how to identify Windows version installed on NON-BOOT drive?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Spoon2001
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Spoon2001

I got myself a USB2-IDE adapter cable. I can hook up a bare IDE drive to a
USB port and access the drive. I connected an old 8.4GB drive this way. It
has a version of Windows installed, but I don't know what it might be.

What is the best way to determine what version of Windows is installed on a
drive, when it is not the drive you are currently running Windows from?
 
Spoon2001 said:
I got myself a USB2-IDE adapter cable. I can hook up a bare IDE drive to a
USB port and access the drive. I connected an old 8.4GB drive this way. It
has a version of Windows installed, but I don't know what it might be.

What is the best way to determine what version of Windows is installed on a
drive, when it is not the drive you are currently running Windows from?
Click to expand...
Hi,

If the file "Windows folder\System32\ntoskrnl.exe" exists, it is a NT
based OS, and not Win9x or WinME.

The to first entries in the version number for ntoskrnl.exe will tell
you what OS it is:

4.0: NT 4.0
5.0: Windows 2000
5.1: Windows XP
5.2: Windows 2003 Server or Windows XP 64-bit version
 
Double click the My Computer icon and then rightclick the external drive and/or
boot to the Windows version on the drive. Once booted and while on that
drive,
go to Start>Run>type WINVER and click OK. It should give you the info.
You can have a dual boot system.
 
Torgeir said:
Hi,

If the file "Windows folder\System32\ntoskrnl.exe" exists, it is a NT
based OS, and not Win9x or WinME.

The to first entries in the version number for ntoskrnl.exe will tell
you what OS it is:

4.0: NT 4.0
5.0: Windows 2000
5.1: Windows XP
5.2: Windows 2003 Server or Windows XP 64-bit version
Click to expand...

Thanks very much! I found that the version number was very specific
...."5.1.2600.2622 (xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)" - so in the NTOSKRNL.EXE
properties, you can find not only Windows XP, but can find that it is SP2.
Don't know if the version number tells the difference between Home/Pro.

Is there a similar method, some key file to examine, to tell the difference
between the various versions of Win9x/Me? I suppose one can look at the
system file dates, but I keep forgetting which version came out with which
date.
 
I do not know about 9x/Me.

The very bottom line of %windir%\System32\eula.txt will tell the XP version.

Windows XP Home Retail
EULAID:WX.4_HOM_RTL_EN

Windows XP SP1 Home Retail
EULAID:XPSP1_RM.1_HOM_RTL_EN

Windows XP SP2 Home Retail
EULAID:XPSP2_RM.1_HOM_RTL_EN

Windows XP Professional Retail
EULAID:WX.4_PRO_RTL_EN

Windows XP SP 1 Professional Retail
EULAID:XPSP1_RM.1_PRO_RTL_EN

Windows XP SP 2 Professional Retail
EULAID:XPSP2_RM.0_PRO_RTL_EN

Windows XP Media Center 2005 Retail
EULAID:MCE05_RM.0_PRO_RTL_EN

Windows XP 64-Bit Retail
EULAID:XPSP1_RM.1_P64_RTL_EN

Substitute OEM for RTL for OEM versions.
----

%windir%\system32\prodspec.ini

Scrolling down towards the bottom of %windir%\system32\prodspec.ini has...
[Product Specification]
Product=Windows XP Professional
or
[Product Specification]
Product=Windows XP Home Edition
etc.
---------

As near as I can tell Windows 2000 and up, you can check this key...
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\%OS%

For Windows NT, 2000, XP and later versions if Windows.

This key...
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
Value Name: BuildLab
Value Name: CSDVersion
Value Name: DigitalProductId
Value Name: CurrentBuildNumber
Value Name: CurrentVersion
Value Name: ProductId
Value Name: ProductName
------

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\WPA\TabletPC\Installed
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\WPA\MediaCenter\Installed
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ControlSet001\Control\ProductOptions
------

I pulled these out of my registry. I have Windows XP Pro SP1.

Value Name: BuildLab = Mine 2600.xpsp2.050301-1526
Looks like 2600.xpsp2.050301-1526 can be for both Home & Pro.

Value Name: CSDVersion = Service Pack #
Service Pack 1, Service Pack 2, etc.

Value Name: DigitalProductId = Product key??

Value Name: CurrentBuildNumber = Build #
Mine 2600

Value Name: CurrentVersion = OS #
Windows NT 3.1
Windows NT 3.5
Windows NT 3.51
Windows NT 4.0
Windows 2000 (Professional and Server) - 5.0
Windows XP - 5.1
Windows Server 2003 - 5.2

Value Name: ProductId =
AAAAA-BBB-CCCCCCC-DDEEE

Value Name: ProductName = Microsoft Windows XP
Windows Version name
-----

Pro will have these files and Home will not.

%windir%\system32\
gpedit.msc
secpol.msc
tasklist.exe

If not SP2 it won't have wscntfy.exe (Windows Security Center Notification
App).


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

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