The Win32_OnBoardDevice WMI class represents common adapter devices built into the motherboard (system board).
Methods
Win32_OnBoardDevice has no methods.
Properties
Win32_OnBoardDevice returns 20 properties:
'Caption','CreationClassName','Description','DeviceType','Enabled','HotSwappable',
'InstallDate','Manufacturer','Model','Name','OtherIdentifyingInfo','PartNumber','PoweredOn',
'Removable','Replaceable','SerialNumber','SKU','Status','Tag','Version'
Unless explicitly marked as writeable, all properties are read-only. Read all properties for all instances:
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice -Property *
Most WMI classes return one or more instances.
When
Get-CimInstance
returns no result, then apparently no instances of class Win32_OnBoardDevice exist. This is normal behavior.Either the class is not implemented on your system (may be deprecated or due to missing drivers, i.e. CIM_VideoControllerResolution), or there are simply no physical representations of this class currently available (i.e. Win32_TapeDrive).
Caption
Short description of the object.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, Caption
CreationClassName
Name of the first concrete class to appear in the inheritance chain used in the creation of an instance. When used with the other key properties of the class, the property allows all instances of this class and its subclasses to be uniquely identified.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, CreationClassName
Description
Description of the object.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, Description
DeviceType
Type of device being represented.
DeviceType returns a numeric value. To translate it into a meaningful text, use any of the following approaches:
Use a PowerShell Hashtable
$DeviceType_map = @{
1 = 'Other'
2 = 'Unknown'
3 = 'Video'
4 = 'SCSI Controller'
5 = 'Ethernet'
6 = 'Token Ring'
7 = 'Sound'
}
Use a switch statement
switch([int]$value)
{
1 {'Other'}
2 {'Unknown'}
3 {'Video'}
4 {'SCSI Controller'}
5 {'Ethernet'}
6 {'Token Ring'}
7 {'Sound'}
default {"$value"}
}
Use Enum structure
Enum EnumDeviceType
{
Other = 1
Unknown = 2
Video = 3
SCSI_Controller = 4
Ethernet = 5
Token_Ring = 6
Sound = 7
}
Examples
Use $DeviceType_map in a calculated property for Select-Object
<#
this example uses a hashtable to translate raw numeric values for
property "DeviceType" to friendly text
Note: to use other properties than "DeviceType", look up the appropriate
translation hashtable for the property you would like to use instead.
#>
#region define hashtable to translate raw values to friendly text
# Please note: this hashtable is specific for property "DeviceType"
# to translate other properties, use their translation table instead
$DeviceType_map = @{
1 = 'Other'
2 = 'Unknown'
3 = 'Video'
4 = 'SCSI Controller'
5 = 'Ethernet'
6 = 'Token Ring'
7 = 'Sound'
}
#endregion define hashtable
#region define calculated property (to be used with Select-Object)
<#
a calculated property is defined by a hashtable with keys "Name" and "Expression"
"Name" defines the name of the property (in this example, it is "DeviceType", but you can rename it to anything else)
"Expression" defines a scriptblock that calculates the content of this property
in this example, the scriptblock uses the hashtable defined earlier to translate each numeric
value to its friendly text counterpart:
#>
$DeviceType = @{
Name = 'DeviceType'
Expression = {
# property is an array, so process all values
$value = $_.DeviceType
$DeviceType_map[[int]$value]
}
}
#endregion define calculated property
# retrieve the instances, and output the properties "Caption" and "DeviceType". The latter
# is defined by the hashtable in $DeviceType:
Get-CimInstance -Class Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Caption, $DeviceType
# ...or dump content of property DeviceType:
$friendlyValues = Get-CimInstance -Class Win32_OnBoardDevice |
Select-Object -Property $DeviceType |
Select-Object -ExpandProperty DeviceType
# output values
$friendlyValues
# output values as comma separated list
$friendlyValues -join ', '
# output values as bullet list
$friendlyValues | ForEach-Object { "- $_" }
Use $DeviceType_map to directly translate raw values from an instance
<#
this example uses a hashtable to manually translate raw numeric values
for property "Win32_OnBoardDevice" to friendly text. This approach is ideal when
there is just one instance to work with.
Note: to use other properties than "Win32_OnBoardDevice", look up the appropriate
translation hashtable for the property you would like to use instead.
#>
#region define hashtable to translate raw values to friendly text
# Please note: this hashtable is specific for property "Win32_OnBoardDevice"
# to translate other properties, use their translation table instead
$DeviceType_map = @{
1 = 'Other'
2 = 'Unknown'
3 = 'Video'
4 = 'SCSI Controller'
5 = 'Ethernet'
6 = 'Token Ring'
7 = 'Sound'
}
#endregion define hashtable
# get one instance:
$instance = Get-CimInstance -Class Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -First 1
<#
IMPORTANT: this example processes only one instance to illustrate
the number-to-text translation. To process all instances, replace
"Select-Object -First 1" with a "Foreach-Object" loop, and use
the iterator variable $_ instead of $instance
#>
# query the property
$rawValue = $instance.DeviceType
# translate raw value to friendly text:
$friendlyName = $DeviceType_map[[int]$rawValue]
# output value
$friendlyName
Use a switch statement inside a calculated property for Select-Object
<#
this example uses a switch clause to translate raw numeric
values for property "DeviceType" to friendly text. The switch
clause is embedded into a calculated property so there is
no need to refer to external variables for translation.
Note: to use other properties than "DeviceType", look up the appropriate
translation switch clause for the property you would like to use instead.
#>
#region define calculated property (to be used with Select-Object)
<#
a calculated property is defined by a hashtable with keys "Name" and "Expression"
"Name" defines the name of the property (in this example, it is "DeviceType", but you can rename it to anything else)
"Expression" defines a scriptblock that calculates the content of this property
in this example, the scriptblock uses the hashtable defined earlier to translate each numeric
value to its friendly text counterpart:
#>
$DeviceType = @{
Name = 'DeviceType'
Expression = {
# property is an array, so process all values
$value = $_.DeviceType
switch([int]$value)
{
1 {'Other'}
2 {'Unknown'}
3 {'Video'}
4 {'SCSI Controller'}
5 {'Ethernet'}
6 {'Token Ring'}
7 {'Sound'}
default {"$value"}
}
}
}
#endregion define calculated property
# retrieve all instances...
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice |
# ...and output properties "Caption" and "DeviceType". The latter is defined
# by the hashtable in $DeviceType:
Select-Object -Property Caption, $DeviceType
Use the Enum from above to auto-translate the code values
<#
this example translates raw values by means of type conversion
the friendly names are defined as enumeration using the
keyword "enum" (PowerShell 5 or better)
The raw value(s) are translated to friendly text by
simply converting them into the enum type.
Note: to use other properties than "Win32_OnBoardDevice", look up the appropriate
enum definition for the property you would like to use instead.
#>
#region define enum with value-to-text translation:
Enum EnumDeviceType
{
Other = 1
Unknown = 2
Video = 3
SCSI_Controller = 4
Ethernet = 5
Token_Ring = 6
Sound = 7
}
#endregion define enum
# get one instance:
$instance = Get-CimInstance -Class Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -First 1
<#
IMPORTANT: this example processes only one instance to focus on
the number-to-text type conversion.
To process all instances, replace "Select-Object -First 1"
with a "Foreach-Object" loop, and use the iterator variable
$_ instead of $instance
#>
# query the property:
$rawValue = $instance.DeviceType
#region using strict type conversion
<#
Note: strict type conversion fails if the raw value is
not defined by the enum. So if the list of allowable values
was extended and the enum does not match the value,
an exception is thrown
#>
# convert the property to the enum **DeviceType**
[EnumDeviceType]$rawValue
# get a comma-separated string:
[EnumDeviceType]$rawValue -join ','
#endregion
#region using operator "-as"
<#
Note: the operator "-as" accepts values not defined
by the enum and returns $null instead of throwing
an exception
#>
$rawValue -as [EnumDeviceType]
#endregion
Enums must cover all possible values. If DeviceType returns a value that is not defined in the enum, an exception occurs. The exception reports the value that was missing in the enum. To fix, add the missing value to the enum.
Enabled
If TRUE, the on-board device is available for use.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, Enabled
HotSwappable
If TRUE, a physical package can be hot-swapped (if it is possible to replace the element with a physically different but equivalent one while the containing package has power applied to it). For example, a disk drive package inserted using SCA connectors is removable and can be hot-swapped. All packages that can be hot-swapped are inherently removable and replaceable.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, HotSwappable
InstallDate
Date and time the object was installed. This property does not need a value to indicate that the object is installed.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, InstallDate
Manufacturer
Name of the organization responsible for producing the physical element.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, Manufacturer
Model
Name by which the physical element is generally known.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, Model
Name
Label by which the object is known. When subclassed, the property can be overridden to be a key property.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, Name
OtherIdentifyingInfo
Additional data, beyond asset tag information, that could be used to identify a physical element. One example is bar code data associated with an element that also has an asset tag. Note that if only bar code data is available and is unique or able to be used as an element key, this property would be NULL and the bar code data is used as the class key in the tag property.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, OtherIdentifyingInfo
PartNumber
Part number assigned by the organization responsible for producing or manufacturing the physical element.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, PartNumber
PoweredOn
If TRUE, the physical element is powered on.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, PoweredOn
Removable
If TRUE, a physical package is removable (if it is designed to be taken in and out of the physical container in which it is normally found, without impairing the function of the overall packaging). A package can still be removable if power must be “off” to perform the removal. If power can be “on” and the package removed, then the element is removable and can be hot-swapped. For example, an extra battery in a laptop is removable, as is a disk drive package inserted using SCA connectors. However, the latter can be hot-swapped. A laptop’s display is not removable, nor is a nonredundant power supply. Removing these components would affect the function of the overall packaging or is impossible due to the tight integration of the package.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, Removable
Replaceable
If TRUE, a physical package is replaceable (if it is possible to replace, FRU or upgrade, the element with a physically different one). For example, some computer systems allow the main processor chip to be upgraded to one of a higher clock rating. In this case, the processor is said to be replaceable. Another example is a power supply package mounted on sliding rails. All removable packages are inherently replaceable.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, Replaceable
SerialNumber
Manufacturer-allocated number used to identify the physical element.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, SerialNumber
SKU
Stock-keeping unit number for the physical element.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, SKU
Status
Current status of an object. Various operational and nonoperational statuses can be defined. Available values:
$values = 'Degraded','Error','Lost Comm','No Contact','NonRecover','OK','Pred Fail','Service','Starting','Stopping','Stressed','Unknown'
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, Status
Tag
KEY PROPERTY STRING MAX 256 CHAR
Unique identifier of the on-board device connected to the system.
Example: “On Board Device 1”
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag
Version
Version of the physical element.
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property Tag, Version
Examples
List all instances of Win32_OnBoardDevice
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice
Learn more about Get-CimInstance
and the deprecated Get-WmiObject
.
View all properties
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice -Property *
View key properties only
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice -KeyOnly
Selecting Properties
To select only some properties, pipe the results to Select-Object -Property a,b,c
with a comma-separated list of the properties you require. Wildcards are permitted.
Get-CimInstance
always returns all properties but only retrieves the ones that you specify. All other properties are empty but still present. That’s why you need to pipe the results into Select-Object
if you want to limit the visible properties, i.e. for reporting.
Selecting Properties
The code below lists all available properties. Remove the ones you do not need:
$properties = 'Caption',
'CreationClassName',
'Description',
'DeviceType',
'Enabled',
'HotSwappable',
'InstallDate',
'Manufacturer',
'Model',
'Name',
'OtherIdentifyingInfo',
'PartNumber',
'PoweredOn',
'Removable',
'Replaceable',
'SerialNumber',
'SKU',
'Status',
'Tag',
'Version'
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice | Select-Object -Property $properties
Limiting Network Bandwidth
If you work remotely, it makes sense to limit network bandwidth by filtering the properties on the server side, too:
Get-CimInstance -Class Win32_OnBoardDevice -Property $property |
Select-Object -Property $property
Selecting Instances
To select some instances, use Get-CimInstance and a WMI Query. The wildcard character in WMI Queries is % (and not “*”).
The parameter -Filter runs a simple query.
Listing all instances where the property Caption starts with “A”
Get-CimInstance -Class Win32_OnBoardDevice -Filter 'Caption LIKE "a%"'
Using a WQL Query
The parameter -Query uses a query similar to SQL and combines the parameters -Filter and -Property. This returns all instances where the property Caption starts with “A”, and returns the properties specified:
Get-CimInstance -Query "SELECT SKU, Model, Description, InstallDate FROM Win32_OnBoardDevice WHERE Caption LIKE 'a%'"
Any property you did not specify is still present but empty. You might need to use
Select-Object
to remove all unwanted properties:Get-CimInstance -Query "SELECT SKU, Model, Description, InstallDate FROM Win32_OnBoardDevice WHERE Caption LIKE 'a%'" | Select-Object -Property SKU, Model, Description, InstallDate
Accessing Remote Computers
To access remote systems, you need to have proper permissions. User the parameter -ComputerName to access one or more remote systems.
Authenticating as Current User
# one or more computer names or IP addresses:
$list = 'server1', 'server2'
# authenticate with your current identity:
$result = Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OnBoardDevice -ComputerName $list
$result
Authenticating as Different User
Use a CIMSession object to authenticate with a new identity:
# one or more computer names or IP addresses:
$list = 'server1', 'server2'
# authenticate with a different identity:
$cred = Get-Credential -Message 'Authenticate to retrieve WMI information:'
$session = New-CimSession -ComputerName $list -Credential $cred
$result = Get-CimInstance Win32_OnBoardDevice -CimSession $session
# remove the session after use (if you do not plan to re-use it later)
Remove-CimSession -CimSession $session
$result
Learn more about accessing remote computers.
Requirements
To use Win32_OnBoardDevice, the following requirements apply:
PowerShell
Get-CimInstance
was introduced with PowerShell Version 3.0, which in turn was introduced on clients with Windows 8 and on servers with Windows Server 2012.
If necessary, update Windows PowerShell to Windows PowerShell 5.1, or install PowerShell 7 side-by-side.
Operating System
Win32_OnBoardDevice was introduced on clients with Windows Vista and on servers with Windows Server 2008.
Namespace
Win32_OnBoardDevice lives in the Namespace Root/CIMV2. This is the default namespace. There is no need to use the -Namespace parameter in Get-CimInstance
.
Implementation
Win32_OnBoardDevice is implemented in CIMWin32.dll and defined in CIMWin32.mof. Both files are located in the folder C:\Windows\system32\wbem
:
explorer $env:windir\system32\wbem
notepad $env:windir\system32\wbem\CIMWin32.mof