How to translate MS Windows OS version numbers int

Question

How to translate MS Windows OS version numbers into product names?

For example, in .NET the following two properties could be used to work out that the product is MS Windows Vista Ultimate Edition :

Environment.OSVersion.Platform returns Win32NT

Environment.OSVersion.Version returns 6.0.6001.65536

Answer 1

There's a C++ example at msdn http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms724429(VS.85).aspx, along with a note someone's added about how to wrap it up for use in [VB].net. It looks like the "missing" bit you need is the Win32 function GetProductInfo (PInvoke.net reference for this).

Between this and the answer from Avram, you should be able to assemble the full version string.

Answer 2

howto net os version

VB:

Public Function GetOSVersion() As String
    Select Case Environment.OSVersion.Platform
        Case PlatformID.Win32S
            Return "Win 3.1"
        Case PlatformID.Win32Windows
            Select Case Environment.OSVersion.Version.Minor
                Case 0
                    Return "Win95"
                Case 10
                    Return "Win98"
                Case 90
                    Return "WinME"
                Case Else
                    Return "Unknown"
            End Select
        Case PlatformID.Win32NT
            Select Case Environment.OSVersion.Version.Major
                Case 3
                    Return "NT 3.51"
                Case 4
                    Return "NT 4.0"
                Case 5
                    Select Case _
                        Environment.OSVersion.Version.Minor
                        Case 0
                            Return "Win2000"
                        Case 1
                            Return "WinXP"
                        Case 2
                            Return "Win2003"
                    End Select
                Case 6
                    Select Case _
                        Environment.OSVersion.Version.Minor
                        Case 0
                            Return "Vista/Win2008Server"
                        Case 1
                            Return "Win7/Win2008Server R2"
                        Case 2
                            Return "Win8/Win2012Server"
                        Case 3
                            Return "Win8.1/Win2012Server R2"
                    End Select
                Case 10  //this will only show up if the application has a manifest file allowing W10, otherwise a 6.2 version will be used
                  Return "Windows 10"
                Case Else
                    Return "Unknown"
            End Select
        Case PlatformID.WinCE
            Return "Win CE"
    End Select
End Function

---

C#

public string GetOSVersion()
{
  switch (Environment.OSVersion.Platform) {
    case PlatformID.Win32S:
      return "Win 3.1";
    case PlatformID.Win32Windows:
      switch (Environment.OSVersion.Version.Minor) {
        case 0:
          return "Win95";
        case 10:
          return "Win98";
        case 90:
          return "WinME";
      }
      break;

    case PlatformID.Win32NT:
      switch (Environment.OSVersion.Version.Major) {
        case 3:
          return "NT 3.51";
        case 4:
          return "NT 4.0";
        case 5:
          switch (Environment.OSVersion.Version.Minor) {
            case 0:
              return "Win2000";
            case 1:
              return "WinXP";
            case 2:
              return "Win2003";
          }
          break;

        case 6:
          switch(Environment.OSVersion.Version.Minor) {
            case 0:
              return "Vista/Win2008Server";
            case 1:
              return "Win7/Win2008Server R2";
            case 2:
              return "Win8/Win2012Server";
            case 3:
              return "Win8.1/Win2012Server R2";
          }
          break;
        case 10:  //this will only show up if the application has a manifest file allowing W10, otherwise a 6.2 version will be used
          return "Windows 10";
      }
      break;

    case PlatformID.WinCE:
      return "Win CE";
  }

  return "Unknown";
}

Answer 3

If you just want a GUI friendly informational message I used

My.Computer.Info.OSFullName & " (" + My.Computer.Info.OSVersion + ")"

Seems to be future proof for future versions of Windows

Answer 4

This is my solution, fastest and without select cases.

the result may be customized as you want

 public static string SistemaOperativo
    {
        get
        {
            #region Dichiarazioni
            var osInfo = Environment.OSVersion;
            int platformID = (int)osInfo.Platform;
            int versionM = osInfo.Version.Major;
            int versionm = osInfo.Version.Minor;
            string servicePack = osInfo.ServicePack;
            #endregion

            #region Spiegazione logica
            /*
             * IT: 
             * La chiave del dizionario è il risultato del concatenamento di 
             * PlatformID,MajorVersion,MinorVersion, tutto convertito in Int32, 
             * per esempio Platform ID=1 MajorVersion=4 MinorVersion=0, 
             * il risultato è 140 ossia Windows 95
             * 
             * EN:
             * The key in Dictionary is the 'join' 
             * of PlatformID,MajorVersion,MinorVersion, in int32,
             * eg. Platform ID=1 MajorVersion=4 MinorVersion=0, 
             * the result is '140' (Windows 95)
            */
            #endregion
            Dictionary<int, string> sistemiOperativi = new Dictionary<int, string>(){
                        {0, "Windows 3.1"},
                        {140, "Windows 95"},
                        {1410, "Windows 98"},
                        {1490, "Windows ME"},
                        {2351, "Windows NT 3.51"},
                        {240, "Windows 4.0"},
                        {250, "Windows 2000"},
                        {251, "Windows XP"},
                        {252, "Windows 2003"},
                        {260, "Windows Vista/Server 2008"},
                        {261, "Windows 7"},
                        {-1, "Unknown"}
                   };
            int idUnivoco = int.Parse(string.Format("{0}{1}{2}", platformID, versionM, versionm));
            string outValue = "";
            if (sistemiOperativi.TryGetValue(idUnivoco, out outValue))
                return string.Format("{0}{1}", outValue, servicePack);
            return sistemiOperativi[-1];
        }
    }

Answer 5

You can use WMI to get the friendly product name ("Microsoft® Windows Server® 2008 Enterprise "):

using System.Management;
var name = (from x in new ManagementObjectSearcher("SELECT * FROM Win32_OperatingSystem").Get().OfType<ManagementObject>()
                      select x.GetPropertyValue("Caption")).First();
return name != null ? name.ToString() : "Unknown";