How to Use the SPCheck Tool in Windows XP (312646)

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You can use SPCheck to determine the service pack level of various installed components on Windows XP-based computers. SPCheck generates a report that lists the origin of each file for each installed component. SPCheck reports the current service pack level for the following components:

• Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
• NWLink (IPX/SPX)
• Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
• Client for Microsoft Networks

Installing SPCheck

To install SPCheck, you must install Windows XP Support Tools. For additional information about installing these tools, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Downloading SPCheck

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:
For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

Using SPCheck

SPCheck examines each component, one file at a time. SPCheck must run under a security context that is equivalent to the local Administrator account. If SPCheck does not run under this security context, files may be reported as missing even though they are installed. SPCheck searches for files by using the PATH system environment variable. If files are reported as missing (although they are installed), make sure that the folder or folders in which the component is installed are included in the PATH system environment variable.

Switches for SPCheck

You can use the following switches with SPCheck:

• /i: Use this switch to specify the name of the .ini file that you are using. If you do not specify this switch, the default SPCheck.ini file is used.
• /r: Use this switch to specify the name of the report file that is generated. If you do not specify this switch, the SPCheck.rpt default report name is used.

SPCheck Output

By default, SPCheck creates the report in the folder from which you run SPCheck. A status of "Missing" indicates that the file was not found on the target computer. "Unknown" indicates that the file was found, but does not match any of the files that are listed in the .ini file. The report has the following format: Some files are identical in more than one service pack. For example, "SP0-2" indicates that the file was not changed in any of the first two service packs. If the service pack that should be installed on the computer is included in the range that is reported for a file, you can consider the file to be consistent with that particular service pack.

If a computer should have Service Pack 1 (SP1) installed, the sample report in this article shows that SP1 is in the ranges that were specified for each file. The target computer contains TCP/IP-related files that are consistent with the service pack that is installed. SPCheck may also report a Qnnnnnn number instead of a service pack number. This indicates that a hotfix has been installed. For additional information about that hotfix, query for that Microsoft Knowledge Base article number in TechNet.

Note that SPCheck detects only a small number of hotfixes. Because of this, hotfixed files may be reported as unknown files.

The SPVerify.exe tool can be used to simulate the installation of a Windows service pack or a Windows hotfix, and to obtain other information about a Windows service pack or a Windows hotfix. For additional information about the SPVerify tool, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: