WindowsType

The installer sets this variable to a value that indicates the type of Windows running on the target system. The value of this variable corresponds to the values defined for the GetProductInfo() Win32 API function. However, in contrast to that function, which is only available on Windows Vista and later, InstallMate defines values for this variable for all Windows versions from Windows 95 onwards.

Note 1: Similar pieces of information can be obtained from a combination of other variables (see Related topics, below). The advantage of WindowsType is that it brings together all information in one place.

Note 2: This variable does not fully define the Windows version; it should be used in conjunction with Version9x, VersionNT, VersionNT32, and VersionNT64 to distinguish between, for example, Windows 95 and 98 (both have a WindowsType value of 2, but different Version9x values), or between, say, Windows NT4 Workstation, 2000 Professional, XP Professional, XP for x64 Professional, or Vista Business Edition (all with WindowsType 6, but different VersionNT, VersionNT32, and VersionNT64 values).

The following values are defined for this variable, including the InstallMate usage for pre-Vista Windows versions. Note that the "Server" editions of Windows include both server and domain controller roles, because GetProductInfo() does not distinguish between them. If your installer needs to treat these two roles differently, then use the MsiNTProductType or RegNTProductType variables.

WindowsType by name

WindowsType by value

Usage

You can refer to this variable as <WindowsType>. In conditional expressions you can omit the brackets and simply use WindowsType = 17, for example, as a test for any Windows version that is identified as a Web Server edition. Set automatically by all installers.

Related topics

MsiNTProductType, MsiNTSuiteBackOffice, MsiNTSuiteDataCenter, MsiNTSuiteEnterprise, MsiNTSuitePersonal, MsiNTSuiteSmallBusiness, MsiNTSuiteSmallBusinessRestricted, MsiNTSuiteWebServer, WindowsCore, System information variables