SPCheck examines target components one file at a time. This means that SPCheck must run under a security context equivalent to the local administrator account. If the tool is not run under this security context, files may be reported as missing even though they are installed on the system. The tool compares the size and date of each file to those listed in Spcheck.ini. SPCheck's search algorithm uses system environment variables in combination with other methods to find and report on target files located on the target system.

SPCheck creates a report detailing the results of its scan in the same directory from which SPCheck was run. It has the following format:

  [WINS]
  C:\WINNT\System32\Jet500.dll SP0-3
  C:\WINNT\System32\Jet.dll SP0-6a
  C:\WINNT\System32\Wins.exe Missing
  C:\WINNT\System32\Winsadmin.exe Unknown
  C:\WINNT\System32\Winsctrl.dll SP5

"Missing" indicates that the file was not found on the target system, and "Unknown" indicates that the file was found on the target system but did not match any of the files recorded in the .ini file.

Not all files are updated for each service pack release. For example, in the report excerpted here SP0-3 means that Jet500.dll did not change in any of the first three service packs.