wmic [context] [verb] [noun] [properties] [options]
If you're on a system where WMIC is still installed or can be enabled, here's how its help system works.
Properties are assigned values using the format PropertyName="Value" . Multiple properties are separated by commas. Examples of Creating New Instances WMIC Command Example Create Environment Variable wmic environment create name="temp"; variablevalue="new" Start a New Process wmic process call create "notepad.exe" Create a New User Account
Start-Process "notepad.exe" or Invoke-CimMethod -ClassName Win32_Process -MethodName "Create" -Arguments @CommandLine='notepad.exe' wmic service where state="stopped" get name wmic help new
WMIC (Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line) is a command-line tool used to interact with WMI. It provides a way to access and manipulate WMI data, as well as to execute WMI commands. WMIC is a powerful tool that can be used to manage and monitor Windows-based systems, both locally and remotely.
Forget /? . In PowerShell, use Get-Help or -? .
Below is a cheat sheet mapping common legacy WMIC commands to their modern PowerShell counterparts. Management Goal Legacy WMIC Command New PowerShell (CIM) Cmdlet wmic os get caption, version Examples of Creating New Instances WMIC Command Example
4. Practical Examples: Translating Help into Actionable Commands
Warning: Be careful with the call verb; it performs actions rather than just reading data.
To get help on a specific area (alias), such as the CPU, memory, or running processes, use the /? switch after the alias name: Forget /
Here are some basic WMIC commands:
This usually means the feature isn't installed or the path %SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem is missing from your environment variables.
If you still have WMIC installed, you can explore help for other verbs or global switches by using these commands: wmic /? : General help and list of global switches.
While WMIC is functional, Microsoft is phasing it out in favor of PowerShell ( Get-CimInstance ). However, knowing wmic is still valuable for: Quick, interactive troubleshooting. Legacy systems where PowerShell might be restricted. Batch scripts that cannot utilize PowerShell. Example Shift: wmic logicaldisk get name