how to correctly identify vs2008 version level? - asp.net-mvc

Question

At SO, I searched "identify version visual studio" but failed to find an answer.
Scenario:
A generally accepted best practice is to install all service packs related to the software that one is using.
The applies to Visual Studio 2008 too. In some cases, it is absolutely essential, for example VS2008 SP1 is required if one wants to install ASP.NET MVC v1.0 RTM.
For most software, "Help, About ____" will reveal the version and often includes SP level.
With my VS2008, I get a lot of information, some of it is clear:
Microsoft .NET Framework
Verson 3.5 SP1
and some of it which is less clear:
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008
Version 9.0.30279.1 SP
The problem is that it is difficult to tell whether VS2008 SP1 has actually been installed.
The same information appears to be displayed in Help, About on computers that have vs2008 SP1 as well as those that have not been upgraded.
Likewise, different editions, example "Development" and "Professional" show the same results via Help, About.
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QUESTION: how does one correctly identify her/his vs2008 version level?
edit: found this:
How do the .NET Framework, CLR and Visual Studio version numbers relate to each other?
I wish Microsoft would make this easier.
#nos ... your QFE is a hotfix ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QFE.
AFAIK, you've likely applied a security patch.
I guessing the "30279" part of 9.0.30279.nnnn means SP1 and the "nnnn" is a subsequent update level.
edit #2:
MORE INFORMATION
The challenge I find is to identify the version easily.
While this may seem strange, and while unfortunately
I lack a time machine, at least once I was certain that
I already had vs 2008 SP1 but ASP.NET MVC would not install.
At that time I applied the MS SP1 upgrade;
while executing, the upgrade said it was upgrading SP1 !!
After upgrading SP1 to itself, ASP.NET MVC did install.
Ergo, I find this so confusing. It would be so
much easier if Microsoft showed via Help, About, this instead:
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008
Version 9.0.30279.nnnn SP1
edit #3:
http://blogs.msdn.com/bharry/archive/2008/04/19/a-new-home-for-visual-studio-hotfixes.aspx
There are currently 169 hotixes:
http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/Project/ProjectDirectory.aspx?TagName=Hotfix
at least two to the hotfixes apply to vs2008 sp1:
http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/KB957912:
"KB957912 - Update for Visual Studio 2008 SP1 Debugging and Breakpoints"
http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/KB957507:
" KB957507 - Loc Intellisense to replace all Loc Int shipped with VS 2008 SP1"
"Please be aware [hotfixes may have
NOT] gone through full Microsoft
product regression testing nor has it
been tested in combination with other
Hotfixes."
UPDATE: on a windows 2008 web server R2,
I have Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Version 9.0.30279.1 SP
which is "in theory" SP1 ~~ however, installing SQL 2008 Web Server
failed with the mysterious explanation that I required vs2008 SP1!!!
UPDATE CONTINUED: after applying the MSDN update to my
windows 2008 web server R2, I still have
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Version 9.0.30279.1 SP
which now really should be SP1 ~~ and I assume it must be
because the pre-install validation "rules" for SQL 2008 Web Server
passed and the SQL server installation then ran and completed successfully.

Answer 1

I have the same information. You're running Visual Studio 2008 SP1. This runs on top of .NET 3.5 SP1. Service Pack 1 for Visual Studio and .NET 3.5 is installed.

Answer 2

Well actually you can identify it with the given version. In your case the 9.0.30279.1 is really VS2008 SP1, it redistibutes Microsoft DLLs with this version (see C:\Windows\Winsxs for all of them).
So I suggest that you google for the version number. That should give you the correct VS2008 version.