WMI是英文Windows Management
      Instrumentation的简写，它的功能主要是：访问本地主机的一些信息和服务，可以管理远程计算机（当然你必须要拥有足够的权限），比如：重启，关机，关闭进程，创建进程等。

实例如下:

'用WMI,先工程-引用 Microsoft WMI Scripting V1.1 Library

    获取显卡/声卡/内存/操作系统的信息

   声卡信息

Private Sub wmiSoundDeviceInfo()

   Dim wmiObjSet As SWbemObjectSet
   Dim obj As SWbemObject
  
   Set wmiObjSet = GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}"). _
                          InstancesOf("Win32_SoundDevice")
   On Local Error Resume Next
  
   For Each obj In wmiObjSet
      MsgBox obj.ProductName
   Next
End Sub

显卡信息

Private Sub wmiVideoControllerInfo()

   Dim wmiObjSet As SWbemObjectSet
   Dim obj As SWbemObject
  
   Set wmiObjSet = GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}"). _
                          InstancesOf("Win32_VideoController")
  
   On Local Error Resume Next
  
   For Each obj In wmiObjSet
      MsgBox obj.VideoProcessor
   Next
End Sub

内存信息

Private Sub wmiPhysicalMemoryInfo()

   Dim wmiObjSet As SWbemObjectSet
   Dim obj As SWbemObject
  
   Set wmiObjSet = GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}"). _
                          InstancesOf("Win32_PhysicalMemory")
  
   On Local Error Resume Next
  
   For Each objItem In wmiObjSet
        Debug.Print "BankLabel: " & objItem.BankLabel
        Debug.Print "Capacity: " & objItem.Capacity
        Debug.Print "Caption: " & objItem.Caption
        Debug.Print "CreationClassName: " & objItem.CreationClassName
        Debug.Print "DataWidth: " & objItem.DataWidth
        Debug.Print "Description: " & objItem.Description
        Debug.Print "DeviceLocator: " & objItem.DeviceLocator
        Debug.Print "FormFactor: " & objItem.FormFactor
        Debug.Print "HotSwappable: " & objItem.HotSwappable
        Debug.Print "InstallDate: " & objItem.InstallDate
        Debug.Print "InterleaveDataDepth: " & objItem.InterleaveDataDepth
        Debug.Print "InterleavePosition: " & objItem.InterleavePosition
        Debug.Print "Manufacturer: " & objItem.Manufacturer
        Debug.Print "MemoryType: " & objItem.MemoryType
        Debug.Print "Model: " & objItem.Model
        Debug.Print "Name: " & objItem.name
        Debug.Print "OtherIdentifyingInfo: " & objItem.OtherIdentifyingInfo
        Debug.Print "PartNumber: " & objItem.PartNumber
        Debug.Print "PositionInRow: " & objItem.PositionInRow
        Debug.Print "PoweredOn: " & objItem.PoweredOn
        Debug.Print "Removable: " & objItem.Removable
        Debug.Print "Replaceable: " & objItem.Replaceable
        Debug.Print "SerialNumber: " & objItem.SerialNumber
        Debug.Print "SKU: " & objItem.SKU
        Debug.Print "Speed: " & objItem.Speed
        Debug.Print "Status: " & objItem.Status
        Debug.Print "Tag: " & objItem.Tag
        Debug.Print "TotalWidth: " & objItem.TotalWidth
        Debug.Print "TypeDetail: " & objItem.TypeDetail
        Debug.Print "Version: " & objItem.Version
   Next
End Sub

操作系统信息

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    Dim wmiObjSet As SWbemObjectSet
    Dim obj As SWbemObject
    Dim msg As String
    Dim dtb As String
    Dim d As String
    Dim t As String
    Dim bias As Long
    On Local Error Resume Next
    Set wmiObjSet = GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}").InstancesOf("Win32_OperatingSystem")
    For Each obj In wmiObjSet
        MsgBox "你当前使用的系统是 " & obj.Caption
    Next
End Sub

说明:

大家可能会发现一个规律,实际上WMI对信息的提取都是使用了WIN32_类库名这样的规律,下列表格就是微软的操作系统各种硬件类的描述

其它WMI管理的类的信息在

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/wmisdk/wmi/accessing_hardware_and_software_through_wmi.asp

可以找到,其中也还有部分示例代码

简单Win_32类表

Win32 Classes

Microsoft® Windows® classes give you the means to manipulate a variety of objects. The following table identifies the categories of Windows classes.

硬件类

Computer System Hardware Classes

he Cooling Devices subcategory groups classes that represent instrumentable fans, temperature probes, and refrigeration devices.

Input Device Classes

The Input Devices subcategory groups classes that represent keyboards and pointing devices.

Mass Storage Classes

Classes in the Mass Storage subcategory represent storage devices such as hard disk drives, CD-ROM drives, and tape drives.

Motherboard, Controller, and Port Classes

The Motherboard, Controllers, and Ports subcategory groups classes that represent system devices. Examples include system memory, cache memory, and controllers.

Networking Device Classes

The Networking Devices subcategory groups classes that represent the network interface controller, its configurations, and its settings.

Power Classes

The Power subcategory groups classes that represent power supplies, batteries, and events related to these devices.

Printing Classes

The Printing subcategory groups classes that represent printers, printer configurations, and print jobs.

Telephony Classes

The Telephony subcategory groups classes that represent "plain old telephone" modem devices and their associated serial connections.

Video and Monitor Classes

The Video and Monitors subcategory groups classes that represent monitors, video cards, and their associated settings.

而每一个类都有对应的数据结构如

显卡

class Win32_VideoController : CIM_PCVideoController
{
uint16 AcceleratorCapabilities[];
string AdapterCompatibility;
string AdapterDACType;
uint32 AdapterRAM;
uint16 Availability;
string CapabilityDescriptions[];
string Caption;
uint32 ColorTableEntries;
uint32 ConfigManagerErrorCode;
boolean ConfigManagerUserConfig;
string CreationClassName;
uint32 CurrentBitsPerPixel;
uint32 CurrentHorizontalResolution;
uint64 CurrentNumberOfColors;
uint32 CurrentNumberOfColumns;
uint32 CurrentNumberOfRows;
uint32 Current***Rate;
uint16 CurrentScanMode;
uint32 CurrentVerticalResolution;
string Description;
string DeviceID;
uint32 DeviceSpecificPens;
uint32 DitherType;
datetime DriverDate;
string DriverVersion;
boolean ErrorCleared;
string ErrorDescription;
uint32 ICMIntent;
uint32 ICMMethod;
string InfFilename;
string InfSection;
datetime InstallDate;
string InstalledDisplayDrivers;
uint32 LastErrorCode;
uint32 MaxMemorySupported;
uint32 MaxNumberControlled;
uint32 Max***Rate;
uint32 Min***Rate;
boolean Monochrome;
string Name;
uint16 NumberOfColorPlanes;
uint32 NumberOfVideoPages;
string PNPDeviceID;
uint16 PowerManagementCapabilities[];
boolean PowerManagementSupported;
uint16 ProtocolSupported;
uint32 ReservedSystemPaletteEntries;
uint32 SpecificationVersion;
string Status;
uint16 StatusInfo;
string SystemCreationClassName;
string SystemName;
uint32 SystemPaletteEntries;
datetime TimeOfLastReset;
uint16 VideoArchitecture;
uint16 VideoMemoryType;
uint16 VideoMode;
string VideoModeDescription;
string VideoProcessor;
};

声卡等

class Win32_SoundDevice : CIM_LogicalDevice
{
  uint16 Availability;
  string Caption;
  uint32 ConfigManagerErrorCode;
  boolean ConfigManagerUserConfig;
  string CreationClassName;
  string Description;
  string DeviceID;
  uint16 DMABufferSize;
  boolean ErrorCleared;
  string ErrorDescription;
  datetime InstallDate;
  uint32 LastErrorCode;
  string Manufacturer;
  uint32 MPU401Address;
  string Name;
  string PNPDeviceID;
  uint16 PowerManagementCapabilities[];
  boolean PowerManagementSupported;
  string ProductName;
  string Status;
  uint16 StatusInfo;
  string SystemCreationClassName;
  string SystemName;
};

class Win32_PrintJob : CIM_Job
{
  string Caption;
  string DataType;
  string Description;
  string Document;
  string DriverName;
  datetime ElapsedTime;
  string HostPrintQueue;
  datetime InstallDate;
  uint32 JobId;
  string JobStatus;
  string Name;
  string Notify;
  string Owner;
  uint32 PagesPrinted;
  string Parameters;
  string PrintProcessor;
  uint32 Priority;
  uint32 Size;
  datetime StartTime;
  string Status;
  uint32 StatusMask;
  datetime TimeSubmitted;
  uint32 TotalPages;
  datetime UntilTime;
};

如

   Set wmiObjSet = GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}"). _
                          InstancesOf("Win32_PrintJob")

可以获得打印任务列表等信息

对于VB来讲获得系统硬件和软件信息大都使用API,现在使用WMI可以快速的实现我们的目标.如获取驱动器/显卡/共享信息等等都会变得方便和有效