Finding time & Date of XP Install possible

[Kevin Dickson]

After taking over a new client it is looking like the previous provider had
installed a whole slew of not quite legal software (XP Pro Corp, Nero,
WinZip, Diskkeeper)
I have determined the systems that had been upgraded to XP Pro using a
widely available Corp key (The WGA helped to start this inquiry).
What I would like to find out is if there is somewhere that will firmly
determine the Date & Time that the XP was installed. It has been updated
with SP1 & SP2 both, so many file date/times are different.

I have started the process of inventoring all systems and then getting a
Legit Volume License to cover all systems.

Any ideas on this?

Thanks for any ideas

Kevin Dickson
Proactive Networking

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

1. Open XP's "Help and Support" and click on "Use Tools to view your computer info....."
2. Click on "Get information about your computer".
3. Then click on "View the status of my system hardware and software"
and look under "System Software - Date Created".

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

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

:

| After taking over a new client it is looking like the previous provider had
| installed a whole slew of not quite legal software (XP Pro Corp, Nero,
| WinZip, Diskkeeper)
| I have determined the systems that had been upgraded to XP Pro using a
| widely available Corp key (The WGA helped to start this inquiry).
| What I would like to find out is if there is somewhere that will firmly
| determine the Date & Time that the XP was installed. It has been updated
| with SP1 & SP2 both, so many file date/times are different.
|
| I have started the process of inventoring all systems and then getting a
| Legit Volume License to cover all systems.
|
| Any ideas on this?
|
| Thanks for any ideas
|
| Kevin Dickson
| Proactive Networking

 

[Kevin Dickson]

Thanks for the fast response, it is showing June 22 of 2005.
I know for a fact it was installed before this - could it be showing when
the last service pack was installed here?

Kevin Dickson
Proactive Networking

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

The installation of a Service Pack does not change the original
install date of Windows XP.

Try the following:

Visit http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html and download the free
Belarc Advisor. After running the program, look under the section
titled "Software Licenses".

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

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

:

| Thanks for the fast response, it is showing June 22 of 2005.
| I know for a fact it was installed before this - could it be showing when
| the last service pack was installed here?
|
| Kevin Dickson
| Proactive Networking

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

Copy and paste the following into a Notepad file and save the file with a VBS Extension. Double click the VBS file to run it.

' Create a new datetime object
Set dateTime = CreateObject("WbemScripting.SWbemDateTime")

' Retrieve a WMI object that contains a datetime value
for each os in GetObject( _
"winmgmts:").InstancesOf ("Win32_OperatingSystem")

dateTime.Value = os.InstallDate

' Display the installation date using the VT_DATE format
MsgBox "OS Install Date/Time is: " _
& dateTime.GetVarDate

next
Set datetime = Nothing

 

[lvee]

Yes, I think you are correct, I think the with each Service Pack, Windows
regards it as a new version and dates it as such.
I did check the BelArc stat's, as I have that program, and although I found
the Software Licenses section, mine showed no dates what so ever. There is
a link in the upper right corner of that page for 'Support for this pc'
It's under System Model.
You can get an idea of when some things were installed, but as far as
accurate information in Help & Support, System Hardware & Software you will
find that those dates are not accurate, that they actually reflect updates,
patches, reinstalls, etc. Mine says XP Home 2004, which is not accurate
with the original install,( I got mine in 2002) but does coincide with
updates done at that time.
Depending on what type of pc you have, an OEM for instance, you can go to
their web site, and to your profile and check your order status, and if it
was shipped to you you can see the shipping date, which brings you very
close to the date you would have set up your computer. This info can also
be narrowed down in Device Manager, which will show you the date of certain
driver installations, for example, MY Hard drive is Seagate, and the driver
details are for 2001, presumably the date of factory installation.

 

[Kevin Dickson]

The vbs script did the trick. I will use it on each system.

On the one that was originally in question here is how it went:

From Dell - Windows 2000 Professional (OEM)
Upgraded to Windows XP Pro SP1 (Volume Lic)
Updated with SP2

Belarc showed the date that SP2 was installed but was showing a different
date than the VBS script was for the XP Upgrade/install date. The VBS script
appears to be the correct date.

Thanks
Kevin Dickson


Copy and paste the following into a Notepad file and save the file with a
VBS Extension. Double click the VBS file to run it.

' Create a new datetime object
Set dateTime = CreateObject("WbemScripting.SWbemDateTime")

' Retrieve a WMI object that contains a datetime value
for each os in GetObject( _
"winmgmts:").InstancesOf ("Win32_OperatingSystem")

dateTime.Value = os.InstallDate

' Display the installation date using the VT_DATE format
MsgBox "OS Install Date/Time is: " _
& dateTime.GetVarDate

next
Set datetime = Nothing

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

You're welcome, Kevin.

 

[Les Herrman]

You could also have just simply opened a command prompt window and
entered systeminfo

The resulting information incudes "Original Install Date" which gives
the date and time of the install.

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

True