How to do it...

The easiest way to find out which version a computer is running is by following these steps:

1. Click on Start.
2. Go to Run.
3. Type winver in the search field and press Enter.

This will work on machines that have installed Windows 7 or earlier versions. For Windows 8 onwards:

1. You will need to press and hold the Windows key along with R
2. Type winver in the box that appears and press Enter

This will open a small About Windows box, which will provide information on the version, as well as the build number:

To collect more information, perform the following steps:

1. Go to the Start menu
2. Right-click on Computer and choose Properties from the context menu

Also, you can find My Computer, Computer, or This PC shortcuts on the Desktop right-click on any one of these and choose Properties from the context menu:

As you can see in figure 2.14, with this technique you can collect more information about the machine you are dealing with, including the service pack, system type, computer name, and so on.