Windows Management Instrumentation (winmgmt) Service Defaults in Windows 8
Provides a common interface and object model to access management information about operating system, devices, applications and services. If this service is stopped, most Windows-based software will not function properly. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Default Settings
| Startup type: | Automatic |
| Display name: | Windows Management Instrumentation |
| Service name: | winmgmt |
| Service type: | share |
| Error control: | ignore |
| Object: | localSystem |
| Path: | %SystemRoot%\system32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs |
| File: | %SystemRoot%\system32\wbem\WMIsvc.dll |
| Registry key: | HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\winmgmt |
Default Behavior
Windows Management Instrumentation is a Win32 service. In Windows 8 it is starting automatically during the operating system startup. Then the Windows Management Instrumentation service runs as localSystem in a process of svchost.exe, sharing it with other services. If Windows Management Instrumentation fails to load or initialize, Windows 8 startup proceeds. The error details should be added to Event Log without notifying the user.
Dependencies
Windows Management Instrumentation can't start, if the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service is disabled or not available.
All the services listed below will not start if Windows Management Instrumentation is disabled:
Restore Default Startup Configuration of Windows Management Instrumentation
Before you begin doing this, make sure that all the services on which Windows Management Instrumentation depends are configured by default and function properly. See the list of dependencies above.1. Run the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Copy the commands below, paste them into the command window and press ENTER:
sc config winmgmt start= auto
sc start winmgmt
3. Close the command window and restart the computer.
The winmgmt service is using the WMIsvc.dll file that is located in the C:\Windows\system32\wbem directory. If the file is removed or corrupted, read this article to restore its original version from Windows 8 installation media.