Cannot access Win32_WinSAT from 32 bits process

Question

When requesting Win32_WinSAT from a x64 process I get the correct results (WinSATAssessmentState = 1), but when executed from a x86 I get "results not available" (WinSATAssessmentState = 3)

x64 Powershell:

PS C:\Users\alive> gwmi Win32_WinSAT


__GENUS               : 2
__CLASS               : Win32_WinSAT
__SUPERCLASS          :
__DYNASTY             : Win32_WinSAT
__RELPATH             : Win32_WinSAT.TimeTaken="MostRecentAssessment"
__PROPERTY_COUNT      : 8
__DERIVATION          : {}
__SERVER              : COMPNAME
__NAMESPACE           : root\cimv2
__PATH                : \\COMPNAME\root\cimv2:Win32_WinSAT.TimeTaken="MostRecentAssessment"
CPUScore              : 7,2
D3DScore              : 6,3
DiskScore             : 7,65
GraphicsScore         : 4,6
MemoryScore           : 5,9
TimeTaken             : MostRecentAssessment
WinSATAssessmentState : 1
WinSPRLevel           : 4,6
PSComputerName        : COMPNAME

x86 Powershell

PS C:\Users\alive> gwmi Win32_WinSAT


__GENUS               : 2
__CLASS               : Win32_WinSAT
__SUPERCLASS          :
__DYNASTY             : Win32_WinSAT
__RELPATH             : Win32_WinSAT.TimeTaken="MostRecentAssessment"
__PROPERTY_COUNT      : 8
__DERIVATION          : {}
__SERVER              : COMPNAME
__NAMESPACE           : root\cimv2
__PATH                : \\COMPNAME\root\cimv2:Win32_WinSAT.TimeTaken="MostRecentAssessment"
CPUScore              : 0
D3DScore              : 0
DiskScore             : 0
GraphicsScore         : 0
MemoryScore           : 0
TimeTaken             : MostRecentAssessment
WinSATAssessmentState : 3
WinSPRLevel           : 0
PSComputerName        : COMPNAME

Is there any flag or special method to be able to access this information from the x86 process?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Your question fall in Requesting WMI Data on a 64-bit Platform.

By default, an application or script receives data from the corresponding provider when two versions of providers exist. The 32-bit provider returns data to a 32-bit application, including all scripts, and the 64-bit provider returns data to the 64-bit compiled applications. However, an application or script can request data from the nondefault provider, if it exists, by notifying WMI through flags on method calls. The __ProviderArchitecture and __RequiredArchitecture string flags have a set of values handled by WMI but not defined in SDK header or type library files. The values are placed in a context parameter to signal WMI that it should request data from the nondefault provider.

I don't know how to do that with PowerShell CmdLets, but you can use "System.Management" classes from the .NET Framework (COM object encapsulation).

# Setup the context information
$mContext = New-Object System.Management.ManagementNamedValueCollection
$mContext.Add( "__ProviderArchitecture", 64)
$mContext.Add( "__RequiredArchitecture", $true)

# Setup the Authrntification object
$ConOptions = New-Object System.Management.ConnectionOptions
#$ConOptions.Username = "computername\administrateur" # Should be used for remote access
#$ConOptions.Password = "toto"
$ConOptions.EnablePrivileges = $true
$ConOptions.Impersonation = "Impersonate"
$ConOptions.Authentication = "Default"
$ConOptions.Context = $mContext

# Setup the management scope (change with the computer name for remote access)
$mScope = New-Object System.Management.ManagementScope("\\localhost\root\cimV2", $ConOptions)

$mScope.Connect()

# Query
$queryString = "SELECT * From Win32_WinSAT"
$oQuery = New-Object System.Management.ObjectQuery ($queryString)
$oSearcher = New-Object System.Management.ManagementObjectSearcher ($mScope, $oQuery)
$oSearcher.Get();

I execute this script bith from 32 and 64 bits PowerShell in Windows 8 and both works.