here is an article on collecting service tags on win2k machines
trying it now...
trying it now...
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Win2k and Dell Service tags 1
- Thread starter WhiteWiz
- Start date
Schoenberg
Programmer
This method is very nice because you are creating your own classes in the database, therefore you know the infomration is all located in one spot.
If you try the SMBIOS method of getting the Asset data from Dell PCs, then you will soon find out that the Asset tag gets reported in different locations depending on the BIOS (even similar Dell machines can have totally different BIOSs).
If you are really good at writing queries, though, you can use the SMBIOS method (changing the SMS_Def.MOF file to include Asset Tag, Dell Service Tag etc.) and then write complex queries that join the correct data in to a single query.
We have been successful in getting the Asset data on machines older than the GXa using the Dell Asset utility. But not very reliably.
If you try the SMBIOS method of getting the Asset data from Dell PCs, then you will soon find out that the Asset tag gets reported in different locations depending on the BIOS (even similar Dell machines can have totally different BIOSs).
If you are really good at writing queries, though, you can use the SMBIOS method (changing the SMS_Def.MOF file to include Asset Tag, Dell Service Tag etc.) and then write complex queries that join the correct data in to a single query.
We have been successful in getting the Asset data on machines older than the GXa using the Dell Asset utility. But not very reliably.
- Thread starter
- #3
I am having trouble now finding where the service tag polled by asset.exe/sm_info.exe is stored in the database so i can make a crystal report with all the data I have collected.
I too have had success polling GXa's but not GXpro, Workstation 400, GXMT. I was going to try putting GXa bios on a workstation 400 since they are nearly identical. I don't know if the bios install program will let me do this.
I modified the example .kix script extensively. Here is my latest script:
?'Kixart Script..............written by David S. Bernett - creates a DELL.MIF file'
?'- Name this script SMSMIF.kix'
;?'CHEKS FOR EXISTANCE OF SMS, IF NOT INNSTALLED SCRIPT WILL RUN SMSLS.BAT AND EXIT '
IF EXIST(%WINDIR%+"\MS\SMS\LOGS\RemCtrl.Log"
= 0
Shell @Ldrive + "SMSLS.BAT"
EXIT 1
ENDIF
?'CHECKS FOR NT OR 95/98. IF 95/98, SECTION BELOW WILL BE SKIPPED '
IF @INWIN = 1
;?'IF MIF FILE ALREADY THERE, THEN EXIT '
;IF EXIST(%WINDIR%+"\ms\sms\noidmifs\dell.mif" = 1
; EXIT 2
;ENDIF
?'RUNS assetnt.bat which contains the following line: %0\..\sm_info.exe > c:\tag.txt '
SHELL @LDrive + "assetnt.bat"
$q = CHR(34)
IF OPEN(2, "C:\TAG.TXT" = 0
?'READS THE FIRST 12 LINES OF TEXT FILE, GRABS SERVICE TAG ;FROM 12TH LINE. '
$COUNTER = 1
DO
$line = ReadLine(2)
? "Line read: [" + $line + "]"
IF LEN($line) > 1
;$tag = SUBSTR(ReadLine(2), 14, 18)
$tag = SUBSTR($line, 14, 18)
ENDIF
$COUNTER = $COUNTER + 1
UNTIL $COUNTER = 12
?"Line read: [" + $line + "]"
;Places "Not Avail" as Service Tag if other then Dell machine or
;an old dell that does not support SM_INFO.exe
$Length = LEN($tag)
IF $Length > 7 or $Length < 5
$tag = "Not Avail"
ENDIF
ENDIF
CLOSE(2)
? 'writes a .mif file, overwrites if one exists'
? 'Service Tag: ' + $tag
$OutFile = "%WINDIR%\ms\sms\noidmifs\dell.mif"
? $OutFile
IF RedirectOutput($OutFile,1) = 0
"Start Component"
?"Name = " + $q + "Dell System MIF$q"
?"Start Group"
?"Name = " + $q + "Dell Summary$q"
?"ID =1"
?"CLASS = " + $q + "Dell Summary$q"
?"Start Attribute"
?"Name = " + $q + "ServiceTag$q"
?"ID = 1"
?"Type = String(255)"
?"Access = Read-Only"
?"Storage = Common"
?"VALUE = " + $q + $tag + $q
?"End Attribute"
?"End Group"
?"End Component"
?
ENDIF
EXIT
ENDIF
I too have had success polling GXa's but not GXpro, Workstation 400, GXMT. I was going to try putting GXa bios on a workstation 400 since they are nearly identical. I don't know if the bios install program will let me do this.
I modified the example .kix script extensively. Here is my latest script:
?'Kixart Script..............written by David S. Bernett - creates a DELL.MIF file'
?'- Name this script SMSMIF.kix'
;?'CHEKS FOR EXISTANCE OF SMS, IF NOT INNSTALLED SCRIPT WILL RUN SMSLS.BAT AND EXIT '
IF EXIST(%WINDIR%+"\MS\SMS\LOGS\RemCtrl.Log"
= 0 Shell @Ldrive + "SMSLS.BAT"
EXIT 1
ENDIF
?'CHECKS FOR NT OR 95/98. IF 95/98, SECTION BELOW WILL BE SKIPPED '
IF @INWIN = 1
;?'IF MIF FILE ALREADY THERE, THEN EXIT '
;IF EXIST(%WINDIR%+"\ms\sms\noidmifs\dell.mif"
= 1 ; EXIT 2
;ENDIF
?'RUNS assetnt.bat which contains the following line: %0\..\sm_info.exe > c:\tag.txt '
SHELL @LDrive + "assetnt.bat"
$q = CHR(34)
IF OPEN(2, "C:\TAG.TXT"
= 0 ?'READS THE FIRST 12 LINES OF TEXT FILE, GRABS SERVICE TAG ;FROM 12TH LINE. '
$COUNTER = 1
DO
$line = ReadLine(2)
? "Line read: [" + $line + "]"
IF LEN($line) > 1
;$tag = SUBSTR(ReadLine(2), 14, 18)
$tag = SUBSTR($line, 14, 18)
ENDIF
$COUNTER = $COUNTER + 1
UNTIL $COUNTER = 12
?"Line read: [" + $line + "]"
;Places "Not Avail" as Service Tag if other then Dell machine or
;an old dell that does not support SM_INFO.exe
$Length = LEN($tag)
IF $Length > 7 or $Length < 5
$tag = "Not Avail"
ENDIF
ENDIF
CLOSE(2)
? 'writes a .mif file, overwrites if one exists'
? 'Service Tag: ' + $tag
$OutFile = "%WINDIR%\ms\sms\noidmifs\dell.mif"
? $OutFile
IF RedirectOutput($OutFile,1) = 0
"Start Component"
?"Name = " + $q + "Dell System MIF$q"
?"Start Group"
?"Name = " + $q + "Dell Summary$q"
?"ID =1"
?"CLASS = " + $q + "Dell Summary$q"
?"Start Attribute"
?"Name = " + $q + "ServiceTag$q"
?"ID = 1"
?"Type = String(255)"
?"Access = Read-Only"
?"Storage = Common"
?"VALUE = " + $q + $tag + $q
?"End Attribute"
?"End Group"
?"End Component"
?
ENDIF
EXIT
ENDIF
Schoenberg
Programmer
WMI CIM Studio will help you.
This utility (in the WMI SDK...go to will allow you to log on to your SMS Site Server and browse the SMS namespace inside of WMI.
When you browse you will be able to see exactly what effect your MIF is having on the schema. My first guess is that your data will be in:
SMS_G_System_Dell_Summary
keep in mind, however, that because you are using the NOIDMIF solution, you are reliant on the hardware inventory cycle. This means that your data may take a while to show up, depending on hardware agent settings, etc.
I have found that NOIDMIFS on the client are generally very reliable, however.
This utility (in the WMI SDK...go to will allow you to log on to your SMS Site Server and browse the SMS namespace inside of WMI.
When you browse you will be able to see exactly what effect your MIF is having on the schema. My first guess is that your data will be in:
SMS_G_System_Dell_Summary
keep in mind, however, that because you are using the NOIDMIF solution, you are reliant on the hardware inventory cycle. This means that your data may take a while to show up, depending on hardware agent settings, etc.
I have found that NOIDMIFS on the client are generally very reliable, however.
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1
- #5
- Thread starter
- #6
- Thread starter
- #7
You can get CIM Studio from the wmisdk here:
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