Vista - Use VBScript to Set Local Computer Description

I have been doing this for years in XP and Server 2003, but recently I have
been installing Vista x64 Edition for some specific needs. This code is
part of a workstation startup script that pulls the description from AD and
makes it the local description on the computer. This does not work in Vista
x64 or Server 2008 x64 and I have found no explanation on the Internet as of
yet. I have not tested in x86 installs of the same OS. Yes, I am running
it as administrator while testing, if I do not, I receive Access Denied.


sComputer = "."
Set Obj = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & sComputer &
"\root\cimv2").InstancesOf("Win32_OperatingSystem")
For Each x In Obj
x.Description = "This is the computer description."
x.Put_
Next


The object is being created just fine. I can use other methods on the
object successfully like GetText_ . I have found no documentation that says
Put_ shouldn't work.
Any help would be appreciated. This one is driving me crazy.

When running, I receive the following error:
---------------------------
Windows Script Host
---------------------------
Script: C:\Users\username\Desktop\test.vbs
Line: 6
Char: 4
Error: Value out of range
Code: 8004102B
Source: SWbemObjectEx

---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

Thanks

"Jeremy" <trombone79atgmail.com> wrote in message
news:OjxTslzyJHA.1416@xxxxxx
Does it help to specify impersonationLevel and authenticationLevel when you
connect with WMI? For example:

strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
& "{impersonationLevel=impersonate,authenticationLevel=Pkt}!\\" _
& strComputer & "\root\cimv2")


Also, when you say you run the script as Administrator, I assume you either
right click the script and select "Run as administrator", or you run a
command prompt by right clicking cmd.exe and selecting "Run as
administrator". Being authenticated to the machine with administrator
credentials no longer will work. Finally, which is line 6?

--
Richard Mueller
MVP Directory Services
Hilltop Lab - http://www.rlmueller.net
--

I run from a command prompt that I righ-click to run as administrator.
There is no option in the context menu on a .vbs file.

Setting the impersonationLevel=impersonate yields exactle the same result.
I have tried with and without it.

The error Line (line 6 in my error) is x.Put_ .

Thanks for your reply.


Sorry to everyone about the double post.

"Richard Mueller [MVP]" <rlmueller-nospam@xxxxxx> wrote in
message news:OthKXU0yJHA.1380@xxxxxx

I've tried the demo code and have no trouble at all with it on Vista
Business Edition (32-bit), Win 7 Beta build 7000 x64, or Win2008 Server x64.

Did you try the _modified_ version on the computer, the one that simply sets
the description as you showed? I'm asking because I suspect the error
message could be correct with AD data in some circumstances. Depending on
what you're pulling from where in AD, the value you return may not be a
standard text string.

If you find a generic description can be set successfully, I suggest you
next look at the data you're returning from AD to use as the description. I
would check two things: the typename for the returned value, and then - if
it appears to be a single string - I suggest escaping the data and
displaying it, to check for possible odd characters.

WScript.Echo TypeName(AdDescription)
WScript.Echo Escape(AdDescription)

"Jeremy" <trombone79atgmail.com> wrote in message
news:ubrgkk0yJHA.5684@xxxxxx

The description attribute in AD is multi-valued, even though there is never
more than one value. Depending on how you retrieve the value, you could get
an array. For example, ADO either returns a Null if there is no value, or an
array of one string value. TypeName will return "String()" in the later
case.

--
Richard Mueller
MVP Directory Services
Hilltop Lab - http://www.rlmueller.net
--

"Alex K. Angelopoulos" <aka(at)mvps.org> wrote in message
news:OUx%23$D4yJHA.5032@xxxxxx

I have attempted this as a standalone script entering simply "test" as the
description using the exact code in this post with the same result.

My startup script is extensive and I do many things on the computer with it.
That being said, I take into account all value types returned from AD in my
script(s).

If you were able to run this code on Win2008 x64, it must either be a hotfix
or something else specific to my environment or even the way I am running
it?

Alex, can you step me through the process you use to run the script? Though
I am sure my process for running it is ok, I'm new to Vista/2008 and may be
missing something. I start by putting the script on the desktop. I then
run cmd.exe as administrator by right clicking and choosing to run as
administrator. Then change my directory to the desktop folder where the
..vbs file is located. I then type the name of the file to run it.

Thanks for the help

"Alex K. Angelopoulos" <aka(at)mvps.org> wrote in message
news:OUx%23$D4yJHA.5032@xxxxxx

You're running it exactly the way I do. What do you mean by same result?
Same result as I get, or the same type mismatch error that you got before?

"Jeremy" <trombone79atgmail.com> wrote in message
news:ukMqmb4yJHA.5684@xxxxxx

Ignore my previous post. I can confirm that on Vista 32-bit I get the same
error as you do IF the description has already been set to some value:
Error: Value out of range
Code: 8004102B
Source: SWbemObjectEx

So I can confirm it's apparently an issue with doing a put_ in the
environment when a value is already set, and it appears to happen on 32-bit
Vista as well - but not 64-bit Vista or 2008 Server. I've tried running the
test following a reboot and get the same error back.

I initially tried setting some flags on the Put_() method but Vista doesn't
appear to like that. What's weird is the error that we get back; it's not
only undocumented in the Put_ method docs, but when it _has_ been reported
in the past (on XP) it has been a meaningful message - people trying to
create a page file that's too large, for example.

I'm trying to find a way to look inside the problem now.



"Alex K. Angelopoulos" <aka(at)mvps.org> wrote in message
news:eEOQlk#yJHA.4412@xxxxxx

I'm getting nothing useful from trying to explore the Description property.
I _do_ have a workaround for this specific scenario; you can set a
computer's description either locally or remotely by directly going to the
registry value backing it. It works fine using WMI's StdRegProv.
Unfortunately, it doesn't explain why this particular problem happens.

strComputer = "."
Set reg = GetObject("winmgmts:\\"&_
strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv")
regpath = "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters"
value = "New Description for the computer"
returned = reg.SetStringValue( &H80000002, regpath, "srvcomment", value)
WScript.Echo returned ' returned error, which should be 0


"Alex K. Angelopoulos" <aka(at)mvps.org> wrote in message
news:ecRKI5#yJHA.4272@xxxxxx

And one more self-spamming post. ; )

I'm finding the error occurs with the Put_() method against other WMI
properties on Vista x86. I also tried disabling UAC temporarily, and even
enabling the standard administrator account and logging in with it. Same
results. I went on to try using CIM_OperatingSystem instead of
Win32_OperatingSystem, and get the same error value back.

I'm not finding any reports of this specific issue with Vista, however.

"Alex K. Angelopoulos" <aka(at)mvps.org> wrote in message
news:ecRKI5#yJHA.4272@xxxxxx