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Display the Windows version on your desktop

Posted September 2004 by Steve Sinchak

It is possible to display the version of Windows in the lower right corner of your desktop.  This requires a modification in the Windows Registry.

Note:

You cannot decide what text you want to appear; it's predefined, based on the version of Windows you are running.  For example, the text for Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 will be along the lines of:

**Windows XP Professional

Build 2600.xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158 (Service Pack 2)**

Procedure:

  1. Click the Start button, click Run, type regedit and click OK

  2. On the left-hand side, navigate to (and highlight)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop

  1. On the right-hand side, locate PaintDesktopVersion and double-click it

  2. In the pop-up window, change the data to 1 and click OK

Note:

0 = Hide Windows version from desktop

1 = Show Windows version on desktop

  1. Close the Windows Registry Editor as well as your other programs and reboot (or log off and log back in).

Originally submitted by Sean.

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