Using winexe to run "wmic" commands on a Windows machine

linux windows remote

11,435

Solution 1

Use the WMI-Client here: http://www.orvant.com/packages/ and run the WMIC commands directly from Linux, although you will have to use the WQL equivalents of your commands, as this version does not support the non-WQL queryies.

Solution 2

The latest winexe code (from the "current" git repository, a.k.a. "winexe-waf"; date November 2013) doesn't hang when I test it. I build winexe on Debian Wheezy with Samba 4.0.10 packages from Unstable and run winexe -U "<user>%<pwd>" //192.168.1.2 'wmic bios get serialnumber' where 192.168.1.2 is the IP address of a VirtualBox virtual machine running Windows 7 Professional SP1. Output is as follows.

$ winexe -U "<user>%<pwd>" //192.168.1.2 'wmic bios get serialnumber'
SerialNumber
0

$ winexe -U "<user>%<pwd>" //192.168.1.2 'wmic computersystem get model'
Model
VirtualBox

11,435

CptSupermrkt

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

CptSupermrkt almost 2 years

We use winexe to execute commands on our Windows machines from Linux. For example:

winexe -A authfile //syspc4.domain.com "ipconfig /all"

Expectedly the above prints out the same thing as if you had run cmd.exe on a Windows machine and typed in "ipconfig /all"

My ultimate goal is to remotely (from Linux) get the Window's machines serial number and model name. This is very easily achievable with the following two commands in cmd.exe locally on the Windows (Windows XP) machine:

wmic bios get serialnumber
wmic computersystem get model

However, any attempts to execute this via winexe simply do not work --- after hitting enter, nothing happens. No error, nothing. It will just appear to be frozen until I ctrl+c out of it.

Here are the commands that I've tried:

winexe -A authfile //syspc4.domain.com "wmic bios get serialnumber"
winexe -A authfile //syspc4.domain.com "cmd wmic bios get serialnumber"
winexe -A authfile //syspc4.domain.com "cmd /c wmic bios get serialnumber"
winexe -A authfile //syspc4.domain.com "cmd"
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>wmic bios get serialnumber

In all cases, no response. A quick look at winexe --help reveals a log option, but even with that set, there is no output log of any kind.

I found the following post on another forum, in which the person is asking almost the exact same thing as me, and naturally he just never got an answer: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-software-2/winexe-780343/

EDIT: With debug turned on, this is where it hangs:

winexe -d 6 -A authfile //syspc4.domain.com "wmic bios get serialnumber"

...
IN: async_open(\pipe\ahexec, 2)
IN: async_open_recv
CTRL: Sending command: get version
CTRL: Sending command: run wmic bios get serialnumber
CTRL: Recieved command: std_io_err 15C40030
IN: async_open(\pipe\ahexec_stdin15C40030, 2)
IN: async_open(\pipe\ahexec_stdout15C40030, 2)
IN: async_open(\pipe\ahexec_stderr15C40030, 2)
IN: async_open_recv
IN: async_open_recv
IN: async_open_recv

**hangs forever here**

Then ctrl+c:

^CAborting...
ERROR: smb_raw_read_recv - NT_STATUS_PIPE_DISCONNECTED
ERROR: smb_raw_read_recv - NT_STATUS_PIPE_DISCONNECTED
ERROR: smb_raw_read_recv - NT_STATUS_PIPE_DISCONNECTED
ERROR: smb_raw_read_recv - NT_STATUS_PIPE_DISCONNECTED
ERROR: on_ctrl_pipe_error - NT_STATUS_PIPE_DISCONNECTED

However the curious thing is that even with a command that doesn't fail (like ipconfig /all), it gives the exact same thing:

...
IN: async_open(\pipe\ahexec, 2)
IN: async_open_recv
CTRL: Sending command: get version
CTRL: Sending command: run ipconfig /all
CTRL: Recieved command: std_io_err 15C40031
IN: async_open(\pipe\ahexec_stdin15C40031, 2)
IN: async_open(\pipe\ahexec_stdout15C40031, 2)
IN: async_open(\pipe\ahexec_stderr15C40031, 2)
IN: async_open_recv
IN: async_open_recv
IN: async_open_recv

Windows IP Configuration
...
ERROR: smb_raw_read_recv - NT_STATUS_PIPE_DISCONNECTED
ERROR: smb_raw_read_recv - NT_STATUS_PIPE_DISCONNECTED
ERROR: smb_raw_read_recv - NT_STATUS_PIPE_DISCONNECTED
ERROR: smb_raw_read_recv - NT_STATUS_PIPE_DISCONNECTED
ERROR: on_ctrl_pipe_error - NT_STATUS_PIPE_DISCONNECTED

senorsmile over 10 years

Did you ever figure this out?
CptSupermrkt over 10 years

No, unfortunately I never did. The answer below for WMI-Client looks promising. Unfortunately we needed the solution around the time of posting, and ultimately just ended up doing the work by hand.
senorsmile over 10 years

I compiled the new winexe from git yesterday (it says version 1.1) and get the exact same errors and issue with it waiting with it requiring to press enter to continue the script.
senorsmile over 10 years

This seems to be a recently reopened bug that the devs are at least aware of: sourceforge.net/p/winexe/bugs/31/?page=1.

CptSupermrkt almost 11 years

Ahhhh, it looks for a number! LOL. I tried words like "high". I'll give that a shot!
slm almost 11 years

@CptSupermrkt - yes isn't it nice when they provide you with a program and a usage page but no man page that spells the actual details of how to "really" use it.
slm almost 11 years

@CptSupermrkt - The RPM that provides that package doesn't include a cent of documentation either. Nice 8-(.
slm almost 11 years

@CptSupermrkt - I have to ask, what's Captain Supermarket?
CptSupermrkt almost 11 years

I updated my question with the output of debug. Captain Supermarket is the Japanese title of the movie "Army of Darkness" :)
slm almost 11 years

@CptSupermrkt - WTF? Are you serious? Thanks I'm crying from laughter.
CptSupermrkt almost 11 years

Hah...you're right! LOL. That's funny. If it comes down to that being my one and only clue, I might just let this slide and abandon this part of the project as it's not vital for what I'm doing, just a "would be nice" kinda thing.
slm almost 11 years

@CptSupermrkt - I think that difference is a red herring but something to go on.
slm almost 11 years

@CptSupermrkt - googling it didn't shed any light.
CptSupermrkt almost 11 years

Same. Thanks for your help though.
slm almost 11 years

@CptSupermrkt - the other direction I'd be inclined to go here with is to look for winexe wmi hang in google. There are some leads. I have to head home, will pick up when I get there.
slm almost 11 years

@CptSupermrkt - is it possible that the wmi command is sitting at a prompt on the windows side? Check out this technique for using cat ... | winexe .. to send bunch of commands to a PC: opensourceinfo.blogspot.com/2010/01/winexe.html
CptSupermrkt almost 11 years

No go. Thanks though, seriously, don't go too far out of your way on this :)
CptSupermrkt over 10 years

My use for this has long passed, but it looks promising. I'll mark it as the answer. If some poor soul years from now finds this via Google and it doesn't work, please leave a comment about your experience/whether it really worked or not.
senorsmile over 10 years

I am trying out wmi-client (if I can ever get it to compile on Arch Linux). I'll post back my results.