SNMP Process Object Returns the Incorrect Value

ID: Q194169

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

The Object Identifier (OID) for the Process Instance Name counter does not return the correct value when sending an SNMP Get or Walk. Also, when walking the process OID tree when there are multiple processes with the same name, the SNMP walk will go into an endless loop.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT Server version 4.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Performance Monitor objects can be created by using the Perfmib utilities from the Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit. The following steps can be used to create a Management Information Base (MIB), which exposes the Performance Monitor process objects:

From an MS-DOS prompt, run the Perfmib.reg utility from the Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit. This will create the appropriate registry entries for the Perfmib.dll extension agent.

Build a Perfmib.mib and a Perfmib.ini file using the Per2mib.exe utility from the Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit. For example, from an MS-DOS prompt, run the following command:

perf2mib perfmib.mib perfmib.ini process 300 proc

This creates a Perfmib.mib file and a Perfmib.ini file. These files are used to expose the performance monitor process instance object.

Stop the SNMP service by doing either of the following:
- From an MS-DOS prompt, run the following command:
  
  net stop SNMP
  
  -or-
- Stop SNMP by using the Services utility in Control Panel.

Rename the mib.bin file, found in the System32 folder, to mib.old.

Compile a new mib.bin file, which will include the perfmib.mib file created earlier in step 2, by performing the following steps:
1. From an MS-DOS prompt, set the default folder to the Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit folder (for example, type: CD %ntreskit%).
2. Run the following command:
  
  mibcc -n o%ntreskit%\mib.bin -t -w2 smi.mib lmmib2.mib mib_ii.mib perfmib.mib

Copy the following files from the Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit folder (%ntreskit%) to the System32 folder (%SystemRoot%\System32 folder):

Mib.bin
Perfmib.bin
Perfmib.ini
Perfmib.dll

Start the SNMP service by doing either of the following:
- From an MS-DOS prompt, run the following command:
  
  net start SNMP
  
  -or-
- Start SNMP by using the Services utility in Control Panel.

After the new MIB that contains the performance monitor process instant objects is created, it can be tested by using the Snmputil.exe utility found in the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit. To test the MIB do the following:

From an MS-DOS prompt, run the following command to change your default to the resource kit directory:

CD %ntreskit%

Use the Snmputil utility to walk the process OID tree:

Run the following command:

snmputil walk localhost public .1.3.6.1.4.1.311.1.1.3.1.1.300.1.1

Results: If there are two processes with the same name, the utility will loop indefinitely. As long as there are not two processes with the same name, the utility will successfully walk the tree but it will not display the process instance name (.1.3.6.1.4.1.311.1.1.3.1.1.300.1.2); this value will be skipped.

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q139488 How to Setup Windows NT SNMP Performance Counter Agent Extension

Keywords : kbbug4.00
Version : WinNT:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug