edition does not send NdisRequest with OID_GEN_SUPPORTED_GUIDS until a Windows Management Instrumentation client application specifically requests information from the driver. A computer that is running Windows 2000 or Windows XP registers with Windows Management Instrumentation and requests the supporting GUIDs during initialization.

Also, on a computer that is running Windows 98 Second Edition, default NDIS-supported class objects work, but custom classes do not work. This functionality works correctly in Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

For example, if you use WBEMTest on a computer that is running Windows 2000, you can query the default NDIS-supported class objects, you can query the class objects that you have exported, and you can view their instances. If you use WBEMTest on a computer that is running Windows 98 Second Edition, you can see the default NDIS-supported class objects, but you may not be able to see the exported class objects.

Windows Management Instrumentation on computers running Windows Me

By default, Windows Management Instrumentation is installed on computers running Windows Me. There are no controls in Control Panel for the installation or the removal of Windows Management Instrumentation. WBEMTest and Wmicli.exe work correctly on this version of the Windows operating system.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:3/28/2006
Keywords:kbinfo kbKMode kbWDM KB322363 kbAudDeveloper
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