How to Repair or Rebuild the WMI Repository on Windows

If you’re experiencing issues with Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) on your Windows computer, it’s possible that the WMI repository has become corrupted. The WMI repository is a database that stores meta-information and definitions for WMI classes, and when it becomes corrupted, it can cause various problems, such as WMI Provider Load Failures or the inability to access certain WMI namespaces.

To repair or rebuild the WMI repository, you can follow these steps:

Verify the WMI Repository Consistency

Before attempting to repair or rebuild the WMI repository, it’s important to verify whether the repository is actually corrupted. You can do this by running the following command in an elevated Command Prompt:

`winmgmt /verifyrepository`

If the repository is consistent, the command will return a “WMI Repository is consistent” message. If the repository is not consistent, the command will return an error message indicating that the repository is not consistent.

Repair the WMI Repository

If the WMI repository is found to be inconsistent, you can try repairing it by running the following commands in an elevated Command Prompt:

`winmgmt /salvagerepository`

This command will attempt to salvage the content of the inconsistent repository and merge it into a rebuilt repository if it is readable.

If the `winmgmt /salvagerepository` command doesn’t work, you can try resetting the repository to its initial state by running:

`winmgmt /resetrepository`

This command will reset the WMI repository to the state it was in when the operating system was first installed.

Rebuild the WMI Repository Manually

If the `winmgmt /salvagerepository` or `winmgmt /resetrepository` commands don’t resolve the issue, you may need to rebuild the WMI repository manually. Here’s how to do it:

1. Change the startup type of the WMI Service to “Disabled”.
2. Stop the WMI Service.
3. Rename the repository folder from `C:\Windows\System32\wbem\Repository` to `C:\Windows\System32\wbem\Repository.old`.
4. Open an elevated Command Prompt and navigate to `C:\Windows\System32\wbem`.
5. Run the following command to re-register all the DLLs in the wbem folder:

   `for /f %s in (‘dir /b /s *.dll’) do regsvr32 /s %s`

6. Set the WMI Service startup type to “Automatic” and start the service.
7. Navigate to the root of the C: drive by running:

   `cd /d c:\`

8. Recompile all the MOF files in the wbem folder by running:

   `for /f %s in (‘dir /s /b *.mof *.mfl’) do mofcomp %s`

9. Reboot your computer.
10. Install the latest WMI hotfixes to help prevent further issues.

After rebuilding the WMI repository, you should verify that it is now consistent by running the `winmgmt /verifyrepository` command again.

If you continue to experience recurring WMI repository corruption issues on the same machine, it’s recommended to contact Microsoft Support for further troubleshooting and assistance.