Repair WMI on Windows 7

I had a problem with my Microsoft SQL Server 2008, importing data and generating scripts, so I decided to uninstall it. When I tried to remove it, I got an error from the check screen. The WMI service is corrupted, so I need a way to reset the WMI service.

Platform: Windows 7 64bit

I did try winmgmt /resetrepository

to no effect.

Short of reinstalling Windows, what can I do?

5 Answers

If its a file level corruption you could probably try the sfc /scannow command - this will check and replace any system files that are damaged.

To fully rebuild the WMI Repository follow these steps:

1. Disable and stop the winmgmt service.
2. Remove or rename C:\Windows\System32\wbem\repository.
3. Enable and start the winmgmt service.
4. Open a cmd prompt as Administrator.
5. In the cmd prompt navigate to C:\Windows\System32\wbem\
6. Run the command for /f %s in ('dir /b *.mof') do mofcomp %s This will take a minute or so to complete.
7. Run the command for /f %s in ('dir /b en-us\*.mfl') do mofcomp en-us\%s

I had the same problem and using Repair WMI from Tweaking.com fixed it.

Another handy option to fix WMI using a WMI Fixer Tool (WMI Fixer.ps1) created by Guido Basilio de Oliviera and is freely available.

This tool is based on Windows Powershell and Windows Forms:

cd /d % windir% \System32\Wbem net stop winmgmt winmgmt /clearadap winmgmt /kill winmgmt /unregserver winmgmt /regserver winmgmt /resyncperf del % windir% \System32\Wbem\Repository /Q del % windir% \System32\Wbem\AutoRecover /Q for % % i in (* .dll) do Regsvr32 -s % % i for % % i in (* .mof, * .mfl) do Mofcomp % % i wmiadap.exe /Regsvr32 wmiapsrv.exe /Regsvr32 wmiprvse.exe /Regsvr32 net start winmgmt 

Or alternatively..

• Disable and stop the WMI service.       

• Run the following commands.     

  Winmgmt /salvagerepository %windir%\System32\wbem

        (then)      

  Winmgmt /resetrepository %windir%\System32\wbem

• Re-enable the WMI service and then reboot the PC to see how it goes.

       You could also try rebuilding the repository if the above fails:

• Disable and stop the WMI service.

     

• Rename the repository folder (located at %windir%\System32\wbem\repository) to repository.old.

• Re-enable the WMI service.

       

• Reboot the PC

Acknowledgements

1. WMI corrupt - how to reinstall/repair?

I run into corrupt WMI fairly often working with client systems. I was very frustrated by the acknowledgement from MS that WMI has issues and not getting releif with any suggested fix.

Last year I found this procedure and it works EVERY TIME!

Open a Microsoft PowerShell window. Type the following commands and press enter after each command

net stop winmgmt ren c:\windows\system32\wbem\repository  c:\windows\system32\wbem\repository_old net start winmgmt  cd c:\windows\system32\wbem lodctr /r  

Check and make sure all services are running.  A reboot is not required at this point, but it is the fastest way to assure that all services restart.