Get Windows Version
How to get the Windows Version from the System Registry
The Windows version is stored in the registry key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
The value CurrentVersion contains the version number as string(!):
| Version Number: | Operating System: |
| 5.0 | Windows 2000 |
| 5.1 | Windows XP |
| 5.2 | Windows XP 64bit |
| 5.2 | Windows Server 2003 / R2 |
| 6.0 | Windows Vista / Windows Server 2008 |
| 6.1 | Windows 7 / Windows Server 2008 R2 |
| 6.2 | Windows 8 / Windows Server 2012 |
| 6.3 | Windows 8.1 / Windows Server 2012 R2 |
| 10.0 | Windows 10 (Preview) |
The value ProductName contains the system name, e.g. "Windows 8.1"
Helper function to read a string value from the registry:
CString GetStringFromReg(HKEY keyParent, CString keyName,
CString keyValName)
{
CRegKey key;
CString out;
if (key.Open(keyParent, keyName, KEY_READ)
== ERROR_SUCCESS)
{
ULONG len=256;
key.QueryStringValue(keyValName,
out.GetBuffer(256), &len);
out.ReleaseBuffer();
key.Close();
}
return out;
}
Get the OS version (e.g. "6.3")
CString osversion = GetStringFromReg(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, L"SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion", L"CurrentVersion");
Get the OS name (e.g. "Windows 8.1")
CString osname = GetStringFromReg(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, L"SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion", L"ProductName");