Policy settings incorrectly applied or denied due to WMI filtering

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

WMI filters can affect whether or not a particular GPO is being processed. If a WMI returns a false value, the GPO that it is linked to will not be processed.

Cause

If the GPO is linked to a WMI filter, the queries in the WMI filter are evaluated against the data provided by WMI on the client. Such data can include hardware and software inventory, settings, and configuration information.

  • If all of the criteria are true, the GPO is applied.

  • If any of the criteria is false, the GPO is denied.

If a WMI filter is deleted, the links to the WMI filter are not automatically deleted. If there is a link to a non-existent WMI filter, the GPO with that link will not be processed until the link is removed or the filter is restored.

Note   Only Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 support WMI filtering. If the computer is running an earlier operating system (such as Windows 2000), the WMI filter is ignored and the GPO is applied.

Solution

GPMC shows any WMI filters linked to GPOs that are processed by the computer and the result of the filter as it was evaluated for that computer (or user).

To check WMI filters using GPMC

  1. Open GPMC, click the GPO that you want to troubleshoot, and then click the Scope tab. The WMI Filtering section shows whether a WMI filter is linked to the GPO.

  2. If you need to edit the filter, click Open, and then click Edit.