Where does msinfo32.exe get it's data from?

Question

Specifically, I'm looking for where System Manufacturer and System Model are located. I'm assuming the registry somewhere. I'm trying to identify the hardware for a few drive images i have backed up. Looking at the directories and driver's isn't telling me much.

Answer 1

Some of that info is obtained from the registry at

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION\System

and some of the other locales in HARDWARE.

The other system information such as System Manufacturer and System Model can only be obtained with calls to the Windows API.

Open up the WMIC.

C:\Windows\System32\wbem\WMIC.exe

In the CLI type in ComputerSystem Get Model, Manufacturer

For a remote computer, you can use the following:

%windir%\System32\wbem\WMIC.exe /node:"ComputerNameORIpAddress" ComputerSystem Get Model, Manufacturer

Or if you need a password:

%windir%\System32\wbem\WMIC.exe /node:"ComputerNameORIpAddress" /user:"domain\username" /password:"password" ComputerSystem Get Model, Manufacturer