Create, import, export, copy, and paste WMI filters

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Open Group Policy Management.
In the console tree, right-click WMI Filters in the forest and domain in which you want to create a WMI filter.

Where?

Forest name/Domains/Domain name/WMI Filters
Click New.
In the New WMI Filter dialog box, type a name for the new WMI Filter in the Name box, type a description of the filter in the Description box.
Click Add.
In the WMI Query dialog box, either leave the default namespace (root\CIMv2) or enter another namespace by doing one of the following:
- In the Namespace box, type the name of the namespace that you want to use for the WMI query.
- Click Browse, select a namespace from the list, and then click OK.
Type a WMI query in the Query box, and then click OK.
To add more queries, repeat steps 5 through 7 to add each query.
After adding all queries, click Save.

Notes

You must have privileges to create WMI filters in the domain in which you want to create the filter. By default the Domain Administrators, Enterprise Administrators, and Group Policy Creator Owners groups have this permission.
WMI Filters is only available if at least one domain controller in the domain is running Windows Server 2003. The same is true for WMI Filtering on the Scope tab for Group Policy objects (GPOs).
To delete a WMI filter, in the console tree, right-click the WMI filter and then click Delete. When asked to confirm whether you want to delete the WMI filter, click Yes.

Where?

Forest name/Domains/Domain name/WMI Filters/WMI filter name

Open Group Policy Management.
In the console tree, right-click WMI Filters in the forest and domain into which you want to import a WMI filter.

Where?

Forest name/Domains/Domain name/WMI Filters
Click Import.
In the Import WMI Filter dialog box, enter the .mof file that contains the WMI filter you want to import, and then click Open.
In the Import WMI Filter dialog box, specify the appropriate information in the Name and Description boxes, and then do one of the following:
- To import the WMI filter without changing it, click Import.
- To change the WMI filter and then import it, click Edit, make the appropriate changes to the namespace or query, click OK, and then click Import.

Notes

You must have privileges to create WMI filters in the domain in which you want to create the filter to complete this procedure. By default the Domain Administrators, Enterprise Administrators, and Group Policy Creator Owners groups have this permission.
WMI Filters is only available if at least one domain controller in the domain is running WindowsServer 2003. The same is true for WMI Filtering on the Scope tab for Group Policy objects (GPOs).
Importing a WMI filter creates a new filter instead of modifying an existing filter.

Open Group Policy Management.
In the console tree, find the WMI filter that you want to export.

Where?

Forest name/Domains/Domain name/WMI Filters/WMI filter name
Right-click the WMI filter that you want to export, and then click Export.
In the Export WMI filter dialog box, select a secure file system location from the Save in drop-down list box, enter a name for the filter that you want to export, and then click Save.

Important
- To secure exported WMI filters, ensure that only authorized administrators have permission to access the folder to which you are exporting the filter.
- To maximize security, you should store WMI filters in a secure file system location on servers running Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003.

Notes

WMI Filters is only available if at least one domain controller in the domain is running Windows Server 2003. The same is true for WMI Filtering on the Scope tab for Group Policy objects (GPOs).
You can also export a WMI filter by clicking WMI Filters and, in the results pane, clicking the Contents tab, right-clicking the filter name, and then clicking Export.
Exported WMI filters are stored in the file system as .mof files, which use a general-purpose format for storing various types of WMI data. Group Policy Management can import only .mof files that contain a single WMI filter.

Open Group Policy Management.
In the console tree, click the WMI filter in the forest and domain containing the WMI filter that you want to copy.

Where?

Forest name/Domains/Domain name/WMI Filters/WMI filter name
Right-click the WMI filter you want to copy, and then click Copy to copy the filter to the clipboard.
In the destination domain, right-click WMI Filters, and then click Paste.

Notes

You must have privileges to create WMI filters in the domain in which you want to create the filter to complete this procedure. By default the Domain Administrators, Enterprise Administrators, and Group Policy Creator Owners groups have this permission.
WMI Filters is only available if at least one domain controller in the domain is running Windows Server 2003. The same is true for WMI Filtering on the Scope tab for Group Policy objects (GPOs).

See Also