Desktop or laptop machine ?

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I am looking for a way to tell a desktop from a laptop PC, by program. I know how to use the WMI API to query the machine about its hardware resources.

The question is what feature(s) can I detect to make this distinction in a simple and sufficiently reliable way ? I have two leads right now: 1) checking if the processor is of a mobile type, 2) detecting PCI slots.

Any suggestion welcome, thanks.

Posted 16-May-12 23:17pm

YvesDaoust

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Aescleal 18-May-12 10:08am

How about:

bool is_computer_laptop( std::ostream &output_stream, std::istream &input_stream )
{
output_stream << "Please unplug your computer from the mains or UPS\n"
<< "Press any character key when you have" << std::end;

char c; input_stream >> c;

return true;
}

YvesDaoust 18-May-12 10:15am

How can I restart the application after the reboot to where it was interrupted, in case of a desktop?

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Jim Jos · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-16T23:25:00

Solution 2

Please check this link lot of suggestions are there

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1013354/how-to-check-the-machine-type-laptop-or-desktop[^]

Posted 16-May-12 23:25pm

Jim Jos

Comments

YvesDaoust 17-May-12 6:08am

Nice, thanks.

The MSDN topic is the most interesting: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc180825.aspx

Wendelius · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-16T23:23:00

Solution 1

Could you use either:
- Win32_Battery class[^]
- Win32_SystemEnclosure class[^] (ChassisTypes)

Posted 16-May-12 23:23pm

Wendelius

Comments

YvesDaoust 17-May-12 6:02am

Cool, new leads !

Any idea about the availability/reliability of the info ?

Wendelius 17-May-12 6:14am

Sorry but no idea about the reliability. I would guess that the battery is more reliable than chassis type.

YvesDaoust 17-May-12 6:14am

That's also my feeling, thanks.

Wendelius 17-May-12 6:16am

You're welcome :)