How To Run Powershell On A List Of Computers (get-wmiobject SoftwareLicensingProduct)

Mar 8, 2025 by ADMIN 86 views

**How to Run PowerShell on a List of Computers (Get-WMIObject SoftwareLicensingProduct)**

Introduction

Running PowerShell commands on a list of computers can be a daunting task, especially when dealing with large-scale deployments or complex IT environments. However, with the right tools and techniques, you can streamline your workflow and achieve your goals efficiently. In this article, we will explore how to run PowerShell on a list of computers using the Get-WMIObject cmdlet, specifically targeting the SoftwareLicensingProduct class.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of running PowerShell on a list of computers, let's ensure you have the necessary prerequisites in place:

PowerShell 4.0 or later: You need to be running PowerShell 4.0 or later to use the Get-WMIObject cmdlet.
WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation): WMI is a set of APIs that allows you to access and manage Windows systems. You need to have WMI installed and configured on the target computers.
List of computers: You need a plain text file containing a list of computers, one computer per line. In this example, we will use a file named 1.txt located at C:\1\1.txt.

Understanding Get-WMIObject

The Get-WMIObject cmdlet is a powerful tool that allows you to retrieve WMI objects from a remote computer. The SoftwareLicensingProduct class is a specific WMI class that provides information about software licensing products installed on a computer.

Here's an example of how to use the Get-WMIObject cmdlet to retrieve the SoftwareLicensingProduct class:

Get-WMIObject -Class SoftwareLicensingProduct -ComputerName <ComputerName>

Replace <ComputerName> with the name of the computer you want to query.

Running PowerShell on a List of Computers

Now that we have a basic understanding of the Get-WMIObject cmdlet, let's see how to run PowerShell on a list of computers. We will use the Get-Content cmdlet to read the list of computers from the 1.txt file and then use a foreach loop to run the Get-WMIObject cmdlet on each computer.

Here's the PowerShell script:

# Define the file path and name $filePath = "C:\1\1.txt" $computerList = Get-Content -Path $filePath foreach ($computer in $computerList) { # Run the Get-WMIObject cmdlet on the current computer $softwareLicensingProducts = Get-WMIObject -Class SoftwareLicensingProduct -ComputerName $computer # Process the results Write-Host "Software Licensing Products on $computer:" $softwareLicensingProducts | Format-Table -Property *

}

Let's break down the script:

We define the file path and name using the $filePath variable.
We use the Get-Content cmdlet to read the list of computers from the 1.txt file and store it in the $computerList variable.
We loop through each computer in the list using a foreach loop.
Inside the loop, we run the Get-WMIObject cmdlet on the current computer using the -ComputerName parameter.
We process the results by writing a header and then using the Format-Table cmdlet to display the software licensing products in a table format.

Tips and Variations

Here are some tips and variations to help you customize the script to your needs:

Use a different file format: If you have a different file format, such as a CSV or JSON file, you can modify the script to read the file accordingly.
Use a different WMI class: If you need to retrieve a different WMI class, you can modify the script to use the corresponding class name.
Add error handling: You can add error handling to the script to handle cases where the Get-WMIObject cmdlet fails or returns an error.
Use a different output format: You can modify the script to output the results in a different format, such as a CSV or JSON file.

Conclusion

Running PowerShell on a list of computers using the Get-WMIObject cmdlet is a powerful technique that can help you streamline your workflow and achieve your goals efficiently. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can create a script that runs on a list of computers and retrieves the software licensing products using the SoftwareLicensingProduct class. Remember to customize the script to your needs and add error handling to ensure robustness.

Q: What is the purpose of the Get-WMIObject cmdlet?

A: The Get-WMIObject cmdlet is used to retrieve WMI objects from a remote computer. It allows you to access and manage Windows systems using WMI.

Q: What is the SoftwareLicensingProduct class?

A: The SoftwareLicensingProduct class is a specific WMI class that provides information about software licensing products installed on a computer.

Q: How do I use the Get-WMIObject cmdlet to retrieve the SoftwareLicensingProduct class?

A: You can use the Get-WMIObject cmdlet to retrieve the SoftwareLicensingProduct class by specifying the class name and the computer name. For example:

Get-WMIObject -Class SoftwareLicensingProduct -ComputerName <ComputerName>

Replace <ComputerName> with the name of the computer you want to query.

Q: How do I run the Get-WMIObject cmdlet on a list of computers?

A: You can run the Get-WMIObject cmdlet on a list of computers by using a foreach loop to iterate through the list of computers and run the cmdlet on each computer. For example:

$computerList = Get-Content -Path "C:\1\1.txt"
foreach ($computer in $computerList) {
    $softwareLicensingProducts = Get-WMIObject -Class SoftwareLicensingProduct -ComputerName $computer
    # Process the results
}

Q: What is the purpose of the -ComputerName parameter?

A: The -ComputerName parameter is used to specify the name of the computer on which to run the Get-WMIObject cmdlet.

Q: How do I handle errors when running the Get-WMIObject cmdlet?

A: You can handle errors when running the Get-WMIObject cmdlet by using the Try-Catch block. For example:

try {
    $softwareLicensingProducts = Get-WMIObject -Class SoftwareLicensingProduct -ComputerName $computer
} catch {
    Write-Host "Error occurred on $computer: $($Error[0].Message)"
}

Q: Can I use the Get-WMIObject cmdlet to retrieve other WMI classes?

A: Yes, you can use the Get-WMIObject cmdlet to retrieve other WMI classes by specifying the class name. For example:

Get-WMIObject -Class Win32_OperatingSystem -ComputerName <ComputerName>

Q: How do I output the results in a different format?

A: You can output the results in a different format by using the Format-Table cmdlet or by piping the results to a file. For example:

$softwareLicensingProducts | Format-Table -Property *
$softwareLicensingProducts | Export-Csv -Path "C:\output.csv"

Q: Can I use the Get-WMIObject cmdlet to retrieve data from a remote computer that is not on the same domain?

A: Yes, you can use the Get-WMIObject cmdlet to retrieve data from a remote computer that is not on the same domain by using the -Credential parameter to specify the credentials of the account that has access to the remote computer. For example:

$cred = Get-Credential
$softwareLicensingProducts = Get-WMIObject -Class SoftwareLicensingProduct -ComputerName $computer -Credential $cred

Q: How do I troubleshoot issues with the Get-WMIObject cmdlet?

A: You can troubleshoot issues with the Get-WMIObject cmdlet by checking the event logs on the remote computer, checking the WMI namespace, and verifying that the account used to run the cmdlet has the necessary permissions.