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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

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