Identify Pro vs Home

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tim Rude
  • Start date Start date
T

Tim Rude

I've got a WinXP machine with somewhat hosed OS that refuses to load. I need
to do an OS repair re-install but I don't know exactly which version of XP
was installed (original CD's for a number of systems are all in a box mixed
together and no sticker on the computer case).

I can (using a boot CD ala http://www.ubcd4win.com) look at any files I need
to and peruse the registry of the machine.

What would be the quickest and most reliable way to determine whether the
machine had XP Pro or XP Home on it, and whether SP2 was installed or not?
 
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

In
 
Wes

What if Tim has two copies of the Home and two copies of the
Professional Edition?

Actually if you right click on the My Computer icon on the Desktop it
tells you! At least mine says Windows XP Home Edition SP2 <g>.

--


Regards.

Gerry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FCA

Stourport, Worcs, England
Enquire, plan and execute.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Hi Gerry,

He can look at the files on the machine, but he can't run load XP.

If you can boot, you can...
Start | Run | Type: winver | Click OK

Windows key + Pause/Break key

WINDOWS VERSIONS
Information about determining Windows Versions
http://www.computerhope.com/whow.htm

If you cannot boot, but can get to the registry...

Windows 2000 and up, you can check this key...
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\%OS%
to find what version of Windows.

This key...
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
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: ProductName = Microsoft Windows XP
but it doesn't tell you if it's Pro or Home.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\WPA\TabletPC\Installed

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\WPA\MediaCenter\Installed

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Wes

I concede!


--


Regards.

Gerry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FCA

Stourport, Worcs, England
Enquire, plan and execute.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Thanks for the info.

As I was poking around, I came across the EULA.TXT file. It said it was XP
Pro.
 
How about a spell checker granddad <g>.

--


Regards.

Gerry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FCA

Stourport, Worcs, England
Enquire, plan and execute.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
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

[Product Specification]
Product=Windows XP Home Edition

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Tim said:
I've got a WinXP machine with somewhat hosed OS that refuses to load.
I need to do an OS repair re-install but I don't know exactly which
version of XP was installed (original CD's for a number of systems
are all in a box mixed together and no sticker on the computer case).

I can (using a boot CD ala http://www.ubcd4win.com) look at any files
I need to and peruse the registry of the machine.

What would be the quickest and most reliable way to determine whether
the machine had XP Pro or XP Home on it, and whether SP2 was
installed or not?
Click to expand...

See of you can get into Windows in the Safe mode. If so, right click on My
Computer and choose Properties. That will give you all the info.
 
Thanks. I had found the EULA.TXT file and just looked at the first line to
differentiate Pro/Home. But the info you provided can be quite useful. I'll
keep that in my tip-file.

--
Tim Rude

(e-mail address removed)
(remove NOSPAM. for correct email address)

Wesley Vogel said:
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

[Product Specification]
Product=Windows XP Home Edition

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Tim Rude said:
Thanks for the info.

As I was poking around, I came across the EULA.TXT file. It said it was XP
Pro.

--
Tim Rude

(e-mail address removed)
(remove NOSPAM. for correct email address)
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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