Windows - Maintenance Tasks - Repair WMI Repository

What the WMI repository repair Worklet does

This Automox Worklet™ diagnoses and repairs the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) repository, a critical system component that manages configuration settings, hardware inventory, and software deployment information across your endpoints.

The Worklet first runs the winmgmt /verifyrepository command to evaluate the repository's integrity. If no corruption is detected, the endpoint is compliant and the check ends. If corruption is found, the Worklet proceeds to perform comprehensive repairs.

When remediation is required, the Worklet creates a timestamped backup of your existing WMI repository to ${ENV:ProgramData}\amagent\WorkletCache\WSE-810, then re-registers DLL files, recompiles MOF (Managed Object Format) files, and resets the repository to its default state.

Why repair WMI repository corruption

Applications cannot query hardware inventory, system policies fail to apply, and IT Operations loses visibility into endpoint configuration and compliance status when the WMI repository becomes corrupted. A corrupted WMI repository causes widespread system management failures that prevent legitimate management tools from functioning, including Windows Update, antivirus solutions, and enterprise management platforms.

Repairing the repository restores these critical management channels and prevents escalation to complete endpoint remediation.

By automating WMI repairs through Automox, you eliminate manual troubleshooting time and restore endpoint management capabilities proactively before they impact production operations.

How WMI repository repair works

1. Evaluation phase: The Worklet runs winmgmt /verifyrepository to check for corruption. If the repository is consistent, the endpoint is compliant and no further action occurs. If corruption is detected, the Worklet flags the endpoint for remediation.

2. Remediation phase: The Worklet creates a timestamped backup, salvages the repository with winmgmt /salvagerepository, re-registers WMI binaries using regsvr32, recompiles all MOF and MFL files with mofcomp, restarts the Windows Management Instrumentation service, and performs a final reset with winmgmt /resetrepository.

WMI repository repair requirements

• Windows Server 2016 or later, or Windows 10/11 endpoints

• Local Administrator privileges required for WMI service restart and registry modifications

• PowerShell 3.0 or higher

• Write access to ProgramData\amagent\WorkletCache for backup storage

• Works on both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows architectures

Expected WMI repository state

After the Worklet completes remediation, your WMI repository returns to its initial state as it existed when the operating system was first installed. All system management tools will regain the ability to query hardware inventory, apply group policies, and access system configuration data. This restoration of WMI functionality resolves management failures and restores endpoint visibility for IT Operations.

Note that resetting the WMI repository clears custom WMI namespaces, classes, and provider instances created by third-party applications. Some software relying on custom WMI data may require reconfiguration or reinstallation after the Worklet runs. A timestamped backup is automatically preserved so you can manually restore it if needed. Automox recommends restarting the endpoint after remediation so all services initialize correctly with the repaired repository, completing the recovery process.

How to validate repair wmi repository changes

1. Run this Worklet on a pilot Windows endpoint and review evaluation output for repair wmi repository.

2. Confirm Automox activity logs show successful completion and exit code 0.

3. Verify endpoint state using checks aligned to evaluation script logic, such as Write-Output.

4. Validate remediation effects from script operations such as Write-Verbose, New-Item, Out-Null, then rerun evaluation for compliance.