Checking Your Windows Version

If you are not sure what version of Windows your system is running, you can display the version number. You can then decide whether you need to upgrade. To check your version number, follow these steps:

1.

Right-click the My Computer icon. If you have a desktop icon for My Computer, you can right-click the icon on the desktop. If not, click Start and then right-click My Computer from the Start menu. tip If you are running Windows Millennium (ME) or Windows 98, you should consider upgrading to Windows XP (the most recent version and the version covered in this book). The previous versions of Windows and Windows XP are significantly different.

2.

Click Properties. Under System in the Properties dialog box, you should see the version number listed (see Figure 20.1). Figure 20.1. You can see which version of Windows you are running on your system.

If you don't see Service Pack 2 listed, you may want to upgrade. This service pack includes several key security features, including Windows Security Center. This book is based on Service Pack 2.