GetVersionEx under Windows 8

Question

I'm writing a C++ code to determine what OS it is running on. I use GetVersionEx() API to do that, and this code as a tutorial, but it doesn't seems to handle Windows 8. Does anyone know how to fix it to run under Windows 8?

Subsidy

The code is fine, you just need to find out the version number for Windows 8. Like 6.1 is Windows 7, perhaps is 6.2 for 8. Knowing this, you can adjust the code based on MS documentation for 8. – Quadrant

Considering the rather huge differences in Windows 8, i'd guess the version number would be 7.0. Maybe even 8.0 if they want to get sane about it and skip a version number. – Violence

Any ideas what versions of Windows 8 will MS have? – Subsidy

Can't you just have a breakpoint in a debugger, and just look at the fields of the structure? – Custer

The CTP is 6.2, so 8 should as well. – Roane

Answer 1

According to several comments in the MSDN forums and this article the version number for Windows 8 is 6.2

This is the sample code updated and tested in Windows 8 Developer Preview

#include "stdafx.h"
#include <windows.h>
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
#include <tchar.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <strsafe.h>

#pragma comment(lib, "User32.lib")

#define BUFSIZE 256

typedef void (WINAPI *PGNSI)(LPSYSTEM_INFO);
typedef BOOL (WINAPI *PGPI)(DWORD, DWORD, DWORD, DWORD, PDWORD);

BOOL GetOSDisplayString( LPTSTR pszOS)
{
   OSVERSIONINFOEX osvi;
   SYSTEM_INFO si;
   PGNSI pGNSI;
   PGPI pGPI;
   BOOL bOsVersionInfoEx;
   DWORD dwType;

   ZeroMemory(&si, sizeof(SYSTEM_INFO));
   ZeroMemory(&osvi, sizeof(OSVERSIONINFOEX));

   osvi.dwOSVersionInfoSize = sizeof(OSVERSIONINFOEX);
   bOsVersionInfoEx = GetVersionEx((OSVERSIONINFO*) &osvi);

   if( ! bOsVersionInfoEx ) return 1;

   // Call GetNativeSystemInfo if supported or GetSystemInfo otherwise.

   pGNSI = (PGNSI) GetProcAddress(
      GetModuleHandle(TEXT("kernel32.dll")), 
      "GetNativeSystemInfo");
   if(NULL != pGNSI)
      pGNSI(&si);
   else GetSystemInfo(&si);

   if ( VER_PLATFORM_WIN32_NT==osvi.dwPlatformId && 
        osvi.dwMajorVersion > 4 )
   {
      StringCchCopy(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Microsoft "));

      // Test for the specific product.

      if ( osvi.dwMajorVersion == 6 )
      {
         if( osvi.dwMinorVersion == 0 )
         {
            if( osvi.wProductType == VER_NT_WORKSTATION )
                StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Windows Vista "));
            else StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Windows Server 2008 " ));
         }

         if ( osvi.dwMinorVersion == 1 || osvi.dwMinorVersion == 2 )
         {
            if ( osvi.wProductType == VER_NT_WORKSTATION && osvi.dwMinorVersion == 1)
                StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Windows 7 "));
            else
            if ( osvi.wProductType == VER_NT_WORKSTATION && osvi.dwMinorVersion == 2)
                StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Windows 8 "));
            else 
                StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Windows Server 2008 R2 " ));
         }

         pGPI = (PGPI) GetProcAddress(
            GetModuleHandle(TEXT("kernel32.dll")), 
            "GetProductInfo");

         pGPI( osvi.dwMajorVersion, osvi.dwMinorVersion, 0, 0, &dwType);

         switch( dwType )
         {
            case PRODUCT_ULTIMATE:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Ultimate Edition" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_PROFESSIONAL:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Professional" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_HOME_PREMIUM:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Home Premium Edition" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_HOME_BASIC:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Home Basic Edition" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_ENTERPRISE:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Enterprise Edition" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_BUSINESS:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Business Edition" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_STARTER:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Starter Edition" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_CLUSTER_SERVER:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Cluster Server Edition" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_DATACENTER_SERVER:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Datacenter Edition" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_DATACENTER_SERVER_CORE:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Datacenter Edition (core installation)" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_ENTERPRISE_SERVER:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Enterprise Edition" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_ENTERPRISE_SERVER_CORE:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Enterprise Edition (core installation)" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_ENTERPRISE_SERVER_IA64:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_SMALLBUSINESS_SERVER:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Small Business Server" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_SMALLBUSINESS_SERVER_PREMIUM:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Small Business Server Premium Edition" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_STANDARD_SERVER:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Standard Edition" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_STANDARD_SERVER_CORE:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Standard Edition (core installation)" ));
               break;
            case PRODUCT_WEB_SERVER:
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Web Server Edition" ));
               break;
         }
      }

      if ( osvi.dwMajorVersion == 5 && osvi.dwMinorVersion == 2 )
      {
         if( GetSystemMetrics(SM_SERVERR2) )
            StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Windows Server 2003 R2, "));
         else if ( osvi.wSuiteMask & VER_SUITE_STORAGE_SERVER )
            StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Windows Storage Server 2003"));
         else if ( osvi.wSuiteMask & VER_SUITE_WH_SERVER )
            StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Windows Home Server"));
         else if( osvi.wProductType == VER_NT_WORKSTATION &&
                  si.wProcessorArchitecture==PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_AMD64)
         {
            StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Windows XP Professional x64 Edition"));
         }
         else StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Windows Server 2003, "));

         // Test for the server type.
         if ( osvi.wProductType != VER_NT_WORKSTATION )
         {
            if ( si.wProcessorArchitecture==PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_IA64 )
            {
                if( osvi.wSuiteMask & VER_SUITE_DATACENTER )
                   StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Datacenter Edition for Itanium-based Systems" ));
                else if( osvi.wSuiteMask & VER_SUITE_ENTERPRISE )
                   StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems" ));
            }

            else if ( si.wProcessorArchitecture==PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_AMD64 )
            {
                if( osvi.wSuiteMask & VER_SUITE_DATACENTER )
                   StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Datacenter x64 Edition" ));
                else if( osvi.wSuiteMask & VER_SUITE_ENTERPRISE )
                   StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Enterprise x64 Edition" ));
                else StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Standard x64 Edition" ));
            }

            else
            {
                if ( osvi.wSuiteMask & VER_SUITE_COMPUTE_SERVER )
                   StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Compute Cluster Edition" ));
                else if( osvi.wSuiteMask & VER_SUITE_DATACENTER )
                   StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Datacenter Edition" ));
                else if( osvi.wSuiteMask & VER_SUITE_ENTERPRISE )
                   StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Enterprise Edition" ));
                else if ( osvi.wSuiteMask & VER_SUITE_BLADE )
                   StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Web Edition" ));
                else StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Standard Edition" ));
            }
         }
      }

      if ( osvi.dwMajorVersion == 5 && osvi.dwMinorVersion == 1 )
      {
         StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Windows XP "));
         if( osvi.wSuiteMask & VER_SUITE_PERSONAL )
            StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Home Edition" ));
         else StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Professional" ));
      }

      if ( osvi.dwMajorVersion == 5 && osvi.dwMinorVersion == 0 )
      {
         StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT("Windows 2000 "));

         if ( osvi.wProductType == VER_NT_WORKSTATION )
         {
            StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Professional" ));
         }
         else 
         {
            if( osvi.wSuiteMask & VER_SUITE_DATACENTER )
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Datacenter Server" ));
            else if( osvi.wSuiteMask & VER_SUITE_ENTERPRISE )
               StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Advanced Server" ));
            else StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( "Server" ));
         }
      }

       // Include service pack (if any) and build number.

      if( _tcslen(osvi.szCSDVersion) > 0 )
      {
          StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT(" ") );
          StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, osvi.szCSDVersion);
      }

      TCHAR buf[80];

      StringCchPrintf( buf, 80, TEXT(" (build %d)"), osvi.dwBuildNumber);
      StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, buf);

      if ( osvi.dwMajorVersion >= 6 )
      {
         if ( si.wProcessorArchitecture==PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_AMD64 )
            StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT( ", 64-bit" ));
         else if (si.wProcessorArchitecture==PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL )
            StringCchCat(pszOS, BUFSIZE, TEXT(", 32-bit"));
      }

      return TRUE; 
   }

   else
   {  
      printf( "This sample does not support this version of Windows.\n");
      return FALSE;
   }
}

int __cdecl _tmain()
{
    TCHAR szOS[BUFSIZE];

    if( GetOSDisplayString( szOS ) )
    {
        _tprintf( TEXT("\n%s\n"), szOS );
        cin.get();
    }
}

This returns Microsoft Windows 8 (build 8102), 64-bit on my Windows 8 Test Machine

Jobe

OK. That's what I got. I wish they updated all that in MSDN (including license names for Windows 8...) – Subsidy

Answer 2

Another option using the Win32_OperatingSystem WMI class

#include "stdafx.h"
#define _WIN32_DCOM
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
#include <comdef.h>
#include <Wbemidl.h>
# pragma comment(lib, "wbemuuid.lib")

#pragma argsused
int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
    BSTR strNetworkResource;
    //To use a WMI remote connection set localconn to false and configure the values of the pszName, pszPwd and the name of the remote machine in strNetworkResource    
    strNetworkResource = L"\\\\.\\root\\CIMV2";

    COAUTHIDENTITY *userAcct =  NULL ;
    COAUTHIDENTITY authIdent;

    // Initialize COM. ------------------------------------------

    HRESULT hres;
    hres =  CoInitializeEx(0, COINIT_MULTITHREADED);
    if (FAILED(hres))
    {
        cout << "Failed to initialize COM library. Error code = 0x" << hex << hres << endl;
        cout << _com_error(hres).ErrorMessage() << endl;
        cout << "press enter to exit" << endl;
        cin.get();      
        return 1;                  // Program has failed.
    }

    // Set general COM security levels --------------------------


        hres =  CoInitializeSecurity(
            NULL,
            -1,                          // COM authentication
            NULL,                        // Authentication services
            NULL,                        // Reserved
            RPC_C_AUTHN_LEVEL_DEFAULT,   // Default authentication
            RPC_C_IMP_LEVEL_IMPERSONATE, // Default Impersonation
            NULL,                        // Authentication info
            EOAC_NONE,                   // Additional capabilities
            NULL                         // Reserved
            );


    if (FAILED(hres))
    {
        cout << "Failed to initialize security. Error code = 0x" << hex << hres << endl;
        cout << _com_error(hres).ErrorMessage() << endl;
        CoUninitialize();
        cout << "press enter to exit" << endl;
        cin.get();      
        return 1;                    // Program has failed.
    }

    // Obtain the initial locator to WMI -------------------------

    IWbemLocator *pLoc = NULL;
    hres = CoCreateInstance(CLSID_WbemLocator, 0, CLSCTX_INPROC_SERVER, IID_IWbemLocator, (LPVOID *) &pLoc);

    if (FAILED(hres))
    {
        cout << "Failed to create IWbemLocator object." << " Err code = 0x" << hex << hres << endl;
        cout << _com_error(hres).ErrorMessage() << endl;
        CoUninitialize();       
        cout << "press enter to exit" << endl;
        cin.get();      
        return 1;                 // Program has failed.
    }

    // Connect to WMI through the IWbemLocator::ConnectServer method

    IWbemServices *pSvc = NULL;

        hres = pLoc->ConnectServer(
             _bstr_t(strNetworkResource),      // Object path of WMI namespace
             NULL,                    // User name. NULL = current user
             NULL,                    // User password. NULL = current
             0,                       // Locale. NULL indicates current
             NULL,                    // Security flags.
             0,                       // Authority (e.g. Kerberos)
             0,                       // Context object
             &pSvc                    // pointer to IWbemServices proxy
             );


    if (FAILED(hres))
    {
        cout << "Could not connect. Error code = 0x" << hex << hres << endl;    
        cout << _com_error(hres).ErrorMessage() << endl;
        pLoc->Release();
        CoUninitialize();
        cout << "press enter to exit" << endl;
        cin.get();          
        return 1;                // Program has failed.
    }

    cout << "Connected to root\\CIMV2 WMI namespace" << endl;

    // Set security levels on the proxy -------------------------

        hres = CoSetProxyBlanket(
           pSvc,                        // Indicates the proxy to set
           RPC_C_AUTHN_WINNT,           // RPC_C_AUTHN_xxx
           RPC_C_AUTHZ_NONE,            // RPC_C_AUTHZ_xxx
           NULL,                        // Server principal name
           RPC_C_AUTHN_LEVEL_CALL,      // RPC_C_AUTHN_LEVEL_xxx
           RPC_C_IMP_LEVEL_IMPERSONATE, // RPC_C_IMP_LEVEL_xxx
           NULL,                        // client identity
           EOAC_NONE                    // proxy capabilities
        );

    if (FAILED(hres))
    {
        cout << "Could not set proxy blanket. Error code = 0x" << hex << hres << endl;
        cout << _com_error(hres).ErrorMessage() << endl;
        pSvc->Release();
        pLoc->Release();
        CoUninitialize();
        cout << "press enter to exit" << endl;
        cin.get();      
        return 1;               // Program has failed.
    }

    // Use the IWbemServices pointer to make requests of WMI ----

    IEnumWbemClassObject* pEnumerator = NULL;
    hres = pSvc->ExecQuery( L"WQL", L"SELECT * FROM Win32_OperatingSystem",
    WBEM_FLAG_FORWARD_ONLY | WBEM_FLAG_RETURN_IMMEDIATELY, NULL, &pEnumerator);

    if (FAILED(hres))
    {
        cout << "ExecQuery failed" << " Error code = 0x"    << hex << hres << endl;
        cout << _com_error(hres).ErrorMessage() << endl;
        pSvc->Release();
        pLoc->Release();
        CoUninitialize();
        cout << "press enter to exit" << endl;
        cin.get();      
        return 1;               // Program has failed.
    }



    // Get the data from the WQL sentence
    IWbemClassObject *pclsObj = NULL;
    ULONG uReturn = 0;

    while (pEnumerator)
    {
        HRESULT hr = pEnumerator->Next(WBEM_INFINITE, 1, &pclsObj, &uReturn);

        if(0 == uReturn || FAILED(hr))
          break;

        VARIANT vtProp;

                hr = pclsObj->Get(L"Caption", 0, &vtProp, 0, 0);// String
                if (!FAILED(hr))
                {
                    wcout << "OS Version " << vtProp.bstrVal << endl;
                }

                hr = pclsObj->Get(L"BuildNumber", 0, &vtProp, 0, 0);// String
                if (!FAILED(hr))
                {
                    wcout << "Build Number " << vtProp.bstrVal << endl;
                }

                hr = pclsObj->Get(L"Version", 0, &vtProp, 0, 0);// String
                if (!FAILED(hr))
                {
                    wcout << "Version " << vtProp.bstrVal << endl;
                }

                VariantClear(&vtProp);


        pclsObj->Release();
        pclsObj=NULL;
    }

    // Cleanup

    pSvc->Release();
    pLoc->Release();
    pEnumerator->Release();
    if (pclsObj!=NULL)
     pclsObj->Release();

    CoUninitialize();
    cout << "press enter to exit" << endl;
    cin.get();
    return 0;   // Program successfully completed.
}

This code returns

OS Version Microsoft Windows Developer Preview Build Number 8102 Version 6.2.8102

On Windows 8 developer preview version.

Jobe

This is the only reliable technique, which gives correct version for all future-unknown Windows versions, without hassle of "Is-This-Feature-Available" or manifest. – Alic

Answer 3

OK, I was hoping someone has done this already ... but, I guess not, so here you go:

Windows 8 Consumer Preview

//OSVERSIONINFO for GetVersionEx returns:
dwMajorVersion = 6;
dwMinorVersion = 2;
wProductType = 1;

//GetProductInfo returns:
dwType = 0x4A;   //Not documented yet???

PS. I don't have VS IDE installed there. Had to make a small app to get those...

Subsidy

0x4A stands to PRODUCT_PRERELEASE (used in Developer and Consumer Preview versions). – Fewness

Note that with Windows 8.1/10, unless your app has an embedded manifest with the supportedOS GUID for Windows 8.1/10 in it, GetVersionEx will still return 6.2. See Manifest Madness – Goggles

Answer 4

Windows 8 is 6.2.
Windows Server 2012 is also 6.2.
See: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms724834(v=vs.85).aspx

Diacid

Thanks for the link to the MS documentation with the table of Windows versions. – Magniloquent

Answer 5

According to this MSDN page, it is actually recommended to use the Version Helper functions instead of GetVersionInfoEx to determine the running Windows version. As described on the GetVersionEx page, that API may disappear in the future.

Isabeau

Indeed MS depracated GetVersionEx. But why is using versionHelper functions a hassle? The API seems quite simplified to me. – Hypocotyl

You're right. I looked again and calling code is simplified. – Isabeau

Answer 6

Another possible method for basic (major, minor) validation of the system but not in depth product details is to check the version of a core system file, example kernel32.dll.

Credits to another thread for usage on GetFileVersionEx...

Sorry for the late bump.. ;)

#include <Windows.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include "Shlwapi.h"

#define a64 "(x64)"
#define i86 "(x86)"

#pragma comment( lib, "Shlwapi.lib")
#pragma comment( lib, "Version.lib")

BOOL IsWow64();
void PrintSystemVersion();

int main()
{
    PrintSystemVersion();

    getchar();
}

void PrintSystemVersion()
{
    DWORD dwSize = 0;
    BYTE *pbVersionInfo = NULL;
    VS_FIXEDFILEINFO *pFileInfo = NULL;
    UINT puLenFileInfo = 0;
    TCHAR pszPath[ MAX_PATH ];
    DWORD dwMajor, dwMinor;
    BOOL Is64 = FALSE;

    GetSystemDirectory( pszPath, sizeof( pszPath ) );

    PathAppend(pszPath, "kernel32.dll");

    dwSize = GetFileVersionInfoSize(pszPath, NULL);

    if (dwSize != 0)
    {
        pbVersionInfo = new BYTE[dwSize];

        if (GetFileVersionInfo(pszPath, 0, dwSize, pbVersionInfo))
        {
            if (VerQueryValue(pbVersionInfo, "\\", (LPVOID*)&pFileInfo, &puLenFileInfo))
            {
                if ( IsWow64( ) == TRUE ) {
                    Is64 = TRUE;
                    dwMajor = pFileInfo->dwProductVersionMS >> 16 & 0xff; 
                    dwMinor = pFileInfo->dwProductVersionMS >> 0 & 0xff;
                } else {
                    dwMajor = pFileInfo->dwProductVersionMS;
                    dwMinor = pFileInfo->dwProductVersionMS;
                }
                if ( dwMajor == 5 )
                {
                    if ( dwMinor ==  0 ) {
                        printf("Windows 2000 %s\r\n", Is64 ? a64 : i86);
                    }
                    else if ( dwMinor == 1) {
                        printf("Windows XP %s\r\n", Is64 ? a64 : i86);
                    }
                }
                else if ( dwMajor == 6)
                {
                    if ( dwMinor == 0) {
                        printf("Windows Vista %s\r\n", Is64 ? a64 : i86);
                    }
                    else if ( dwMinor == 1) {
                        printf("Windows 7 %s\r\n", Is64 ? a64 : i86);
                    }
                    else if ( dwMinor == 2) {
                        printf("Windows 8 %s\r\n", Is64 ? a64 : i86);
                    }
                    else if ( dwMinor == 3) {
                        printf("Windows 8.1 %s\r\n", Is64 ? a64 : i86);
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

BOOL IsWow64()
{
    typedef BOOL(WINAPI *LPFN_ISWOW64PROCESS) (HANDLE, PBOOL);
    LPFN_ISWOW64PROCESS fnIsWow64Process;

    BOOL bIsWow64 = FALSE;

    fnIsWow64Process = (LPFN_ISWOW64PROCESS)GetProcAddress(
        GetModuleHandle(TEXT("kernel32")), "IsWow64Process");

    if (NULL != fnIsWow64Process)
    {
        if (!fnIsWow64Process(GetCurrentProcess(), &bIsWow64))
        {
            bIsWow64 = TRUE;
        }
    }
    return bIsWow64;
}

Dingus