Get Windows version

Author: sunjammer (talk, contrib)

Semi-Obsolete

NSIS includes a header file aptly named WinVer.nsh since version 2.21. It allows for easy detection of the Windows version using LogicLib macros and has automatic future-support so you can always tell if the system at hand, even if undetected, is newer or older than what you need.

!include WinVer.nsh
 
Function .onInit
  ${IfNot} ${AtLeastWinXP}
    MessageBox MB_OK "XP and above required"
    Quit
  ${EndIf}
  ${If} ${IsWin2003}
  ${AndIfNot} ${AtLeastServicePack} 1
    MessageBox MB_OK "2003 SP1 is required"
    Quit
  ${EndIf}
FunctionEnd

The current stable release of NSIS (2.46) only supports up through Windows 7 and Windows 2008. The alpha release of NSIS (3.0a2) supports Windows 8 and 8.1. If you wish to detect Windows 8 and 8.1 rather than just ${AtLeastWin7} or similar with NSIS stable you can use this script or update your local WinVer.nsh with the missing defines and macros from NSIS 3 (This will fix Windows 8 but 8.1 lies unless you have the correct manifest).

Description

A simple function to return the version of Windows that the script is running on. It can detect Windows 95 through Windows 8.1, returns the version number if it is Windows NT 3 or 4 and returns a blank string if it can not determine the Windows version.

Usage

Include the script as normal in your NSIS script. Call it as:

${GetWindowsVersion} $R0

At this point, $R0 will contain one of the following: 95, 98, ME, NT x.x, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 7, 8 or a blank string (for unknown). For NT 3 and 4, the version number will be included.

The Script

; GetWindowsVersion 4.1.1 (2015-06-22)
;
; Based on Yazno's function, http://yazno.tripod.com/powerpimpit/
; Update by Joost Verburg
; Update (Macro, Define, Windows 7 detection) - John T. Haller of PortableApps.com - 2008-01-07
; Update (Windows 8 detection) - Marek Mizanin (Zanir) - 2013-02-07
; Update (Windows 8.1 detection) - John T. Haller of PortableApps.com - 2014-04-04
; Update (Windows 10 TP detection) - John T. Haller of PortableApps.com - 2014-10-01
; Update (Windows 10 TP4 detection, and added include guards) - Kairu - 2015-06-22
;
; Usage: ${GetWindowsVersion} $R0
;
; $R0 contains: 95, 98, ME, NT x.x, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10.0 or '' (for unknown)
 
!ifndef __GET_WINDOWS_VERSION_NSH
!define __GET_WINDOWS_VERSION_NSH
 
Function GetWindowsVersion
 
  Push $R0
  Push $R1
 
  ; check if Windows 10 family (CurrentMajorVersionNumber is new introduced in Windows 10)
  ReadRegStr $R0 HKLM \
    "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion" CurrentMajorVersionNumber
 
  StrCmp $R0 '' 0 lbl_winnt
 
  ClearErrors
 
  ; check if Windows NT family
  ReadRegStr $R0 HKLM \
  "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion" CurrentVersion
 
  IfErrors 0 lbl_winnt
 
  ; we are not NT
  ReadRegStr $R0 HKLM \
  "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion" VersionNumber
 
  StrCpy $R1 $R0 1
  StrCmp $R1 '4' 0 lbl_error
 
  StrCpy $R1 $R0 3
 
  StrCmp $R1 '4.0' lbl_win32_95
  StrCmp $R1 '4.9' lbl_win32_ME lbl_win32_98
 
  lbl_win32_95:
    StrCpy $R0 '95'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_win32_98:
    StrCpy $R0 '98'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_win32_ME:
    StrCpy $R0 'ME'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_winnt:
 
  StrCpy $R1 $R0 1
 
  StrCmp $R1 '3' lbl_winnt_x
  StrCmp $R1 '4' lbl_winnt_x
 
  StrCpy $R1 $R0 3
 
  StrCmp $R1 '5.0' lbl_winnt_2000
  StrCmp $R1 '5.1' lbl_winnt_XP
  StrCmp $R1 '5.2' lbl_winnt_2003
  StrCmp $R1 '6.0' lbl_winnt_vista
  StrCmp $R1 '6.1' lbl_winnt_7
  StrCmp $R1 '6.2' lbl_winnt_8
  StrCmp $R1 '6.3' lbl_winnt_81
  StrCmp $R1 '10' lbl_winnt_10 ; CurrentMajorVersionNumber is a dword
 
  StrCpy $R1 $R0 4
 
  StrCmp $R1 '10.0' lbl_winnt_10 ; This can never happen?
  Goto lbl_error
 
  lbl_winnt_x:
    StrCpy $R0 "NT $R0" 6
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_winnt_2000:
    Strcpy $R0 '2000'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_winnt_XP:
    Strcpy $R0 'XP'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_winnt_2003:
    Strcpy $R0 '2003'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_winnt_vista:
    Strcpy $R0 'Vista'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_winnt_7:
    Strcpy $R0 '7'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_winnt_8:
    Strcpy $R0 '8'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_winnt_81:
    Strcpy $R0 '8.1'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_winnt_10:
    Strcpy $R0 '10.0'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_error:
    Strcpy $R0 ''
  lbl_done:
 
  Pop $R1
  Exch $R0
 
FunctionEnd
 
!macro GetWindowsVersion OUTPUT_VALUE
	Call GetWindowsVersion
	Pop `${OUTPUT_VALUE}`
!macroend
 
!define GetWindowsVersion '!insertmacro "GetWindowsVersion"'
 
!endif

Alternate Script With Server Versions

This alternate script distinguishes between Desktop and Server versions of Microsoft Windows. It breaks compatibility with existing usage due to having these new versions included (e.g. for Server 2008 R2, this script will return '2008R2', whereas the script above returns '7').

; GetWindowsVersion 4.1.1 (2015-06-22) - alternate script with server versions
;
; Based on Yazno's function, http://yazno.tripod.com/powerpimpit/
; Update by Joost Verburg
; Update (Macro, Define, Windows 7 detection) - John T. Haller of PortableApps.com - 2008-01-07
; Update (Windows 8 detection) - Marek Mizanin (Zanir) - 2013-02-07
; Update (Windows 8.1 detection) - John T. Haller of PortableApps.com - 2014-04-04
; Update (Windows 2008, 2008R2, 2012 and 2012R2 detection) - Francisco Simoões Filho franksimoes@gmail.com - 2014-08-25
; Update (Windows 10 TP detection) - John T. Haller of PortableApps.com - 2014-10-01
; Update (Windows 10 TP4 and 2016 detection, and added include guards) - Kairu - 2015-06-22
;
; Usage: ${GetWindowsVersion} $R0
;
; $R0 contains: 95, 98, ME, NT x.x, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 2008, 7, 2008R2,
;                8, 2012, 8.1, 2012R2, 10.0, 2016 or '' (for unknown)
 
!ifndef __GET_WINDOWS_VERSION_NSH
!define __GET_WINDOWS_VERSION_NSH
 
Function GetWindowsVersion
 
  Push $R0
  Push $R1
  Push $R2
 
  ; check if Windows 10 family (CurrentMajorVersionNumber is new introduced in Windows 10)
  ReadRegStr $R0 HKLM \
    "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion" CurrentMajorVersionNumber
 
  StrCmp $R0 '' 0 lbl_winnt
 
  ClearErrors
 
  ; check if Windows NT family
  ReadRegStr $R0 HKLM \
  "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion" CurrentVersion
 
  IfErrors 0 lbl_winnt
 
  ; we are not NT
  ReadRegStr $R0 HKLM \
  "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion" VersionNumber
 
  StrCpy $R1 $R0 1
  StrCmp $R1 '4' 0 lbl_error
 
  StrCpy $R1 $R0 3
 
  StrCmp $R1 '4.0' lbl_win32_95
  StrCmp $R1 '4.9' lbl_win32_ME lbl_win32_98
 
  lbl_win32_95:
    StrCpy $R0 '95'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_win32_98:
    StrCpy $R0 '98'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_win32_ME:
    StrCpy $R0 'ME'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_winnt:
 
  ; check if Windows is Client or Server.
  ReadRegStr $R2 HKLM \
  "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion" InstallationType
 
  StrCpy $R1 $R0 1
 
  StrCmp $R1 '3' lbl_winnt_x
  StrCmp $R1 '4' lbl_winnt_x
 
  StrCpy $R1 $R0 3
 
  StrCmp $R1 '5.0' lbl_winnt_2000
  StrCmp $R1 '5.1' lbl_winnt_XP
  StrCmp $R1 '5.2' lbl_winnt_2003
  StrCmp $R1 '6.0' lbl_winnt_vista_2008
  StrCmp $R1 '6.1' lbl_winnt_7_2008R2
  StrCmp $R1 '6.2' lbl_winnt_8_2012
  StrCmp $R1 '6.3' lbl_winnt_81_2012R2
  StrCmp $R1 '6.4' lbl_winnt_10_2016 ; the early Windows 10 tech previews used version 6.4
 
  StrCpy $R1 $R0 4
 
  StrCmp $R1 '10.0' lbl_winnt_10_2016 ; This is wrong? 10 is still reports as 6.3?
  Goto lbl_error
 
  lbl_winnt_x:
    StrCpy $R0 "NT $R0" 6
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_winnt_2000:
    Strcpy $R0 '2000'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_winnt_XP:
    Strcpy $R0 'XP'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  lbl_winnt_2003:
    Strcpy $R0 '2003'
  Goto lbl_done
 
  ;----------------- Family - Vista / 2008 -------------
  lbl_winnt_vista_2008:
    StrCmp $R2 'Client' go_vista
    StrCmp $R2 'Server' go_2008
 
    go_vista:
      Strcpy $R0 'Vista'
      Goto lbl_done
 
    go_2008:
      Strcpy $R0 '2008'
      Goto lbl_done
  ;-----------------------------------------------------
 
  ;----------------- Family - 7 / 2008R2 -------------
  lbl_winnt_7_2008R2:
    StrCmp $R2 'Client' go_7
    StrCmp $R2 'Server' go_2008R2
 
    go_7:
      Strcpy $R0 '7'
      Goto lbl_done
 
    go_2008R2:
      Strcpy $R0 '2008R2'
      Goto lbl_done
  ;-----------------------------------------------------
 
  ;----------------- Family - 8 / 2012 -------------
  lbl_winnt_8_2012:
    StrCmp $R2 'Client' go_8
    StrCmp $R2 'Server' go_2012
 
    go_8:
      Strcpy $R0 '8'
      Goto lbl_done
 
    go_2012:
      Strcpy $R0 '2012'
      Goto lbl_done
  ;-----------------------------------------------------
 
  ;----------------- Family - 8.1 / 2012R2 -------------
  lbl_winnt_81_2012R2:
    StrCmp $R2 'Client' go_81
    StrCmp $R2 'Server' go_2012R2
 
    go_81:
      Strcpy $R0 '8.1'
      Goto lbl_done
 
    go_2012R2:
      Strcpy $R0 '2012R2'
      Goto lbl_done
  ;-----------------------------------------------------
 
  ;----------------- Family - 10 / 2016 -------------
  lbl_winnt_10_2016:
    StrCmp $R2 'Client' go_10
    StrCmp $R2 'Server' go_2016
 
    go_10:
      Strcpy $R0 '10.0'
      Goto lbl_done
 
    go_2016:
      Strcpy $R0 '2016'
      Goto lbl_done
  ;-----------------------------------------------------
 
  lbl_error:
    Strcpy $R0 ''
  lbl_done:
 
  Pop $R2
  Pop $R1
  Exch $R0
 
FunctionEnd
 
!macro GetWindowsVersion OUTPUT_VALUE
	Call GetWindowsVersion
	Pop `${OUTPUT_VALUE}`
!macroend
 
!define GetWindowsVersion '!insertmacro "GetWindowsVersion"'
 
!endif