What's the FASTEST way to discover if sp2 is installed.

[lllusion]

Read carefully:

I work for an ISP as a telephone service tech.
Many of our customers haven't a clue wether sp2 is installed or not.
Previously I've asked customers to right click on My Computer, choose
properties and read what it says. Unfortunately, for some reason, not
all can manage this.

Is there a simpler and more reliable method to discover if sp2 is
installed?

TIA!

--
Howie
"The very belief that violence is unavoidable
is a root cause of violence."
Samdhong Rinpoche
1st Democratically Elected Chairman of the
Tibetan Cabinet-in-Exile

 

[Guest]

It doesn't get any simpler than that.

 

[D.Currie]

Read carefully:

I work for an ISP as a telephone service tech.
Many of our customers haven't a clue wether sp2 is installed or not.
Previously I've asked customers to right click on My Computer, choose
properties and read what it says. Unfortunately, for some reason, not
all can manage this.

Is there a simpler and more reliable method to discover if sp2 is
installed?

TIA!

I wouldn't say it's faster, but if it's the right-clicking that's got them
flummoxed, they can go to the control panel and click on system, and you're
in the same place.

If they're not in the classic view of the control panel, you're adding
another click, either to switch to classic or to choose the category.

Also, if you go to any explorer window and go to help and about Windows, the
information is there. Or go to the command prompt and type winver. You get
the same thing.

Which of those is "easiest" depends on the person. Personally, I think
right-clicking on my computer is fastest, but I've known some people who
just can't get the hang of right clicking and choosing from the menu.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Read carefully:

I work for an ISP as a telephone service tech.
Many of our customers haven't a clue wether sp2 is installed or not.
Previously I've asked customers to right click on My Computer, choose
properties and read what it says. Unfortunately, for some reason, not
all can manage this.

Is there a simpler and more reliable method to discover if sp2 is
installed?

TIA!

Start > Run > winver.exe.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[lllusion]

Click the Start Button
Click Run
type winver
click Ok

Perfect. Thanks.

--
Howie
"The very belief that violence is unavoidable
is a root cause of violence."
Samdhong Rinpoche
1st Democratically Elected Chairman of the
Tibetan Cabinet-in-Exile

 

[lllusion]

I wouldn't say it's faster, but if it's the right-clicking that's got them
flummoxed, they can go to the control panel and click on system, and you're
in the same place.

If they're not in the classic view of the control panel, you're adding
another click, either to switch to classic or to choose the category.

Also, if you go to any explorer window and go to help and about Windows, the
information is there. Or go to the command prompt and type winver. You get
the same thing.

Which of those is "easiest" depends on the person. Personally, I think
right-clicking on my computer is fastest, but I've known some people who
just can't get the hang of right clicking and choosing from the menu.

Great info. Thanks.
As Harry points out, winver works from run too.

--
Howie
"The very belief that violence is unavoidable
is a root cause of violence."
Samdhong Rinpoche
1st Democratically Elected Chairman of the
Tibetan Cabinet-in-Exile

 

[DanR]

When SP2 is installed the image on the monitor when Windows is booting says
"Windows XP". It no longer says "Home" or "Professional".

Read carefully:

I work for an ISP as a telephone service tech.
Many of our customers haven't a clue wether sp2 is installed or not.
Previously I've asked customers to right click on My Computer, choose
properties and read what it says. Unfortunately, for some reason, not
all can manage this.

Is there a simpler and more reliable method to discover if sp2 is
installed?

TIA!

--
Howie
"The very belief that violence is unavoidable
is a root cause of violence."
Samdhong Rinpoche
1st Democratically Elected Chairman of the
Tibetan Cabinet-in-Exile

 

[lllusion]

When SP2 is installed the image on the monitor when Windows is booting says
"Windows XP". It no longer says "Home" or "Professional".

Now that's an interesting twist. Thanks.

--
Howie
"The very belief that violence is unavoidable
is a root cause of violence."
Samdhong Rinpoche
1st Democratically Elected Chairman of the
Tibetan Cabinet-in-Exile

 

[OShah]

Perfect. Thanks.

Slightly more intuitive than winver:
In Explorer, click Help -> About Windows.

Comes to the same thing as winver

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
oshah
Control Panel -> System -> Advanced -> Error Reporting -> Choose Programs
-> Do not report errors for these programs:

Acrobat.exe
waol.exe

------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Read carefully:

I work for an ISP as a telephone service tech.
Many of our customers haven't a clue wether sp2 is installed or
not.
Previously I've asked customers to right click on My Computer,
choose
properties and read what it says. Unfortunately, for some
reason, not
all can manage this.

Is there a simpler and more reliable method to discover if sp2
is
installed?

I see you've gotten lots of answers, all good. But nobody told
you what I think is the fastest way: hold down the Windows key
and press the "Pause | Break" key.

That brings up the same screen as right-clicking on My Computer
and choosing Properties.

 

[Plato]

It doesn't get any simpler than that.

OP has a point. I have to say that in my many years of doing this there
are a jillion folks out there who never have used the right click and
have no idea what you are talking about.

You often have to say, "put the arrow over the my computer icon, now
press the right hand button on your mouse with your middle finger".

 

[Plato]

I see you've gotten lots of answers, all good. But nobody told
you what I think is the fastest way: hold down the Windows key
and press the "Pause | Break" key.

That brings up the same screen as right-clicking on My Computer
and choosing Properties.

Then you will have to walk them through where that key is on their
keyboard

 

[JerryMouse]

OP has a point. I have to say that in my many years of doing this
there are a jillion folks out there who never have used the right
click and have no idea what you are talking about.

You often have to say, "put the arrow over the my computer icon, now
press the right hand button on your mouse with your middle finger".

I use my middle finger for the scroll wheel and ring finger for the right
mouse button.

Do you think that's okay? Will I damage my computer?

 

[JerryMouse]

Now that's an interesting twist. Thanks.

But the screen says "Windows 98" or "Windows 95" or "Windows 2000" or
somesuch at every boot. When I ask my customers what version of Windows
they're running, the answer is often "I don't know."

Every boot, every day, for years and years, and they still don't know.

 

[DanR]

My point was that Illusion could ask his/her client to reboot the machine
and read to him/her what he/she saw on the screen. If the client can not
restart his/her computer he/she is beyond help and should be ___________.
(fill in the blank)

Now that's an interesting twist. Thanks.

But the screen says "Windows 98" or "Windows 95" or "Windows 2000" or
somesuch at every boot. When I ask my customers what version of Windows
they're running, the answer is often "I don't know."

Every boot, every day, for years and years, and they still don't know.

 

[Plato]

I use my middle finger for the scroll wheel and ring finger for the right
mouse button.

Do you think that's okay? Will I damage my computer?

Yes. It will crash and burn.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Then you will have to walk them through where that key is on
their
keyboard

OK. -

On a standard keyboard, it's the rightmost key on the top row.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

But the screen says "Windows 98" or "Windows 95" or "Windows
2000" or
somesuch at every boot. When I ask my customers what version of
Windows they're running, the answer is often "I don't know."

Every boot, every day, for years and years, and they still
don't know.

Well, I know what version of Windows I'm running, but I don't
know by looking at that screen, which I almost never see. I power
on my computer when I get up in the morning, then go get my
coffeee. I almost never watch what it's doing.

I suspect that lots of others don't watch, either.

 

[leftred]

In


I see you've gotten lots of answers, all good. But nobody told you what I
think is the fastest way: hold down the Windows key and press the "Pause |
Break" key.

That brings up the same screen as right-clicking on My Computer and
choosing Properties.

Sir,
I dip my lid to you.
An elegant, simple, solution.
Gunner

 

[Alex Nichol]

I work for an ISP as a telephone service tech.
Many of our customers haven't a clue wether sp2 is installed or not.
Previously I've asked customers to right click on My Computer, choose
properties and read what it says. Unfortunately, for some reason, not
all can manage this.

Not all machine have My Computer on the desktop. There are two ways:

Control Panel - System (which is where you were getting)

Start - Run - WinVer and see if that mentions Service Pack 2