Situation:
You want to know what a service pack is, and which, if any, is installed on the Windows operating system that you are running.

Solution:
The term "Service Pack" is usually associated with these Windows NT-based operating systems:

• Windows NT
• Windows 2000
• Windows XP

Windows 95, 98, and Me use the term "Windows Updates."

Whether they are called Service Packs or Windows Updates, these downloadable software packages are updates for the operating system. They include such things as enhancements, bug fixes, and security patches.

How to obtain Service Packs and Windows Updates
To obtain the latest updates for any Windows operating system go to:
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

How to determine your Windows version or Service Pack level
Follow the instructions for your operating system.

Windows 95/98/Me

To identify the version of Windows you are running:

1. Right-click the My Computer icon on the Windows desktop, and then click Properties.
2. The Windows version is displayed. For example:
   
   
   
3. Click OK to close the message box.

Windows NT/2000/XP

To identify what Service Pack is installed, as well as Windows version information:

1. Click Start, and click Run.
2. Type winver and click OK. The operating system, version, and installed service packs are displayed. For example:
   
   
   
3. Click OK to close the message dialog box.