Fix for Msinfo32.exe Error Can’t Collect Information

The System Information Tool (Msinfo32.exe) generates the error Can’t Collect Information if the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) service is not started.

msinfo32 cannot collect information

Cause

The above error occurs if the Windows Management Instrumentation service is not running.

Resolution

Follow the steps below to resolve the issue. If Step 1 resolves the issue, no need to follow Step 2 and Step 3.

Step 1) Start the WMI Service

  1. Right-click Start, and click Run.
  2. Type Services.msc and click OK.
  3. Double-click Windows Management Instrumentation
  4. Set its Startup type to Automatic
    winmgmt set to automatic
  5. Click Apply.
  6. Click Start to start the service.
  7. Click OK.

If the above steps do not work, try Step 2, and if necessary, Step 3 to re-register the WMI components.

Step 2) Reset the WMI Repository

Open an admin Command Prompt, and run the following commands.

winmgmt /backup c:\wmi_repository.bak
winmgmt /resetrepository

Restart Windows. If the problem persists, proceed to Step 3 below.

Step 3) Rebuild the WMI repository Completely

Open an admin Command Prompt, and run the following commands.

sc config winmgmt start= disabled

net stop winmgmt

(the blank space after start= is intentional)

(Note: Stopping WMI will also stop the other services that depend upon WMI. Please attempt the procedure via Safe mode if the WMI service can’t be stopped. Antimalware service(s) that depend upon WMI may not stop and thus prevent WMI from stopping. In that case, the Safe mode should help.)

Run the following commands to rebuild the repository:

CD /D %WINDIR%\System32\Wbem\Repository
DEL /F /Q /S %WINDIR%\System32\Wbem\Repository\*.*
CD /D %WINDIR%\System32\Wbem
for /f %s in ('dir /b *.dll') do regsvr32 /s %s
wmiprvse /regserver
sc config winmgmt start= auto
net start winmgmt
for /f %s in ('dir /b *.mof') do mofcomp %s
for /f %s in ('dir /b *.mfl') do mofcomp %s
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
sfc /scannow

Launch wmimgmt.msc

Right-click “WMI Control (Local)” and click Properties.

wmi repository rebuild wmimgmt

The above step recreates the repository, which might take a minute or so.

Restart Windows.

The WMI components should be re-registered now. See if you can launch msinfo32.exe now.

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Ramesh Srinivasan is passionate about Microsoft technologies and he has been a consecutive ten-time recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award in the Windows Shell/Desktop Experience category, from 2003 to 2012. He loves to troubleshoot and write about Windows. Ramesh founded Winhelponline.com in 2005.

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6 thoughts on “Fix for Msinfo32.exe Error Can’t Collect Information”

  1. Thank you very much for helping me restore the files needed for viewing my system information !

    Very good of you to provide the info as you did.

    Reply

  3. In Windows XP Sp2 there is Service Named
    DCOM Server Process Launcher
    Goto Run: Goto services.msc
    Scroll down to DCOM Server Process Launcher
    Make sure it is on automatic or Manual by right clicking it and going to properties and choosing Manual or Automatic in the drop down, Apply then OK.
    Then right click and “Start” DCOM Server Process Launcher.
    Then try to run ‘msinfo32’ again
    (This message brought to you by: Sysopo )

    Reply

  6. I tried step one, nada…then step two, nada. I was getting access denied in administrator mode…here we go again, another fruitless night wresting with a computer. I started step 3 and again got an access denied warning in the command prompt. I then looked at the succeeding code provided above:

    CD /D %WINDIR%\System32\Wbem\Repository
    DEL /F /Q /S %WINDIR%\System32\Wbem\Repository\*.*
    CD /D %WINDIR%\System32\Wbem
    for /f %s in (‘dir /b *.dll’) do regsvr32 /s %s
    wmiprvse /regserver
    sc config winmgmt start= auto
    net start winmgmt
    for /f %s in (‘dir /b *.mof’) do mofcomp %s
    for /f %s in (‘dir /b *.mfl’) do mofcomp %s
    dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
    sfc /scannow

    I started contemplating entering it a line at a time and out of FRUSTRATION…copied and pasted the whole damn thing into the cmd prompt window. It started working immediately!! I got scared because stopping the WMI was not a success, but reading the DOS messages flashing and scrolling through the window at 100 miles an hour…it seemed to be working! It took a few minutes and announced it was a success. I restarted my computer and the System Information was all there! Thank you so much, I’m going to go out and get a lottery ticket. I fixed the System Information “missing” error, and an unstable memory issue causing multiple blue screens…all in the same evening!! Again, thankyou…

    Reply

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