Determine OS version and bit type from the registry

[RobM]

Hi,

I need to find out if there is a way to determine the operating system
version and whether it is 32 or 64-bit by using the registry. I am aware of
the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\CurrentVersion. Windows XP would be 5.1 and Vista would be
6.0. I noticed that both the 32 and 64 bit versions are set to version 6.0.
Does anyone know where to find the bit version installed in the registry?
System Information is able to tell so it must be in the registry somewhere.

I have been searching the internet for awhile without much luck so far.

--

Thanks,

Rob

[Mark L. Ferguson]

--OS Architecture.VBS--cut here--
' Mark L. Ferguson 2008
' script to detect 32 or 64 bit architecture
strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
& "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" _
& strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colOperatingSystems = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
("Select * from Win32_OperatingSystem")
For Each objOperatingSystem in colOperatingSystems
Wscript.Echo objOperatingSystem.Caption & _
" " & objOperatingSystem.OSArchitecture
Next
--end file--cut here--

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Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Mark.Ferguson

[RobM]

I get an error message using this code:

Line 8
Char 5

Error: Object doesn't support this property or method:
'objOperatingSystem.OSArchitecture'

Will this script tell me the bit version of the OS installed or only if the
processor supports it? I'm looking for the bit version of the OS installed.

[PaulM]

Go here line 14 and download the script and run it.
http://www.paulsxp.com/tweaksvista.html

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Live Support
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[RobM]

One last question. You are making the determination by using the key
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session
Manager\Environment\PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE. Doesn't this refer to the
processor's capability rather than the OS bit version?

If you install a 32-bit OS on a processor capable of supporting 64-bit, the
value at that key will still be x86 regardless of the processor?

Sorry to drag this on but the Processor_Architecture key makes this a little
confusing.
--

[Darrell Gorter[MSFT]]

Hello Rob,
The Processor_Architecture should show the OS platform
The Processor_Identifier shows the hardware of the chip that is installed.

[RobM]

Ok, that answers all of my questions. Thank you to everyone that helped on
this! It is very much appreciated!

[RobM]

Just for the record, I just found out that there is an environment variable
assigned for this purpose. If you use %Processor_Architecture%, that will
also get the information I was looking for. I could just as easily use this
for my purpose as looking in the registry.

[Darrell Gorter[MSFT]]

Hello Rob,
Note about using the environment variable to be aware of.
This will change depending on whether you are running the 64-bit cmd prompt
or the wow64 (32-bit) cmd prompt.
If you run the 64-bit \windows\system32\CMD.exe you will get AMD64
If you run 32-bit \windows\syswow64\cmd.exe you will get x86.