Microsoft KB Archive/202538

= SMS: How to Edit MOF Files with MOF Manager =

Article ID: 202538

Article Last Modified on 10/27/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q202538



SUMMARY
This article describes how to edit Managed Object Format (MOF) files with the MOF Manager tool (Mofman.exe).

NOTE: Resource kit utilities such as Mofman.exe are supported on a reasonable-effort basis.



MORE INFORMATION
MOF is a compiled language created by the Desktop Management Task Force (DMTF). MOF files can be used to define dynamic or static classes and instances of the classes. The MOF files can be compiled by the MOF compiler (Mofcomp.exe) that adds the classes to the Common Information Model (CIM) repository.

Location of Mofman.exe
You can use Mofman.exe that is included in Systems Management Server (SMS) 2.0 to edit existing MOF files and to toggle the classes and instances that are defined in the MOF file to be available in the CIM repository and inventoried at each client.

Mofman.exe is available at the following locations:
 * The Support\Reskit\Bin\I386\Mofman folder on the SMS 2.0 CD-ROM.
 * The SMS section of BackOffice Resource Kit version 4.5. Use any of the following methods to access Mofman.exe in the BackOffice Resource Kit:
 * After you install BackOffice Resource Kit version 4.5, start Microsoft Windows Explorer, and then navigate to \SMS\Mofman\Mofman.exe. By default, the resource kit is installed in the Program Files folder.
 * Click Start, click Programs, click Resource Kit, start the Tools Management Console (Rktmc), and then navigate to Microsoft Resource Kits\BackOffice 4.5 Resource Kit\Systems Management Server Tools\Discovery\Inventory tools.
 * Click Start, click Programs, click Resource Kit, start the Tools Management Console (Rktmc), and then navigate to the Tools A to Z folder.

Refer to the SMS 2.0 Resource Guide for additional information about how to use Mofman.exe.

The Sms_def.mof File
All of the classes and instances of information that are collected during hardware inventory on a client computer are listed in the Sms_def.mof file. By default, this file is located in the SMS\Inboxes\Clifiles.src\Hinv folder on the SMS site server. By default, only about 40 percent of the classes are enabled. Of the classes that are enabled, only about 50 percent of their individual instances are enabled.

Only about 20 percent of all instances are enabled by default because of the amount of information that some classes can obtain during an inventory pass. If you make changes to the Sms_def.mof file, use caution and test any changes in a lab environment. By default, SMS discards any inventory file that has more than 5,000,000 bytes that reaches the site server. You can increase this value, but the value can also be readily exceeded if you enable additional classes.

NOTE: It has been reported that inventory files have reached over 10 megabytes (MBs). Inventory files that are this size have adverse effects on the site server's performance.

Editing the Sms_def.mof File
NOTE: It is recommended that you make a copy of the Sms_def.mof file before you edit it so that you can restore the original file if unexpected or inappropriate results occur.

To edit the Sms_def.mof file, start Mofman.exe, click Open on the File menu, and then navigate to Sms_def.mof. Mofman.exe displays the MOF classes in the left pane under the "Class List" heading. Each class has either a red or green icon beside it. This icon indicates if the class is disabled (red) or enabled (green) for inventory collection.

To change the report status of either a class or an instance, use any of the following methods:
 * Double-click the class or instance that you want reported or disabled. When you do so, the icon color changes.
 * Click the Report option above the 'Class List' frame. When you do so, the color of the icon beside the class changes. Double-click any instances that you want reported.
 * On the Edit menu, click Class, and then click either Report All, Report None, or Report: . To enable all instances of a class, click Properties on the Edit menu, and then click Report All. This menu command is instance-specific.

Known Issues
These are a few of the known issues that may occur if you modify the Sms_def.mof file:  Eight blank classes may be displayed at the beginning of the Sms_def.mof file or you may receive an error message when you attempt to compile the MOF using Mofcomp.exe. For additional information about how to resolve these issues, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

237495 SMS: Err Msg: ERROR 2 Failed to Run MofComp

 If you enable any of the following classes, network traffic may occur during an inventory cycle:  Win32_BootConfiguration Win32_Desktop Win32_Environment Win32_Group Win32_LogicalDisk</li> Win32_NetworkLogonProfile</li> Win32_Printer</li> Win32_PrinterConfiguration</li> Win32_ProgramGroup</li> Win32_SystemAccount</li> Win32_UserAccount</li></ul>

</li> It has been reported that Win32_LogicalDisk contributes to the SMSCliToknAcct& account lockout problems that may occur in versions earlier than SMS 2.0 Service Pack 2 (SP2).</li> If you enable the Win32_UserAccount class, trusted domains are examined.</li> The Win32_NTLogEvent class can pull the individual events found on Windows NT servers. Depending on the server, the number of messages can be more than 10,000.</li> The Win32_UserAccount can pull the accounts from the Security Accounts Manager (SAM) database on a Windows NT 4.0 domain controller, and cause unusually large inventory files to be created.</li></ul>

The following white paper describes how to modifying the MOF file by creating additional classes:

Collecting Asset Information with Systems Management Server 2.0

Additional query words: prodsms

Keywords: kbhowto kbinventory KB202538

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