Doc Req: FeatureSet registry value w/ CentralProcessor?

[Moonchild]

I'm using some basic processor detection in the Pale Moon installer, to determine which version of a software package should be available to the user.
Currently, I'm going through WMI to get some basic information, but I found out that doing that, I very regularly get unreliable results for the CPU features (CPUID is apparently poorly supported on a good number of mobile processors, and apparently some OS versions can bodge it up too when it comes to extended feature sets).

To avoid this kind of issue and to speed things up, I've been looking at getting the processor capabilities from the windows registry instead -- after all, the information should all be available there, under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION\System\CentralProcessor\{n}
Reading a key from the registry makes the installer much simpler in code, less likely to trip "nanny" software, doesn't have to call out to WMI (slow and can fail since I'd have to rely on calling out to a language like VBScript with WMI access, while registry operations are supported as standard in my development scripting language) and should avoid getting incorrect information from CPU value issues through it.

Sure, enough, I found a wealth of information, but the most important part, the "FeatureSet" value stored there, which I assume is a DWORD containing flags about available processor features like SIMD instruction sets etc., is not documented anywhere. I've spent a good while (understatement) searching the 'net now trying to find any sort of documentation about this registry value, to no avail.

Does anyone have a document outlining or describing the bits in that registry value?

[dark_moon]

Maybe this can help you: http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic ... ntry928963 and below.
(But this is for the AutoIt language), maybe C++ is better: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... 85%29.aspx

Realy hard to find infos about the FeatureSet value

[Moonchild]

Maybe this can help you: http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic ... ntry928963 and below.

"[5] = Feature Set (unsure what values are which..)"
I already know how to find it and how to pull it from the registry. But the feature set is what i need info on.

maybe C++ is better: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... 85%29.aspx

I'm familiar with other detection methods but that's not what I'm looking for. I can't use the C++ method unless I have the installer call a separate compiled detection .exe with C++ code in it, which is something I want to avoid as well (in fact that would be slower than the current method I use, most likely, and easier to go wrong on systems with malware-nannybots running).

Realy hard to find infos about the FeatureSet value

Yup, that's what I found out. Not sure why it's not clearly documented, not even in MSDN/technet, etc.

Popped a question to Microsoft Support directly as well.

[satrow]

Is http://www.lohninger.com/helpcsuite/public_constants_cpuid.htm what you're looking for?

[Moonchild]

No, that's not what I'm looking for, since the FeatureSet value in the registry is not a direct representation of the CPUID function results. If it was, I wouldn't have had such a hard time -- Try comparing those values with your own registry entry for your CPU and you'll see.

EDIT: mine is 203b7dfe
That would mean No FPU, no 3dNow, no PAE, no APIC... on a Phenom II? I don't think so

[Tweakzy]

is any good

http://softpixel.com/~cwright/programmi ... /cpuid.php

soz if not

[Moonchild]

No, it's not the CPUID result.

The installer uses scripting language (internal scripting, plus additional jscript or vbscript) and does NOT have access to WinAPI calls, assembly language, external dll calls, or whatnot. It's only because of VBScript's access to WMI that I get this far now, but reading a registry key/value is basic. I just need to know what the FeatureSet exactly contains.

[dark_moon]

Maybe we can give it a try:

I have this value: 0x215b3ffe
My Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 have MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, EM64T, VT-x

How to get this infos:
type cmd in windows startmenu or press windows button + r on your keyboard and type cmd
Then paste this code in this open window:
reg query HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION\System\CentralProcessor\0
Look for the FeatureSet value

To know which Instructions your CPU use, you can simple run CPU-Z: http://www.cpuid.com/downloads/cpu-z/1.65-en.zip (portable edition- no install required)

[Moonchild]

So, exactly how many different systems would we need to figure out by deduction what is what?

I think it's rather silly. it's been in the windows registry since.. I think Win2000. And nobody has a record or idea what is stored in this value?...

[Blacklab]

I see you have spent "good while (understatement)" on this one - 2nd item in search results was your MS Community topic: Documentation for the FeatureSet registry key under HKLM CentralProcessor? One of the replies to this stackoverflow query had found the same problem... "however that key is pretty cryptic (I haven't found specific information about it)"

[Moonchild]

You'll probably also find the entry I made on StackOverflow if you search