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Is there an easy way to tell what version of windows embed I am working with?

The long story is I work in West Africa supporting clinical labs for ebola vaccine research. The printer on one of the machines died and I'm trying to use another available printer which is a different model. I can't get the driver CD to run because of a ".NET" error. I can access windows which runs under the proprietary software, but not unrestricted access. It looks like XP, but I'm not sure how to get more info than that. I don't want to mess things up by trying to install drivers until something works (Machine costs $$$$$). I also can't get the machine to connect to the LAN, but that is a separate issue!

If you can open a command window, you could run the VER command (there's also WINVER but that may not be present in embedded) -- 5.0x will be Win2000, 5.1x will be XP, 6.0x is Vista and 6.1x is Windows 7 (because that's how Microsoft rolls -- there's a full list here ). Odds are pretty good that it is 32bit XP embedded, as that was around for a long time and continues to persist (I've seen it in currently-in-use ATMs, kiosks, and PoS systems).

Typically the basic drivers don't need .NET just to print, it's all the utility crap that they shovel on you that needs that to run. What kind of printer are you trying to use?

I'm sorry for being a bad Gerbil.

Turns out it is Windows embedded equivalent to XP 32bit which really sucks! I don't know why they lag so far behind!

Lag behind? Windows Embedded Standard 2009 is supported until Jan. 8, 2019, and Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 until April 9, 2019 so those should be up-to-date.

As for why, the minimum requirement of 64MB RAM and 480MB HDD isn't something anything later can come close to, plus anything later requires activation which is something to consider when you can't even reach WindowsUpdate in your country.

All of the XP-based embedded Windows versions were 32-bit only. The 2009 versions came with dotnet 3.5, so if you are having problems because you have the older Windows XP Professional for Embedded Systems, Windows XP Embedded or Windows Embedded for Point of Service then you may just need to install dotnet. Keep in mind those last three have gone out of support.

Unless you really need the utilities to popup low ink warnings and such, you can usually force install printer drivers-only from device manager or download a minimalist driver from the manufacturer.

Fortunately we don't have to deal with the embedded windows often. The machine also defaults to a static IP which is why I couldn't connect to the network. On the same machine in Guinea I was able to set a proper IP and download the printer drivers directly to the machine.

I did still have to do that manually, not using the wizard.