Scanning Network for RAM Sizes/Modules

[Killer_Bot]

Wasn't entirely sure where to put this but figured it's to do with Windows and the Network is running Windows so here's as good a bet as any

 

We're looking to upgrade our systems for Windows 7 & Office 2010 but to do so need to do a LOT of RAM upgrades. The problem is we have some really old machines that use DDR and others that use DDR2. As we don't want to fork out a fortune for one type and find out we need more of the other, we've been looking at ways to scan the network for said information.

 

I've used the Crucial Memory Tool on a number of machines so know it is technically possible to pull that information from within the OS though have had no luck finding a piece of software that will do it for free. And that's the catch. There are suites I've found that do it but they all cost money, and the school isn't prepared to foot the bill to save us leg time (have around 800 or so machines so it's a big job to boot them all up, or open them, to check).

 

I've read a few threads on here regarding auditing suites but none of the one's I've tried seem to be able to pull the memory module info from the clients, only the memory amounts.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[pete]

Something like this, called in a startup script?

 

If you grab a copy of scriptomatic, you can build your own WMI queries: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=09dfc342-648b-4119-b7eb-783b0f7d1178&DisplayLang=en

 

On Error Resume Next
strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery("Select * from Win32_PhysicalMemory",,48)
For Each objItem in colItems
   Wscript.Echo "Capacity: " & objItem.Capacity
   Wscript.Echo "Caption: " & objItem.Caption
   Wscript.Echo "CreationClassName: " & objItem.CreationClassName
   Wscript.Echo "DataWidth: " & objItem.DataWidth
   Wscript.Echo "Description: " & objItem.Description
   Wscript.Echo "DeviceLocator: " & objItem.DeviceLocator
   Wscript.Echo "FormFactor: " & objItem.FormFactor
   Wscript.Echo "Manufacturer: " & objItem.Manufacturer
   Wscript.Echo "MemoryType: " & objItem.MemoryType
   Wscript.Echo "Model: " & objItem.Model
   Wscript.Echo "Speed: " & objItem.Speed
   Wscript.Echo "Tag: " & objItem.Tag
   Wscript.Echo "TotalWidth: " & objItem.TotalWidth
   Wscript.Echo "TypeDetail: " & objItem.TypeDetail
Next

[SYNACK]

I used something simmilar to the above piped into a database, I then figured out how many unique kinds of computers we had and found the information on RAM, directx and CPU support for each type. This meant I only had to look up about 20 kinds rather than hundreds and it was quick enough to generate a query to see how much of what RAM was required.

[Killer_Bot]

Thanks for both of your help. I'm not too familiar with scripting (other than the good ol' "hello world!") and the Network Managers knowledge of it doesn't stem far enough to implement this type of solution.

 

I like the idea of feeding all the results into a database but I'm not sure how well it would work on our network (RM - CC3).

 

I'm assuming that the lack of mention of one means there are no free alternatives out there

 

Looks like we're going to have to have a long walkaround. Gutted.

[K.C.Leblanc]

Either of these might be worth a look.

 

OCS Inventory NG - Welcome to OCS Inventory NG web site !

 

Free Network Monitoring Software | Spiceworks Free Network Management Software

 

Or if you have serious patience

 

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897550.aspx

[FN-GM]

this is something else that will do it. Just run it as a startup script and your good to go

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/scripts/32287-inventory-your-network.html

[mrmontymick]

I may be sad .... but I know from memory every motherboard of all our ICT suites and what type of memory it takes.

 

It's that strange combination of extremely sad, extremely useful and just plain geeky.

 

And I have to admit to being the same....

[K.C.Leblanc]

I may be sad .... but I know from memory every motherboard of all our ICT suites and what type of memory it takes.

 

I'm probably the same, but if you'd asked me the same question when I'd only been working here for 2 weeks I'd have been stumped.

[pete]

Aye, OCS will do it:

 

Physical Memory  	 DIMM 1 (No ECC)  	 2048  	 System Memory  	 Unknown  	 667  	 1  	
Physical Memory 	DIMM 2 (No ECC) 	2048 	System Memory 	Unknown 	667 	2 

 

but compared to ten minutes of scripting it's a thermonuclear device to crack a nut

[FN-GM]

I may be sad .... but I know from memory every motherboard of all our ICT suites and what type of memory it takes.

 

We do.

 

Dell Optiplex 745 with 2GB Ram. all the same ones

[Killer_Bot]

this is something else that will do it. Just run it as a startup script and your good to go

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/scripts/32287-inventory-your-network.html

 

Thanks for everybodies help so far. I only wish we had more of a standard but ours vary from 6 years old to brand new so the specs are VERY different.

 

I've tried the script above, ran it locally on my machine to a network share. It's pulled a lot of information but I can't find what it is I actually need. All I can see RE Memory is DIMM0 and DIMM1 which is the position in the memory bank I would assume.

 

I know for a fact the machine I'm using is DDR-2 though I can't see anything regarding that in there. Had a look at LanSweeper earlier but that didn't go down too well (the report kept pulling off various bits of rubbish, saying there was DDR, DDR2 and DDR3 in alot of machines.... probably me missing something but still, scripting seems the easier option!) and am fairly confident the Network Manager wants to avoid having to send out agents (i.e. OCS Inventory).

 

I've not tried it as a startup script yet as wanted to make sure it's pulling what I need. Am I missing something??

[HodgeHi]

I used to use AIDA32.

 

Download link available here

|MG| AIDA32 - Personal System Information 3.93 Download

 

Ain't used it for about 4 years now though.

[Killer_Bot]

I used to use AIDA32.

 

Download link available here

|MG| AIDA32 - Personal System Information 3.93 Download

 

Ain't used it for about 4 years now though.

 

I've just had a look at that and it seems to be focused for individual machines. Would mean loading this up on every machine within the school. I'm looking for a solution to get the information automatically, either via a script or preferably software.

 

Just waiting for the Network Manager to come back now so I can see how he feels about sending out an Agent. Going to be a really big job to go around every machine manually without adding an element of guesswork.

[Domino]

lansweeper might be a good bet

 

easy to setup and easily extendable to whatever you like.

 

nice and graphically friendly too

[Killer_Bot]

I've gave LanSweeper another try now. It's picked up a load of the clients which is pretty good but the report builder isn't behaving. Just made a post on their dedicated support site RE the report builder. Hoping to hear back from someone there soon.

 

Thanks again for everyone's help. Here's hoping things work out without me having to stretch my legs

[soveryapt]

Is this not something Spiceworks does under the "Complete Profile" in the inventory too?

 

(Free Network Monitoring Software | Spiceworks Free Network Management Software if you don't know about it already)

[Killer_Bot]

I couldn't see anything on there for it no. May have been though. I did see information about memory amount and other such stuff but couldn't see anything that stated the actual DDR type. Just having a look on another machine that's running SpiceWorks to see what that has but so far no good.

[soveryapt]

Ah well .. there could be a community pluggin available that will do something, means all the info is in one place then, but I've not looked thus far as not had the need ..