Understanding Aliases
Aliases are simply friendly names for the detailed query. There are dozens of aliases that you can enter instead of a full wmic command. You don't have to understand how the underlying WMI language works to use the alias. For example, the computersystem alias can be used to retrieve information on a computer:
C:\>wmic computersystem list brief Domain Manufacturer Model Name PrimaryOwnerName TotalPhysicalMemory Pearson.pub Microsoft Corporation Virtual Machine WIN7PCG Darril 1610145792
C:\>wmic /node:dc1 computersystem list brief /format:list Domain=Pearson.pub Manufacturer=Microsoft Corporation Model=Virtual Machine Name=DC1 PrimaryOwnerName=Windows User TotalPhysicalMemory=1610063872
The /format:list switch sends the output as a list instead of a table, which sometimes can be harder to read. The list brief clause is used to show some basic details. You can retrieve a much fuller output by using the list full clause:
C:\>wmic computersystem list full AdminPasswordStatus=3 AutomaticResetBootOption=TRUE . . . Description=AT/AT COMPATIBLE Domain=Pearson.pub DomainRole=1 . . . EnableDaylightSavingsTime=TRUE . . . Manufacturer=Microsoft Corporation Model=Virtual Machine Name=WIN7PCG . . . ThermalState=1 TotalPhysicalMemory=1610145792 UserName=PEARSON\Administrator WakeUpType=6 Workgroup=
The following tables show many of the aliases that are available. The first column shows the alias friendly name with a short description and its usage. The second column shows the Pwhere usage. If the alias will list multiple items, such as multiple services, you can retrieve data on a single item. WMI uses the Pwhere clause, but with wmic you only need to include the name between two single apostrophes. The third column shows the underlying WMI query that is executed.
Operating System Aliases
The following table shows some aliases that can retrieve data on the operating system.
Alias Friendly Name and Usage |
Pwhere Format |
WMI Query |
computersystem Details on installed operating system and settings C:\>wmic computersystem list brief |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ ComputerSystem |
os Operating system details C:\>wmic os list brief |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ OperatingSystem |
environment Listing of environment variables C:\>wmic environment list brief |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ Environment |
sysdriver Installed services and drivers and current state C:\>wmic sysdriver list brief |
Where Name='#' C:\>wmic sysdriv- er 'disk' list brief |
Select * from Win32_ SystemDriver |
service System services C:\>wmic service list brief |
Where Name='#' C:\>wmic service 'winrm' list full |
Select * from Win32_ Service |
process Running processes C:\>wmic process list brief |
Where ProcessId='#' C:\>wmic process '6668' list brief |
Select * from Win32_ Process |
startup Identify startup programs C:\>wmic startup list brief |
Where Caption='#' C:\>wmic startup 'sidebar' list brief |
Select * from Win32_ StartupCommand |
registry Information on registry C:\>wmic registry list full |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ Registry |
qfe Quick fix engineering (hotfixes) C:\>wmic qfe list brief |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ QuickFixEngineering |
nteventlog Event logs C:\>wmic nteventlog list brief |
Where LogfileName='#' C:\>wmic ntevent- log 'application' list brief |
Select * from Win32_ NTEventlogFile |
timezone Time zone data C:\>wmic timezone list full |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ TimeZone |
bootconfig Boot configuration data C:\>wmic bootconfig list full |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ BootConfiguration |
recoveros Location of recovery OS C:\>wmic recoveros list brief |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ OSRecoveryConfiguration |
wmiset WMI settings, including whether it's enabled or not C:\>wmic wmiset list brief |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ WMISetting |
Disk Drive Aliases
These aliases can be used to retrieve information related to disks.
Alias Friendly Name and Usage |
Pwhere Format |
WMI Query |
diskdrive Details on dis3k drive C:\>wmic diskdrive list full |
Where Index='#' C:\>wmic diskdrive '1' list brief |
Select * from Win32_ DiskDrive |
logicaldisk Drive data C:\>wmic logicaldisk list full |
Where Name='#' C:\>wmic logicaldisk 'c:' list brief |
Select * from Win32_ LogicalDisk |
partition Information on disk partitions or volumes C:\>wmic partition list brief |
Where Index='#' C:\>wmic partition '0' list full |
Select * from Win32_ DiskPartition |
diskquota Disk quota settings C:\>wmic diskquota list full |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ DiskQuota |
quotasetting Disk quota settings C:\>wmic quotasetting list brief |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ QuotaSetting |
pagefile Details on paging file(s) C:\>wmic pagefile list brief |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ PageFileUsage |
share Network shares C:\>wmic share list brief |
Where Name='#' C:\>wmic share 'c$' list full |
Select * from Win32_ Share |
idecontroller IDE disk controllers C:\>wmic idecontroller list brief |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ IDEController |
cdrom CD- and DVD-ROM drives C:\>wmic cdrom list brief |
Where Drive='#' C:\>wmic cdrom 'd:' list brief |
Select * from Win32_ CDROMDrive |
System Hardware Aliases
These aliases can be used to retrieve information on different hardware within the system.
Alias Friendly Name and Usage |
Pwhere Format |
WMI Query |
csproduct Computer system model C:\>wmic csproduct list full |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ ComputerSystemProduct |
cpu Processor information C:\>wmic cpu list full |
Where DeviceID='#' C:\>wmic cpu 'cpu0' list brief |
Select * from WIN32_ PROCESSOR |
systemslot Information on expansion slots C:\>wmic systemslot list brief |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ SystemSlot |
memorychip Memory sticks C:\>wmic memorychip list full |
Where Tag = '#' C:\>wmic memorychip ' physical memory 0 ' list brief |
Select * from Win32_ PhysicalMemory |
memphysical Memory totals C:\>wmic memphysical list full |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_ PhysicalMemoryArray |
bios Details on BIOS C:\>wmic bios list full |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_BIOS |
desktopmonitor Display monitor C:\>wmic desktopmoni- tor list full |
Where DeviceID='#' C:\>wmic desktop- monitor 'desktop- monitor1' list full |
Select * from WIN32_ DESKTOPMONITOR |
nicconfig Configuration of network interface cards (NICs) C:\>wmic nicconfig list brief |
Where Index='#' C:\>wmic nicconfig '1' list brief |
Select * from Win32_ NetworkAdapter Configuration |
nic NICs C:\>wmic nic list brief |
Where DeviceID='#' C:\>wmic nic '1' list brief |
Select * from Win32_ NetworkAdapter |
printer Installed printers C:\>wmic printer list brief |
Where Name='#' C:\>wmic printer 'Microsoft xps document writer' list full |
Select * from Win32_ Printer |
User, Group, and Domain Aliases
You can use these aliases to get information on objects such as users and groups.
Alias Friendly name and Usage |
Pwhere Format |
WMI Query |
useraccount User account details C:\>wmic useraccount list brief |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_UserAccount |
group User groups C:\>wmic group list brief |
Not defined |
Select * from Win32_Group |
sysaccount Detailed information on all user and groups, including all the built-in accounts C:\>wmic sysaccount list brief |
Where Name='#' C:\>wmic sysac- count 'everyone' list brief |
Select * from Win32_SystemAccount |
ntdomain Information on domain (if joined) C:\>wmic ntdomain list brief |
Where DomainName='#' C:\>wmic service 'pearson' list full |
Select * from Win32_NTDomain |