How to differentiate Windows 8.1 Update 1 from Windows 8.1?

Question

Is there anyway to differentiate these two definitively?

I realize I can look for a taskbar or power button on the Start Screen, but I'm more interested in knowing if there's anywhere that actually displays 8.1 Update 1. I know MS has this page, but a programmatic way of detecting it would be nice, especially as the latest ISOs have the update slipstreamed in.

As far as I can tell, the output of ver and wmic os are the same between Windows 8.1 and Windows 8.1. Update 1, and the System Properties still reports Windows 8.1.

Answer 1

Possible solutions

Below there's a few batch scripts which can check whether the operating system is Windows 8.1, with or without KB2919355. The exit code will be one of the following:

• 0: Windows 8.1
• 1: Windows 8.1 Update (KB2919355 installed)
• 2: Not Windows 8.1

Batch script A - Update check

This is the most reliable way. The script first checks if the operating system is Windows 8.1 by comparing the version with 6.3.9600. Then all installed updates are queried to verify whether the KB2919355 update was installed already.

@echo off

for /f "usebackq tokens=2 delims==" %%G in (
`wmic os get version /value ^| findstr /c:"="`
) do set version=%%~G

if not "%version%" == "6.3.9600" exit /b 2

wmic qfe get hotfixid | findstr /i /c:"KB2919355" >nul
set /a errorlevel=%errorlevel% ^^ 1

exit /b %errorlevel%

Batch script B - Build version check

As an alternative you could check the Windows build version, which is faster then the first script because you don't need to enumerate all updates. Since it uses a registry value, it might not be as reliable.

@echo off

for /f "usebackq tokens=2 delims==" %%G in (
`wmic os get version /value ^| findstr /c:"="`
) do set version=%%~G

if not "%version%" == "6.3.9600" exit /b 2

for /f "tokens=4 delims=. " %%G in (
'"reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion" /v "BuildLabEx" | findstr /i /c:"REG_SZ" "'
) do set /a build=%%~G

if %build% geq 17031 exit /b 1
exit /b 0

Batch script C - Build version check (Internet Explorer)

Just like the previous script, here the concept is similar except the Internet Explorer (IE) version is checked instead.

@echo off

for /f "usebackq tokens=2 delims==" %%G in (
`wmic os get version /value ^| findstr /c:"="`
) do set version=%%~G

if not "%version%" == "6.3.9600" exit /b 2

for /f "tokens=3,6 delims=. " %%G in (
'"reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer" /v "svcVersion" | findstr /i /c:"REG_SZ" "'
) do set /a major=%%~G & set /a build=%%~H

if %major% equ 11 if %build% geq 17031 exit /b 1
if %major% geq 12 exit /b 1
exit /b 0

Note The script assumes that any IE version higher or equal to 12 to be available on a Windows 8.1 system with update KB2919355 installed.

All future security and nonsecurity updates for Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 R2 require this update to be installed. We recommend that you install this update on your Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8.1, or Windows Server 2012 R2-based computer in order to receive continued future updates.

_{Source: Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 R2 Update: April 2014}

Given the above, it's reasonable to think any newer IE version would require the update as a prerequisite, just like SP2 is required to install IE 9 on Windows Vista.

Answer 2

Parse the BuildLabEx string

reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion" | findstr BuildLabEx

and if the number is larger than 17031 the users have the Update 1 installed.

Answer 3

We use a command line utility called WuInstall (http://www.wuinstall.com) that does some useful things around patching, among them enabling batch scripts to check whehe updates are installed

Command line to show all installed updates

WUInstall.exe /search /criteria "IsInstalled=1" /offline

To check if a certain KB is installed (there are many filtering options) you can check:

WUInstall.exe /search /criteria "IsInstalled=1" /offline /match "KB982214"

The utility does some command line output, which can be redirected to an xml file with an option called /xmlout or just redirected to a file with e.g. >out.txt

Answer 4

I simply check for a "winstore" folder in the Windows as I have noticed that is a blatant difference in all versions of windows.

Can even run command WinStore to see it.

REM Simulating OS check :Install c: cd\ if exist "c:\windows\WinStore" goto WIN8

:Win8 REMspecific code for a win8 machine