The PsInfo command-line utility, part of Microsoft’s Sysinternals PsTools suite, allows Windows administrators to gather comprehensive local or remote system data. Running the executable raw outputs standard hardware and OS configurations, but administrators frequently use five essential command variations and flags to filter specific information. 1. View Installed Software (psinfo -s)
Purpose: Generates a complete inventory of applications installed on the system.
Admin Value: Essential for software auditing, compliance tracking, and verifying deployment packages. Syntax: psinfo -s 2. Check Missing or Installed Patches (psinfo -h)
Purpose: Lists all installed Windows hotfixes and security patches along with their installation dates.
Admin Value: Critical for vulnerability management, ensuring endpoints meet security baselines. Syntax: psinfo -h 3. Audit Storage Volumes (psinfo -d)
Purpose: Displays detailed disk volume information, including drive letters, file system formatting, total capacity, and free space.
Admin Value: Quickly identifies low-disk-space alerts across servers without opening disk management consoles. Syntax: psinfo -d
4. Query Remote Computer Inventories (psinfo \computername)
Purpose: Executes the information probe targeting a specific remote workstation or server over the network.
Admin Value: Eliminates the need to log into remote machines via RDP just to verify system specifications.
Syntax: psinfo \TargetPC -s -d (Combines remote auditing with software and disk parameters) 5. Export Systems to CSV Format (psinfo -c)
Purpose: Formats the system output as a comma-separated values (CSV) string instead of standard text.
Admin Value: Allows sysadmins to pipe raw data into spreadsheet files or documentation repositories.
Syntax: psinfo -c -h > patches.csv (Exports all installed hotfixes straight to a CSV file) 💡 Pro-Tip for First-Time Execution
When automating or running these commands inside scripts, always append the -accepteula flag. This bypasses the interactive Microsoft Sysinternals license agreement prompt, preventing automated background scripts from hanging.
If you would like to expand your automation toolkit, I can provide a PowerShell script that loops these commands across multiple network machines, or show you how to securely pass alternate administrator credentials (-u and -p) for remote domains. Which option would help you most? PsInfo – Sysinternals – Microsoft Learn
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