[Help] - Fake windows version to SP2?

[-M-]

**** to all those programs requiring SP1 or 2 at setup time. You can be sure - they will NEVER need any SP feature, never. GRRR

Alright, well, I want to install a program on my XP SP0 system that (pretends to) needs Service Pack 2. I don't want to install SP2, so I prefer to fake the windows version, if possible. I tried to simply replace version.dll but it didn't work. Anyone got an idea how to do this?

[Jito463]

Why don't you want SP2? There are a lot of security changes that really help to secure your PC, even if you are good at it already. I would highly recommend you reconsider. In my professional opinion, SP2 is a must for any XP machine that's on the internet.

*EDIT*

Actually, I forgot to mention. It won't be long before MS removes any and all support for updates on unpatched XP machines. You'll have to run at least SP1 if not SP2 to get future updates.

Edited July 6, 2005 by Jito463

[-M-]

I know installing SP2 is a possibility.

But I'd rather continue using SP0 as I can't see any advantages of SP2. And I made some bad experiences with that crappy SP1, where system() calls in general resulted in an application crash.

So, what can I do except installing SP2? ^^

[jondercik]

Install SP2. There are many security fixes that make everything just safer and Sp2 is no slower than SP0

[boooggy]

actually slipstream sp2 and then remove all crap u dont want with nlite.

i think that sp2 is the only good update for xp that m$ made.

Edited July 6, 2005 by boooggy

[-M-]

Shall I tell you what I just did? - Install SP2.

Haha. Very funny isn't it? What do I get? Bluescreen Error 0x7F, no chance to start windows again. The standard 7F-method didn't work, also the error was 7F (0, 0, 0, 0) which is untypical.

So it took me 3 hours to restore all those **** files via WinPE, copy over the registry files I saved just before my mainboard+cpu change, re-install mergeide ("the 7F-method"), re-install thousands of drivers and getting Windows XP SP0 run like it did before. Ah no the USB port is still not working, I still need to find a solution for that (and also for running USB 2.0 on SP0, believe me it is possible as I managed it some months ago on a friend's machine).

So ehm, back to topic, how do I fake the win version?

[MarconeXIII]

Did you ever get to solve this? I know I had done it once but d*mn those memory cells died on me!

Btw, does anyone have any idea how to backup brain cells?

[eyeball]

i noticed after installing sp1 my windows was crappy.. a few fixes later it was great

same with service pack 2, install it and update fully and i believe that you will have the best most stable windows there is

providing your hardware is up to it of course

[TravisO]

If you could only get your hands on WinXP /w integrated SP2 OEM cd

It's the only way to fly!

[CBC]

...& extremely easy to slipstream yourself!

[Siginet]

If you bluescreened after installing SP2 my guess is that your system is infected with a virus or something.

And if you've been running sp0 for this long my guess is more than likley right. There are so many holes in the original XP it is scarey.

[Nakatomi2010]

My technique in situations like this involve "brute forcing" SP2 onto the system... I run into ALOT of people who are pre-sp2, and some that are even pre-sp1... I boot into safe mode and run viral and spyware scans, after getting everything clean I install SP2 from safe mode (NOT normal mode) and normally the system comes out way better in the long run...

IF something goes wrong I use the "brute force" technique, which is basically use a Windows XP SP2 CD to perform a repair install on the system, which then basically reinstalls XP without destroying your registry, or software installs, and upgrades the system to SP2... I figure if XP doesn't want to take it, then I'll shove it down it's throat until it accepts it.... After all, it's either to fix something that's not conscious, than something that is...

Of course, there was that one time at Best Buy that the computer department designated the techs with a task of killing a computer... We removed RAM, the CPU, the heatsink (AMD), disconnected the hard drive, the CD drive.... All while the computer was still in... Believe our surprise when not only did the system give a wide array of colors after removing the RAM, but once the RAM was put back in again it continued to install XP from where it left without a problem... Impressed we were....

[prathapml]

I don't want to install SP2, so I prefer to fake the windows version

Yes, its possible.

Only thing is, remember that you are faking only version - all else stays as it is, so dont expect it to run as stable as SP2.

Here's what you have to do:

Go to this key in the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

What you see in the code section below, is what tells the windows version, to any app installing on your PC. Save the below using notepad as a *.REG and apply it, to make your setup appear as an SP2 setup:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion]
"BuildLab"="2600.xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158"
"CSDVersion"="Service Pack 2"

Hoping this helps...

[Aegis]

No, prathapml you're wrong! All wrong! Lol joking, but anyway that wouldn't work because XP automatically restores the correct settings on reboot. And since the settings don't apply until a reboot, then it's like you've never applied any tweaks at all.

[MarconeXIII]

... well Aegis, that can be remedied by right clicking on the CurrentVersion Key and choosing security. Remove SYSTEM account, allow full access to Administrators group and allow read only to Everyone. This way the system has no right to restore the settings

Down side of that is, it only works for a handful of old applications as new ones seem to look elsewhere for windows version number, grrrr...