Problem Getting the OS Version in Compatibility Mode

You are correct in that I am not actually running under a Windows 98 OS. I am trying to find out how to tell which OS I am actually running under (without using the GetVersion and GetVersionEx routines).

Oh. I understand....hold on I'm installing an old Windows 95 application now, so I can figure this out for you....

:)

when a change is made to the dialog where you select the compatability mode a registry key is edited. That key is:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers

It will create a NAME with the address of where the file is stored (i.e. c:\program files\Windows98Program
It will create a data value out beside that name with the version being used (i.e. WIN95, WIN98, etc.etc.)

So the only questionis how to avoid using the GetVersion routine. I guess you are using a program like Visual Basic?

You could create a batch file with the following command line in it:

REG QUERY "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppConpatFlags\Layers" /s

or

REG QUERY "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers" /v "c:\program files\Windows98Program\Filename.exe"

I said (REG QUERY "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppConpatFlags\Layers" /s)  I meant to say:

REG QUERY "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers" /s


spy....

I'm sorry - I must not be explaining myself very well. When the application is running on XP, everything I do indicates that the operating system is 98 (because of the Windows 98 compatibility mode). This includes the calls to GetVersion and even the registry entry that you found. I want to find out what the "real" operating system is independent of the compatibility mode. If I'm running on XP, I want something that tells me "You're on XP". If I'm running on 98, I want something that tells me "You're on 98".

Thanks for looking into this......

Have you tried accessing WMI and querying what OperatingSystem is running ?
example, commandline:   wmic OS get Name

Can also be aquired without using wmic but rather your custom program interfacing WMI.
example in vbscript (not my tool of choice but ok for this example) :

'---snip begin vbscript, save as .VBS, execute with scripting host like cscript.exe----
Set oWMI = GetObject("winmgmts:")
For Each oOs in oWMI.InstancesOf("Win32_OperatingSystem")
   wscript.echo "name: " & oOs.Name
Next
'---- snip end vbscript---

I am trying to do this with an MFC VC++ executable. I have never done WMI in MFC although I think you can with some WMI COM object?? Sometimes COM objects are a pain in the butt in VC++. I will try this if you really think that it would work?? I was really looking for something simple, such as some Win32 routine that returns some value that is unique in XP, or some file or registry entry that is only available on an XP system.

Thanks for the suggestion and let me know what you think.

Well i guess it depends on what your requirements for deployment are.

The quick 'n dirty would be to look for a file that exists in xp but not in win98.
This methods successrate depends on how customized the enduser's system is.

Comparing fileversions of apps won't work because version.dll will translate versioninfo.

You could check if your applications process uses one or more of  shimeng.dll, aclayers.dll or acgenral.dll, acspecfc.dll,aclua.dll,AcXtrnal.dll or AcRes.dll  while running.
If it does, it's using a shim (id est, it's in compatibility mode.)





Regarding WMI in (visual) c++ , this link has working source:
http://www.codeproject.com/system/Using_WMI_in_Visual_C__.asp



In "Using WMIDlg.cpp" file in example source from codeproject, :
Replace                 BSTR strQuery = (L"Select * from win32_Processor");
with                         BSTR strQuery = (L"Select * from Win32_OperatingSystem");
and replace           BSTR strClassProp = SysAllocString(L"LoadPercentage");
with                        BSTR strClassProp = SysAllocString(L"Name");

and you should have proof of concept and decent example. (also, you might have to link in wbemuuid.lib as an additional dependencie.)



More of WMI on MSDN (example and step by step guide)
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/wmisdk/wmi/example_creating_a_wmi_application.asp
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/wmisdk/wmi/creating_a_wmi_application_using_c_.asp


Good luck!
//priich

I see that WMI requires the .NET framework for all of the older operating systems and I'm not sure that is something that we want to impose on our users since many still run Windows 98. Also, I must not have the latest SDK and couldn't compile the example from Code Project.

The WMI solution is still a good one, though, so I will give you the points unless I hear of a non-WMI solution that works.

Thanks priich