What does Windows error code 4211 (ERROR_WMI_INVALID_REGINFO) mean?

Status / error code:		Category:

Constant name:
Source:		Operating System:
Description: the provider supplied malformed WMI registration information for its data or event blocks.

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ERROR_WMI_INVALID_MOF	ERROR_WMI_ALREADY_DISABLED

ERROR_WMI_INVALID_REGINFO

The registration buffer does not describe a valid provider contract

Kernel WMI registration is binary data, not a registry convenience setting. The provider returns a WMIREGINFO structure followed by WMIREGGUID entries and, where needed, static instance-name data. Invalid size fields, counts, offsets, strings, or GUID entries can make WMI reject the registration before any client request is dispatched.

Offsets in this structure are relative to the beginning of the registration buffer, and the buffer must include every advertised data block, event block, and required instance information. A failure can occur only on a particular device or build when an optional block changes the calculated layout.

What to validate in the provider

Calculate the complete buffer size with overflow checks before writing any offsets or variable strings.
Verify GuidCount, every WMIREGGUID, and each static instance name against the final allocated buffer.
Exercise both initial registration and the update path that adds, removes, or changes a block.

References

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