Which Windows from a non bootable disk?

User avatar
ErikJan
5StarLounger
Posts: 1185
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 19:59
Location: Terneuzen, the Netherlands

Which Windows from a non bootable disk?

Post by ErikJan »

I have a disk copy (image) from a system (Win10) that doesn't boot anymore. How can I find what Windows that was (I know the language), but the bitness (probably 64), and type (Home, Pro)?

I can read the disk from another PC of course

User avatar
StuartR
Administrator
Posts: 12577
Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 15:49
Location: London, Europe

Re: Which Windows from a non bootable disk?

Post by StuartR »

The suggestion at https://sirusdark.wordpress.com/2013/09 ... n-offline/ seems to work.
navigate to drive:\Windows\System32\ntdll.dll
right click and select properties
Look in details at Product version.

I'm not sure if this gives you everything you need, but it certainly shows the exact Windows build.
StuartR


User avatar
ErikJan
5StarLounger
Posts: 1185
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 19:59
Location: Terneuzen, the Netherlands

Re: Which Windows from a non bootable disk?

Post by ErikJan »

Thanks... doesn't seen to discriminate between Windows versions (Pro, Home). Also Win10 has one entry only... (as the website is somewhat old) I was hoping to find separate entries for feature builds.
I'f I'm attempting a repair, I have found a way using a fresh downloaded Windows from MS to do that but I must make sure that version matches the one it should repair of course.
I agree that somehow, somewhere it should be listed in a file or visible via some file properties so the proposed solution seems to be in the right direction.

User avatar
StuartR
Administrator
Posts: 12577
Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 15:49
Location: London, Europe

Re: Which Windows from a non bootable disk?

Post by StuartR »

I think you might have to look in the Registry on the disk drive. You can find instructions for that here.
https://blog.skullsecurity.org/2010/fin ... on-offline
StuartR


User avatar
ErikJan
5StarLounger
Posts: 1185
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 19:59
Location: Terneuzen, the Netherlands

Re: Which Windows from a non bootable disk?

Post by ErikJan »

That looks great Stuart. Let me try that. I'll report back here on what I'll see :)

User avatar
ErikJan
5StarLounger
Posts: 1185
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 19:59
Location: Terneuzen, the Netherlands

Re: Which Windows from a non bootable disk?

Post by ErikJan »

I get "Cannot load C:\....|name: Error while loading hive."

User avatar
ErikJan
5StarLounger
Posts: 1185
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 19:59
Location: Terneuzen, the Netherlands

Re: Which Windows from a non bootable disk?

Post by ErikJan »

I found an offline registry viewer; working with that now

User avatar
ErikJan
5StarLounger
Posts: 1185
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 19:59
Location: Terneuzen, the Netherlands

Re: Which Windows from a non bootable disk?

Post by ErikJan »

I see it's 1903 and it's "Windows 10 Pro". The language and bitness are still unknown... I'll continue to look, suggestions are welcome

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion]
1903 is in key "ReleaseId"
Windows 10 Pro in key "ProductName"

User avatar
ErikJan
5StarLounger
Posts: 1185
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 19:59
Location: Terneuzen, the Netherlands

Re: Which Windows from a non bootable disk?

Post by ErikJan »

Next update: if I see a "Program Files" as well as "Program Files (x86)" folder it is 64 bit.

Last thing is the OS language... if I look at files and folders in a backup of another system... how do I find that?

User avatar
StuartR
Administrator
Posts: 12577
Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 15:49
Location: London, Europe

Re: Which Windows from a non bootable disk?

Post by StuartR »

You should be able to find the language ID in the registry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\NIs\Language\InstallLanguage

To translate the Numeric ID to the name of a language have a look at
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/window ... uage-packs
StuartR


User avatar
ErikJan
5StarLounger
Posts: 1185
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 19:59
Location: Terneuzen, the Netherlands

Re: Which Windows from a non bootable disk?

Post by ErikJan »

Worked, thanks (note that I had to use "ControlSet001" as "CurrentControlSet" did not exist

User avatar
ErikJan
5StarLounger
Posts: 1185
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 19:59
Location: Terneuzen, the Netherlands

Re: Which Windows from a non bootable disk?

Post by ErikJan »

Last update... the bitness from HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Session Manager\Environment

Key: PROCESSOR ARCHITECTURE"