I was tasked with writing a script to produce a report for a Windows 2008 upgrade project.  Pretty simple, query all servers not running windows server 2008 and  then get some basic information.  While the report worked well, there is a major flaw in  my data gathering.  One of the items of information was wheter the server had 64bit processor(s).  Now the flaw seems specific to a certain manufacturer (IBM  Blades) but in general the data couldn't be trusted. Using gwmi win32_processor I looked at Architecture which returns 0 for x86, DataWidth returns 32, Family returns 2.  I know the processor I am looking at is a Xeon 5160 which supports 64bit via  IA64  (which is why it might not read x64  architecture).  The server I am testing against is running Windows Server 2003 SP2, and I  even tried to run WMIC locally on the server to see if the results would be different.  Then the SCCM admin overheard me discussing the data and produced a report that indicated the servers (and more specifically my test case) had a 64bit processor. 

This might not be powershell related at all, but I have seen many inventory scripts and wondering if anyone else has seen this and if there might be an alternative logic (i.e. if win32_Processor.name -like "*Xeon*5160*"){"This is a 64bit processor box"} but that  could lead to a lengthy reference loop for processor  names.  I know SP2  fixed the data returned my win32_processor.family but SP2 is installed.

Thanks

and just FYI, below is the data I get with gwmi win32_processor | select *



__GENUS : 2
__CLASS : Win32_Processor
__SUPERCLASS : CIM_Processor
__DYNASTY : CIM_ManagedSystemElement
__RELPATH : Win32_Processor.DeviceID="CPU0"
__PROPERTY_COUNT : 44
__DERIVATION : {CIM_Processor, CIM_LogicalDevice, CIM_LogicalElement, CIM_ManagedSystemElement}
__SERVER : COR02DW01
__NAMESPACE : root\cimv2
__PATH : \\server\root\cimv2:Win32_Processor.DeviceID="CPU0"
AddressWidth : 32
Architecture : 0
Availability : 3
Caption : x86 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 6
ConfigManagerErrorCode :
ConfigManagerUserConfig :
CpuStatus : 1
CreationClassName : Win32_Processor
CurrentClockSpeed : 2992
CurrentVoltage : 12
DataWidth : 32
Description : x86 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 6
DeviceID : CPU0
ErrorCleared :
ErrorDescription :
ExtClock : 266
Family : 2
InstallDate :
L2CacheSize : 4096
L2CacheSpeed :
LastErrorCode :
Level : 6
LoadPercentage : 1
Manufacturer : GenuineIntel
MaxClockSpeed : 2992
Name : Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU 5160 @ 3.00GHz
OtherFamilyDescription :
PNPDeviceID :
PowerManagementCapabilities :
PowerManagementSupported : False
ProcessorId : 00000301000006F6
ProcessorType : 3
Revision : 3846
Role : CPU
SocketDesignation : CPU 1
Status : OK
StatusInfo : 3
Stepping : 6
SystemCreationClassName : Win32_ComputerSystem
SystemName : server
UniqueId :
UpgradeMethod : 4
Version : Model 15, Stepping 6
VoltageCaps :
Scope : System.Management.ManagementScope
Path : \\server\root\cimv2:Win32_Processor.DeviceID="CPU0"
Options : System.Management.ObjectGetOptions
ClassPath : \\server\root\cimv2:Win32_Processor
Properties : {AddressWidth, Architecture, Availability, Caption...}
SystemProperties : {__GENUS, __CLASS, __SUPERCLASS, __DYNASTY...}
Qualifiers : {dynamic, Locale, provider, UUID}
Site :
Container :

__GENUS : 2
__CLASS : Win32_Processor
__SUPERCLASS : CIM_Processor
__DYNASTY : CIM_ManagedSystemElement
__RELPATH : Win32_Processor.DeviceID="CPU1"
__PROPERTY_COUNT : 44
__DERIVATION : {CIM_Processor, CIM_LogicalDevice, CIM_LogicalElement, CIM_ManagedSystemElement}
__SERVER : COR02DW01
__NAMESPACE : root\cimv2
__PATH : \\server\root\cimv2:Win32_Processor.DeviceID="CPU1"
AddressWidth : 32
Architecture : 0
Availability : 3
Caption : x86 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 6
ConfigManagerErrorCode :
ConfigManagerUserConfig :
CpuStatus : 0
CreationClassName : Win32_Processor
CurrentClockSpeed : 2992
CurrentVoltage : 12
DataWidth : 32
Description : x86 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 6
DeviceID : CPU1
ErrorCleared :
ErrorDescription :
ExtClock : 266
Family : 2
InstallDate :
L2CacheSize : 0
L2CacheSpeed :
LastErrorCode :
Level : 6
LoadPercentage : 1
Manufacturer : GenuineIntel
MaxClockSpeed : 2992
Name : Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU 5160 @ 3.00GHz
OtherFamilyDescription :
PNPDeviceID :
PowerManagementCapabilities :
PowerManagementSupported : False
ProcessorId : 0000000000000000
ProcessorType : 2
Revision : 3846
Role : CPU
SocketDesignation : CPU 2
Status : OK
StatusInfo : 3
Stepping : 6
SystemCreationClassName : Win32_ComputerSystem
SystemName : server
UniqueId :
UpgradeMethod : 4
Version : Model 15, Stepping 6
VoltageCaps :
Scope : System.Management.ManagementScope
Path : \\server\root\cimv2:Win32_Processor.DeviceID="CPU1"
Options : System.Management.ObjectGetOptions
ClassPath : \\server\root\cimv2:Win32_Processor
Properties : {AddressWidth, Architecture, Availability, Caption...}
SystemProperties : {__GENUS, __CLASS, __SUPERCLASS, __DYNASTY...}
Qualifiers : {dynamic, Locale, provider, UUID}
Site :
Container :

One thing worthy to note is that just because the processor is capable of 64-bit processing doesn't mean the motherboard/bios is. Depending on the BIOS settings x64 could be turned off or a bios update may be needed to ready the CPU correctly. If the mobo is not configured to allow x64, then WMI will not show the CPU as being x64 capable.

I agree this could be something in BIOS/firmware, but when SCCM reported different results I had to be missing something.

What does this give you?

[Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE",  [EnvironmentVariableTarget]::Machine)

Posted By GWHowarth88 on 27 Jul 2010 11:08 AM
What does this give you?

[Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE",  [EnvironmentVariableTarget]::Machine)

I checked the registry "...Session Manager\Environment" ARCHITECURE_PROCESSOR and it too is showing x86.

Posted By jkavanagh58 on 28 Jul 2010 10:37 AM

Posted By GWHowarth88 on 27 Jul 2010 11:08 AM
What does this give you?

[Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE",  [EnvironmentVariableTarget]::Machine)

I checked the registry "...Session Manager\Environment" ARCHITECURE_PROCESSOR and it too is showing x86.

This makes sense as the OS running on the CPU is 32-bit. It will never know that the CPU underneath it is 64-bit.

You are trying to reimplement SCCM's algorithm for detecting CPU architectures. You should start your search there. Clearly they are using some heuristic to fix up the data they are getting. Perhaps it is table driven... *shrug*

Posted By 0ptikGhost on 01 Aug 2010 10:08 AM

Posted By jkavanagh58 on 28 Jul 2010 10:37 AM

Posted By GWHowarth88 on 27 Jul 2010 11:08 AM
What does this give you?

[Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE",  [EnvironmentVariableTarget]::Machine)

I checked the registry "...Session Manager\Environment" ARCHITECURE_PROCESSOR and it too is showing x86.

This makes sense as the OS running on the CPU is 32-bit. It will never know that the CPU underneath it is 64-bit.

You are trying to reimplement SCCM's algorithm for detecting CPU architectures. You should start your search there. Clearly they are using some heuristic to fix up the data they are getting. Perhaps it is table driven... *shrug*

Well I don't have access to SCCM and was not aware it had the data.  I was just tasked to provide a list of hardware so I set out using WMI.  Once the SCCM report was provided the script was obviously scrapped but I am just curious how SCCM ascertained the data because it seems a little important.