Invoke-WmiMethod
Calls WMI methods.
Syntax
Invoke-WmiMethod
[-Class] <String>
[-Name] <String>
[-ArgumentList <Object[]>]
[-AsJob]
[-Impersonation <ImpersonationLevel>]
[-Authentication <AuthenticationLevel>]
[-Locale <String>]
[-EnableAllPrivileges]
[-Authority <String>]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-ThrottleLimit <Int32>]
[-ComputerName <String[]>]
[-Namespace <String>]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-WmiMethod
-InputObject <ManagementObject>
[-Name] <String>
[-ArgumentList <Object[]>]
[-AsJob]
[-ThrottleLimit <Int32>]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-WmiMethod
-Path <String>
[-Name] <String>
[-ArgumentList <Object[]>]
[-AsJob]
[-Impersonation <ImpersonationLevel>]
[-Authentication <AuthenticationLevel>]
[-Locale <String>]
[-EnableAllPrivileges]
[-Authority <String>]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-ThrottleLimit <Int32>]
[-ComputerName <String[]>]
[-Namespace <String>]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-WmiMethod
[-Name] <String>
[-AsJob]
[-Impersonation <ImpersonationLevel>]
[-Authentication <AuthenticationLevel>]
[-Locale <String>]
[-EnableAllPrivileges]
[-Authority <String>]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-ThrottleLimit <Int32>]
[-ComputerName <String[]>]
[-Namespace <String>]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-WmiMethod
[-Name] <String>
[-AsJob]
[-Impersonation <ImpersonationLevel>]
[-Authentication <AuthenticationLevel>]
[-Locale <String>]
[-EnableAllPrivileges]
[-Authority <String>]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-ThrottleLimit <Int32>]
[-ComputerName <String[]>]
[-Namespace <String>]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-WmiMethod
[-Name] <String>
[-AsJob]
[-Impersonation <ImpersonationLevel>]
[-Authentication <AuthenticationLevel>]
[-Locale <String>]
[-EnableAllPrivileges]
[-Authority <String>]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-ThrottleLimit <Int32>]
[-ComputerName <String[]>]
[-Namespace <String>]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Description
The Invoke-WmiMethod
cmdlet calls the methods of Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)
objects.
New Common Information Model (CIM) cmdlets, introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0, perform the same
tasks as the WMI cmdlets. The CIM cmdlets comply with WS-Management (WSMan) standards and with the
CIM standard, which enables the cmdlets to use the same techniques to manage Windows computers and
those running other operating systems. Instead of using Invoke-WmiMethod
, consider using
Invoke-CimMethod.
Examples
Example 1: List the required order of WMI method parameters
This command lists the required order of the objects.
Get-WmiObject Win32_Volume |
Get-Member -MemberType Method -Name Format |
Select-Object -ExpandProperty Definition
System.Management.ManagementBaseObject Format(System.String FileSystem, System.Boolean QuickFormat,
System.UInt32 ClusterSize, System.String Label, System.Boolean EnableCompression,
System.UInt32 Version)
To invoke WMI in PowerShell 3.0 differs from alternate methods, and requires that object values are entered in a specific order.
Example 2: Start an instance of an application
([Wmiclass]'Win32_Process').Create.OverloadDefinitions
System.Management.ManagementBaseObject Create(System.String CommandLine, System.String CurrentDirectory,
System.Management.ManagementObject#Win32_ProcessStartup ProcessStartupInformation)
Invoke-WmiMethod -Path Win32_Process -Name Create -ArgumentList C:\Windows\system32\notepad.exe
__GENUS : 2
__CLASS : __PARAMETERS
__SUPERCLASS :
__DYNASTY : __PARAMETERS
__RELPATH :
__PROPERTY_COUNT : 2
__DERIVATION : {}
__SERVER :
__NAMESPACE :
__PATH :
ProcessId : 11312
ReturnValue : 0
PSComputerName :
This command starts an instance of Notepad by calling the Create
method of the Win32_Process
class.
The ReturnValue property is populated with a 0
, and the ProcessId property is populated
with an integer (the next process ID number) if the command is completed.
Example 3: Rename a file
$invokeWmiMethodSplat = @{
Path = "CIM_DataFile.Name='C:\scripts\test.txt'"
Name = 'Rename'
ArgumentList = 'C:\scripts\test_bu.txt'
}
Invoke-WmiMethod @invokeWmiMethodSplat
__GENUS : 2
__CLASS : __PARAMETERS
__SUPERCLASS :
__DYNASTY : __PARAMETERS
__RELPATH :
__PROPERTY_COUNT : 1
__DERIVATION : {}
__SERVER :
__NAMESPACE :
__PATH :
ReturnValue : 0
This command renames a file. It uses the Path parameter to reference an instance of the CIM_DataFile class. Then, it applies the Rename method to that particular instance.
The ReturnValue property is populated with a 0
if the command is completed.
Example 4: Passing an array of values using `-ArgumentList`
An example using an array of objects $binSD
followed by a $null
value.
$acl = Get-Acl test.txt
$binSD = $acl.GetSecurityDescriptorBinaryForm()
$invokeWmiMethodSplat = @{
Class = 'Win32_SecurityDescriptorHelper'
Name = 'BinarySDToSDDL'
ArgumentList = $binSD, $null
}
Invoke-WmiMethod @invokeWmiMethodSplat
Parameters
-ArgumentList
Specifies the parameters to pass to the called method. The value of this parameter must be an array
of objects, and they must appear in the order required by the called method. The Invoke-CimCommand
cmdlet does not have these limitations.
To determine the order in which to list those objects, run the GetMethodParameters()
method on the
WMI class, as illustrated in Example 1, near the end of this topic.
Important
If the first value is an array that contains more than one element, a second value of $null
is
required. Otherwise, the command generates an error, such as
Unable to cast object of type 'System.Byte' to type 'System.Array'.
. See example 4 above.
Type: | Object[] |
Aliases: | Args |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-AsJob
Indicates that this cmdlet runs the command as a background job. Use this parameter to run commands that take a long time to finish.
When you use the AsJob parameter, the command returns an object that represents the background
job and then displays the command prompt. You can continue to work in the session while the job
finishes. If Invoke-WmiMethod
is used against a remote computer, the job is created on the local
computer, and the results from remote computers are automatically returned to the local computer. To
manage the job, use the cmdlets that contain the Job
noun (the Job cmdlets). To get the job
results, use the Receive-Job
cmdlet.
To use this parameter with remote computers, the local and remote computers must be configured for remoting. Additionally, you must start Windows PowerShell by using the Run as administrator option in Windows Vista and later versions of Windows. For more information, see about_Remote_Requirements.
For more information about Windows PowerShell background jobs, see about_Jobs and about_Remote_Jobs.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Authentication
Specifies the authentication level to be used with the WMI connection. The acceptable values for this parameter are:
-1
: Unchanged0
: Default1
: None (No authentication in performed.)2
: Connect (Authentication is performed only when the client establishes a relationship with the application.)3
: Call (Authentication is performed only at the beginning of each call when the application receives the request.)4
: Packet (Authentication is performed on all the data that is received from the client.)5
: PacketIntegrity (All the data that is transferred between the client and the application is authenticated and verified.)6
: PacketPrivacy (The properties of the other authentication levels are used, and all the data is encrypted.)
Type: | AuthenticationLevel |
Accepted values: | Default, None, Connect, Call, Packet, PacketIntegrity, PacketPrivacy, Unchanged |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Authority
Specifies the authority to use to authenticate the WMI connection. You can specify standard Windows
NT LAN Manager (NTLM) or Kerberos authentication. To use NTLM, set the authority setting to
ntlmdomain:<DomainName>
, where <DomainName>
identifies a valid NTLM domain name. To use
Kerberos, specify kerberos:<DomainName>\<ServerName>
. You cannot include the authority setting
when you connect to the local computer.
Type: | String |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Class
Specifies the WMI class that contains a static method to call.
Type: | String |
Position: | 0 |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-ComputerName
Specifies, as a string array, the computers that this cmdlet runs the command on. The default is the local computer.
Type the NetBIOS name, an IP address, or a fully qualified domain name of one or more computers. To
specify the local computer, type the computer name, a dot (.
), or localhost
.
This parameter does not rely on Windows PowerShell remoting. You can use the ComputerName parameter even if your computer is not configured to run remote commands.
Type: | String[] |
Aliases: | Cn |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Confirm
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Aliases: | cf |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Credential
Specifies a user account that has permission to perform this action. The default is the current
user. Type a user name, such as User01
, Domain01\User01
, or User@Contoso.com
. Or, enter a
PSCredential object, such as an object that is returned by the Get-Credential
cmdlet. When you
type a user name, you will be prompted for a password.
Type: | PSCredential |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-EnableAllPrivileges
Indicates that this cmdlet enables all the privileges of the current user before the command makes the WMI call.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Impersonation
Specifies the impersonation level to use. The acceptable values for this parameter are:
0
: Default (Reads the local registry for the default impersonation level, which is usually set to3
: Impersonate.)1
: Anonymous (Hides the credentials of the caller.)2
: Identify (Allows objects to query the credentials of the caller.)3
: Impersonate (Allows objects to use the credentials of the caller.)4
: Delegate (Allows objects to permit other objects to use the credentials of the caller.)
Type: | ImpersonationLevel |
Accepted values: | Default, Anonymous, Identify, Impersonate, Delegate |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-InputObject
Specifies a ManagementObject object to use as input. When this parameter is used, all other parameters except the Flag and Argument parameters are ignored.
Type: | ManagementObject |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Locale
Specifies the preferred locale for WMI objects. Specify the value of the Locale parameter as an
array in the MS_<LCID>
format in the preferred order.
Type: | String |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Name
Specifies the name of the method to be invoked. This parameter is mandatory and cannot be null or empty.
Type: | String |
Position: | 1 |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Namespace
When used with the Class parameter, this parameter specifies the WMI repository namespace where the referenced WMI class or object is located.
Type: | String |
Aliases: | NS |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Path
Specifies the WMI object path of a WMI class, or specifies the WMI object path of an instance of a WMI class. The class or the instance that you specify must contain the method that is specified in the Name parameter.
Type: | String |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-ThrottleLimit
Specifies a throttle value for the number of WMI operations that can be executed simultaneously. This parameter is used together with the AsJob parameter. The throttle limit applies only to the current command, not to the session or to the computer.
Type: | Int32 |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-WhatIf
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Aliases: | wi |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
Inputs
None
This cmdlet does not accept any input.
Outputs
None
This cmdlet does not generate any output.
Notes
Windows PowerShell includes the following aliases for Invoke-WmiMethod
:
iwmi