How to Display Operating System Information on a Windows XP Desktop

1. Log in to an administrator account. Navigate to the 'Start' menu and select 'Run.' In the Run dialog, type 'regedit' (without quotes) and click 'OK.' The Registry Editor appears.
2. Open the HKEY_CURRENT_USER branch and select 'Control Panel' and then 'Desktop.'
3. Look for a registry entry in the right pane named PaintDeskTopVersion.
4. Double-click the PaintDeskTopVersion name to display the Edit DWORD window. Enter '1' (without quotes) in the Value Data field. Click 'OK.'
5. Close the Registry Editor. Changes are automatically saved.
6. Restart the computer. The operating system name and service pack information will now be displayed in the lower right corner of the desktop.
7. Set the PaintDeskTopVersion DWORD value back to '0' to remove the operating system information from the desktop.