I have written an application that needs to connect via WMI to the CIM repository on an external PC and I keep getting an access denied message (80041003). What is the problem and how do I solve it?

Your application is being denied because it is attempting a DCOM connection to an external CIM repository with an account that does not have Remote Enable permission on that WMI namespace. I came across this situation recently with a VBS application that I wrote for a helpdesk that interrogated the ROOT\SMS\Site_Sitecode WMI namespace. The code worked for me because I was a local administrator on the SMS server. It failed for the helpdesk users.

SOLUTION: On the target PC you will need to allow the connecting account Remote Enable permission on the target WMI namespace.

To do this, open up Computer Management and browse to Services and Applications >>> WMI Control.

Right click WMI Control and select Properties. Go to the Security Tab. Browse the WMI namespace that you want to grant access to. In my case it was ROOT\SMS\site_CEN. Click the Security button. Add the user group that you want to grant access. They will only need Enable Account and Remote Enable in order to connect via WMI.

Hope this helps. It only took me 6 hours to work it out for myself.

Paul Eddington.

KB Keywords: WMI Windows Management Instrumentation CIM Common Information Model DCOM COM 80041003 access denied SWbemLocator