What version of Windows is on the recovery USB drive

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How can I figure out what version of Windows is on my USB recovery drives? I’ve several USB sticks that are recovery drives. But I don’t know if they have Windows 8, 8.1 or 10 on them. Is there some command or some files property that I can use to identify its Window version?

Thanks
Brian

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Look for the OSBuildversion node in reagent.xml which is in the root of the recovery drive.

--Joe

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Hmmm, no reagent.xml file. For that matter, the file RetiredGeed mentioned, X:sourcesboot.wim doesn’t exist. No sources folder. I wonder if this USE might have the install iso instead of being a recovery drive?

Doing some searching, I see a note that an iso will have the bootmgr.efi file, which my USB does have, and its autorun.inf tells me its for a 64-bit image. But the thread also says there is supposed to be a sources folder which I don’t have. Bother.

There are a couple wim files. One is preloadPART0001base.wim and the other is RecoveryWinREWinRE.wim. The thread says this should return the windows version:

C:WINDOWSsystem32>dism /get-wiminfo /wimfile:”K:RecoveryWinREWinRE.wim”

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.10586.0

Details for image : K:RecoveryWinREWinRE.wim

Index : 1
Name :
Description :
Size : 1,372,170,394 bytes

The operation completed successfully.

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Brian,

I found thisPS Functionon line and it works on my Recovery Drives:

Example Runs:

Win 10 Pro USB:

Code:

PS> Get-WimImage -WimPath X:sourcesboot.wim


WimFile          : X:sourcesboot.wim
Index            : 1
Name             : Microsoft Windows Recovery Environment (x64)
Description      : Microsoft Windows Recovery Environment (x64)
Size             : 1835331260
Bootable         : No
Architecture     : x64
Hal              : 
[COLOR="#0000FF"]Version          : 10.0.10586[/COLOR]
ServicePackBuild : 0
ServicePackLevel : 0
Edition          : WindowsPE
Installation     : WindowsPE
ProductType      : WinNT
ProductSuite     : 
SystemRoot       : WINDOWS
Directories      : 3403
Files            : 15135
Created          : 10/30/2015 3:25:13 AM
Modified         : 2/5/2016 10:09:39 PM
Languages        : en-US (Default)

Win 8.1 Pro USB:

Code:

PS> Get-WimImage -WimPath Y:sourcesboot.wim


WimFile          : Y:sourcesboot.wim
Index            : 1
Name             : Microsoft Windows PE (x64)
Description      : Microsoft Windows PE (x64)
Size             : 1310720896
Bootable         : No
Architecture     : x64
Hal              : 
[COLOR="#0000FF"]Version          : 6.3.9600[/COLOR]
ServicePackBuild : 16384
ServicePackLevel : 0
Edition          : WindowsPE
Installation     : WindowsPE
ProductType      : WinNT
ProductSuite     : 
SystemRoot       : WINDOWS
Directories      : 3088
Files            : 14354
Created          : 8/22/2013 10:08:11 AM
Modified         : 10/22/2013 3:37:39 PM
Languages        : en-US (Default)

WimFile          : Y:sourcesboot.wim
Index            : 2
Name             : Microsoft Windows Setup (x64)
Description      : Microsoft Windows Setup (x64)
Size             : 1407856692
Bootable         : No
Architecture     : x64
Hal              : 
Version          : 6.3.9600
ServicePackBuild : 16384
ServicePackLevel : 0
Edition          : WindowsPE
Installation     : WindowsPE
ProductType      : WinNT
ProductSuite     : 
SystemRoot       : WINDOWS
Directories      : 3106
Files            : 14729
Created          : 8/22/2013 10:08:24 AM
Modified         : 10/22/2013 3:37:46 PM
Languages        : en-US (Default)

Just download it from the link above and open it with NotePad or NP++ then paste it into a PowerShell ISE window and run it. This will load the function. Now you can enter a command (see code block above) in the Immediate window and get your results.

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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I suppose you could boot them and see. One solution might be to just recreate one for each machine you have.

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Brian,

This is of a freshly minted recovery drive from my Win 10 Home Laptop:

Code:

PS> get-wimimage -WimPath X:Sourcesboot.wim


WimFile          : X:Sourcesboot.wim
Index            : 1
Name             : Microsoft Windows Recovery Environment (x64)
Description      : Microsoft Windows Recovery Environment (x64)
Size             : 1837330081
Bootable         : No
Architecture     : x64
Hal              : 
Version          : 10.0.10586
ServicePackBuild : 0
ServicePackLevel : 0
Edition          : WindowsPE
Installation     : WindowsPE
ProductType      : WinNT
ProductSuite     : 
SystemRoot       : WINDOWS
Directories      : 3401
Files            : 15123
Created          : 10/30/2015 3:25:13 AM
Modified         : 11/14/2015 2:09:11 PM
Languages        : en-US (Default)

So the PS works as it should. Maybe your recovery drives aren’t what you think they are?

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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I’m thinking that it is a windows 8 installation image and not a recovery disk.

Brian

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