eval 
    {
    local $SIG{ALRM} = sub { warn "ALARM FOR GET WMIC L: \"" . __LINE__ . "\" F: \"" . __FILE__ . "\"\n" }; # NB: \n required
    alarm 10;
    $wmicon = Win32::OLE->GetObject('winmgmts:' . '{impersonationLevel=impersonate, authenticationLevel=pkt}!\\\\' . $host . '\\root\\CIMV2\sms')
	or $ok = 0;
    alarm 0;
    };
   if($@){ $err = 1; $ret = "timeout while accessing wmi on machine $host"; return($err, $ret); }
    else { }  # didn't