For Windows it would be best (though slower) to pass the paths through os._getfinalpathname before comparison. Detecting that function is an easy way to get the platform right, too.

Unfortunately, the MSDN docs don't make clear that the VSN can be modified, and even goes as far as saying you can compare the two values Eryk has pointed out that you shouldn't :(

The problem is that the values on Windows are coming directly from the filesystem, and apparently there's no requirement that they actually be provided by the filesystem...