Identifying Flavors of XP

H

hoobie7

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 12, 2005
Messages
233
So, I work at a local computer repair shop but I'm the new guy so I'm still learning alot.
Which means I come up with a lot of questions and heres one.

Often times we have to do Windows repairs and the customer doesn't know what they have.
How can I identify different types of XP like Home OEM, Home Retail, Pro,or Corporate when I can't boot to the windows?
Like say I can boot to a CD with a windows type enviroment that allows me to access the HDD's so I can see the windows folder is there.
Is there a file in that folder that I can use to identify what type of XP is on the HDD, or even if its Windows 98?

Another scenario I had occur is when I boot to the Windows CD and run windows install -> repair function the disc scans for previous windows versions; it finds nothing and simply shows "Partition 1", but when I go into the repair console it shows "C:\WINDOWS" so I know darn well it's there. So I insert an XP Pro CD instead of Home and bingo-bango Bob's-your-uncle it finds "Windows XP Pro" instead of "Partition 1" in the Install -> Repair function and I can run the repair. Is there an easier way?

Does anybody understand what I'm asking?

Hoobie
 
Laptops or branded desktops usually have a sticker with windows serial number and windows version, like home, pro, etc, or you can ask the customer which version of windows they use, i dont think they are clueless about their windows version.

oldmx
 
Ah yes, I forgot that detail, no product sticker on the case and customer isn't sure where it is.
I had to pull the key with key finder(Does the key have any identifying characteristics that might help?)
And ya it's pretty common that they don't know what version it is.
I'm happy when they know Pro or Home, but Retail, OEM, or Corprate? Forget about it! So is there something within the hard drive, in the software, that can ID it for me?

Thanks!
Hoobie ;)
 
I think I remember reading something a few years back where certain characters in the key would tell you if it was Retail, OEM, or Volume (Corporate is not the correct term...Volume licenses). I do not have any links though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top