Windows Server 2008 Failover Clustering WMI provider, causing WMI queries to fail

[Viensterrr]

SYMPTOMS

Consider the following scenario:

• You install Failover Clustering on a Windows Server 2008-based computer.
• One or more private property names of the Cluster objects contain characters that are not supported by Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI).

In this scenario, any WMI queries against the Failover Clustering WMI provider fail.

For example, you receive the following error message when you use WMI to enumerate all instances of the MSCluster_Resource type:

Notes

• Valid characters include lowercase letters (a-z), uppercase letters (A-Z), numbers (0-9), and the underscore character (_) character.
• A property name ending with (_) is an invalid property name.
• Property names must start with a letter.
• This issue occurs only when the names of the private properties contain unsupported characters. This restriction does not apply to the values of the private properties. For example, resource and group names can have the hyphen (-) character and other characters.

[Viensterrr]

Cause

Private properties on a cluster resource, group, or any other cluster object can be queried and set by using multiple methods. This includes the Cluster API and the Cluster WMI provider. Creating a private property on a cluster object by using the Cluster API does not have restrictions on the characters in the name. However, when you create a private property name that contains any unsupported characters on the object, any attempts to query the Cluster WMI provider fail.

[Viensterrr]

RESOLUTION

A hotfix is available to resolve this issue.

The hosting process (Wmiprvse.exe) may exit unexpectedly (crash) when certain patterns of WMI queries are handled by the Cluster WMI provider under stress conditions. The hosting process then restarts, and any later calls to the Cluster WMI provider are performed.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, the computer must run Windows Server 2008 with the Failover Clustering feature.

Restart requirement

If the WmiPrvSe.exe process is stopped before you install this hotfix, you do not have to restart the computer.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other previously released hotfixes.

Registry information

To use this hotfix, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

File information

The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and MUM files (.mum) installed for each environment are listed separately . MUM and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are critical to maintaining the state of the updated component. The security catalog files (attributes not listed) are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008

For all supported Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2008