WMI: Windows Management Instrumentation

When Prism (starting with 5.04 and 5.0d) runs for the first time, you are required to activate your license. Activation links a particular Prism serial number (license) to a particular computer. As part of the activation process, Prism needs to generate a “machineID” based on the hardware of your computer. On Windows, Prism obtains the necessary information using something called Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). Almost all the time, this just works. If Prism has a problem accessing WMI, it presents a short error message which links to this FAQ. If this happens, use the steps below to allow Prism to access WMI. Notes:

• As you can see, the instructions below are quite technical. You may prefer ask someone from your IT department, or a computer-savvy geek, to handle this problem. 
• All computers are not the same. This WMI problem is quite rare (we have only heard of a couple dozen cases), so we have very little experience dealing with it. We hope the information below will prove to be helpful as a starting place. We cannot provide in depth support for troubleshooting WMI.
• Rebuild the registry as described on this Microsoft page on rebuiding the WMI registry. You may need to stop the WMI service first. To do so, launch the Services control panel ( Go to Start > Administrative Tools > Services ) and stop the WMI service.
• If you see the message "0x80041002 (WBEM_E_NOT_FOUND)", Microsoft provides a hotfix for Windows 7 and server 2008. This also applies if your Prism log file includes this line: "WBEM error status in 'ConnectServer(ROOT\CIMV2)': 0x80041002'".
• If you or your IT people discover other helpful information, please let us know so we can improve this page.

If you are still having problems then:

Check DCOM permissions

1. Locate and run  Dcomcnfg.exe. (If you don't know how to search for files on your computer, you should get someone else to help you.)
2. Expand Component Service -> Computers -> My computer
3. Right-click on  My Computer to bring up its Properties dialog.

1. Select the COM Security Tab
2. Click on "Edit Limits" under Access Permissions, and ensure "Everyone" user group has "Local Access" and "Remote Access" permission.
3. Click on the "Edit Limit" for the launch and activation permissions, and ensure "Everyone" user group has "Local Activation" and "Local Launch" permission.
4. Highlight "DCOM Config" node, and right click "Windows Management and Instruments", and click Properties.
5. Add the steps to check Launch and Activation Permissions, Access Permissions

Check permission for the user to the WMI namespace

1. Open WMImgmt.msc
2. Right click and choose Properties of WMI Control
3. Go to the Security Tab
4. Select "Root" and open "Security"
5. Ensure "Authenticated Users" has "Execute Methods", "Provider Right" and "Enable Account" right

Verify WMI Impersonation Rights

1. Click Start, click Run, type gpedit.msc, and then click OK.
2. Under Local Computer Policy, expand Computer Configuration, and then expand Windows Settings.
3. Expand Security Settings, expand Local Policies, and then click User Rights Assignment.
4. Verify that the SERVICE account is specifically granted Impersonate a client after authentication rights.