Hello bkesting,
Run a fairly standard .vbs or call it from a .bat with the script host wscript.exe with the .vbs file as the parameter.
'---.vbs---
Option Explicit
Dim strComputer, objWMIService, colOS, objOS
'Set your computername (remote or local "."

strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
& "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2"

Set colOS = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
("SELECT * FROM Win32_OperatingSystem"

For Each objOS in colOS
Wscript.Echo "Caption/Name : " & objOS.Caption & vbcrlf & _
"Version : " & objOS.Version
Next
'---.vbs---
(you specify the strComputer which is isolated here as a constant.)
Some of the captions & versions I can reach more easily look like:
1.1 win98
Caption : Microsoft Windows
Version : 4.10.1998
1.2 win98SE
Caption : Microsoft Windows
Version : 4.10.2222A
2 winME
Caption : Microsoft Windows
Version : 4.90.3000
3 win2000
Caption : Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Version : 5.0.2195
Caption : Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Version : 5.0.2195
Caption : Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Version : 5.0.2195
4 winXP will show Version 5.1.2600 Home or Professional.
regards - tsuji