Software Deployment

Can someone explain this to me? I'm seeing different behavior on two similar PCs depending on whether I run a VBScript or run that same script within a Wise-created EXE.

My PC is Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Version 2003, Service Pack 2.
I'm trying to read the "Install" value (a dword value) for registry key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PowerShell\1. This key exists both on my PC and a test PC, which is also XP Pro 64 bit, etc.

This is the VBScript I'm using:

Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001
Const HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = &H80000002
strComputer = "."

Set oReg=GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" &_
strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv")

strKeyPath = "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PowerShell\1"
strValueName = "Install"
oReg.GetDWORDValue HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,strKeyPath,strValueName,dwValue
MsgBox "Install value is: " & dwValue


Don't have error handling built in yet because I'm still testing.

This script reports back the value of "Install" correctly both on my PC and the test PC. So far so good.

Next I wrote a Wise package (using Wise Package Studio 8) with the WiseScript Package Editor. It copies the VBScript locally and then runs it. Here's the Wise code:

item: Set Variable
Variable=C
Value=C:
end
item: Install File
Source=.\MSI\script\dword.vbs
Destination=%C%\test\dword.vbs
Flags=0000000010100010
end
item: Execute Program
Pathname=%C%\test\dword.vbs
Flags=00000010
end


I compile in Wise to an EXE and then run it. On my PC the message box shows me the correct value for "Install", which is "1." But on my test PC, it doesn't report back any value at all. So I'm not sure why the VBScript behaves correctly on both PCs, but calling the VBScript via a Wise-created EXE results in my PC reporting correctly and the other not. I've tested against a third 64 bit XP machine, also, just to make sure my results weren't a fluke.

What I'm trying to do specifically is check if PowerShell is installed on a PC. I realize that for this particular example I can also check if the directory exists in Wise, but for my particular task at hand, there will be instances when I have to check the registry, and right now I know of no reliable way to do it when my target PC is 64 bit.

Also, I can't run the VBScript directly without benefit of the Wise EXE. The Wise EXE I'm working on will ultimately install several applications and make a number of user configuration changes for one of the business groups at my company.

So my ultimate question is: how do other packagers who use Wise Package Studio handle working with the registry on a 64 bit PC? I've tried multiple ways of doing this, also using the JSWare.net WMI Registry Class files (http://www.jsware.net/jsware/scripts.php5#wmirclas), with the same end result: the VBscript works correctly on my PC (running the Wise EXE, that is), but not the test PC.