HP book XE2 Desktop Management Interface DMI, Installing the DMI Package, Using the DMI Interface

Desktop Management Interface (DMI)

The Desktop Management Interface (DMI) is basically a set of rules for accessing information about a personal computer. Using DMI, an application program can determine, for example, which hardware and software components are present in a personal computer, the operating system that is being used, and the number of accessory board slots that are available. Using the DMI interface, a local or remote application program can check what hardware and software components are installed on your computer, and may be able to tell how well they are working or whether any needs replacing. All this information is stored in a special Management Information Format (MIF) file, installed on each personal computer as part of the DMI package.

Installing the DMI Package

The DMI package is included with the OmniBook, but it must be properly installed before it can be used. The following steps explain how.

To install the DMI preloaded on the hard disk:

1.Start Windows, if it is not already running.

2.Click Start, Programs, HP DMI, Setup.

To install the DMI from the OmniBook Recovery CD or from floppy disks:

1.If you do not have a CD-ROM drive, create installation floppy disks

∙On any computer with a CD-ROM drive, copy the DMI software from the dmi directory of the Recovery CD (under \omnibook\drivers) to two or more floppy disks (for example, copy the contents of the \disk1 subdirectory to disk #1).

∙On any computer with World Wide Web access, download the Top Tools package from the OmniBook website (see page vi), then create the floppy disks as directed.

2.Start Windows, if it is not already running.

3.Insert the Recovery CD into the CD-ROM drive, or insert disk #1 into the floppy drive.

4.Select and run the SETUP program from the dmi\disk1 directory on the CD (under \omnibook\drivers), or from floppy disk #1.

Uninstalling the DMI Package

1.Click Start, Programs, HP DMI, Uninstall DMI.

2.Reboot the PC.

Using the DMI Interface

For a complete explanation of how to fully take advantage of DMI, the following documentation is provided with the OmniBook:

∙A README.TXT file.

∙A Windows online help file describing Hewlett-Packard’s implementation of DMI (group and attribute definitions). Since not all Hewlett-Packard enhanced features are supported on all models, this document also describes any restrictions that apply.

Description of DMI

The Desktop Management Interface (DMI) is the result of the efforts of the Desktop Management Task Force (DMTF). This task force was founded in 1992 by a group of leading computer

3-20 Troubleshooting and Diagnostics HP OmniBook XE2