A serial number is a unique, identifying number or group of numbers and letters assigned to an individual piece of hardware or software. Other things have serial numbers as well, though, including banknotes and other similar documents.
Oct 22, 2018 - You can quickly find your motherboard model and serial number in Windows 10. How To Find Computer Serial Number In Windows 10. HDDs and SSDs are identified via their serial number. If you don’t want to open your desktop or laptop to find the hard drive serial number from the command line. Open Command Prompt in Windows. In the Windows search bar, type CMD, and select the Command Prompt from the listed results. For a Serial Number lookup, be sure to enter the entire serial number. See Mac Identification or iPod, iPhone & iPad Identification. Want to search the entire site in natural language? Use Site Search instead.
The idea behind serial numbers is to identify a specific item, much like how a fingerprint identifies a specific person. Instead of some names or numbers that specify a whole range of products, a serial number is intended to provide a unique number to one device at a time.
Hardware serial numbers are embedded in the device, while software or virtual serial numbers are sometimes applied to the user who will be using the software. In other words, a serial number used for software programs are tied to the purchaser, not that specific copy of the program.
The term serial number is often shortened to just S/N or SN, especially when the word precedes an actual serial number on something. Serial numbers are also sometimes, but not often, referred to as serial codes.
Serial Numbers Are Unique
It's important to distinguish serial numbers from other identifying codes or numbers. In short, serial numbers are unique.
For example, a model number for a router might be EA2700 but that's true for every single Linksys EA2700 router; the model numbers are identical while each of their serial numbers is unique to each particular component.
As an example, if Linksys sold 100 EA2700 routers in one day from their website, every one of those devices would have 'EA2700' somewhere on them and they would look identical to the naked eye. However, each device, when first built, had serial numbers printed on most of the components that are not the same as the others bought that day (or any day).
UPC Codes are common as well but are actually not unique like serial numbers. UPC Codes are different than serial numbers because UPC Codes are not unique to each individual piece of hardware or software, as serial numbers are.
The ISSN used for magazines and ISBN for books is different as well because they're used for whole issues or periodicals and aren't unique for every instance of the copy.
Hardware Serial Numbers
You've probably seen serial numbers many times before. Nearly every piece of the computer has a serial number including your monitor, keyboard, mouse and sometimes even your entire computer system as a whole. Internal computer components like hard drives, optical drives, and motherboards also feature serial numbers.
Serial numbers are used by hardware manufacturers to track individual items, usually for quality control.
For example, if a piece of hardware is recalled for some reason, customers are usually made aware of which particular devices need service by being provided a range of serial numbers.
Serial numbers are also used in non-tech environments like when keeping an inventory of tools borrowed in a lab or shop floor. It's easy to identify which devices need to be returned or which ones have been misplaced because each of them can be identified by their unique serial number.
Software Serial Numbers
Serial numbers for software programs are usually used to help ensure that the program's installation is only performed one time and only on the purchaser's computer. Once the serial number is used and registered with the manufacturer, any future attempt to use that same serial number can raise a red flag since no two serial numbers (from the same software) are alike.
Hp Laptop Serial Number Location
If you're planning on reinstalling a software program you've purchased, you'll sometimes need the serial number to do so. See our guide on how to find a serial key if you need to reinstall some software.
Sometimes, you might find that a software program can attempt to make a serial number for you that you can use to activate a program illegally (since the code wasn't legally purchased). These programs are called keygens (key generators) and should be avoided.
A serial number for a piece of software is not usually the same as a product key but they are sometimes used interchangeably.
Windows doesn’t display your PC’s serial number anywhere in its interface, and neither do popular system information tools. But you can often find a PC’s serial number with a simple command, a peek in your BIOS, or on the hardware itself.
Run the WMIC Command
Open a Command Prompt window to get started. On Windows 10 or 8, right-click the Start button and select “Command Prompt”. On Windows 7, press Windows + R, type “cmd” into the Run dialog, and then press Enter.
At the Command Prompt, type the following command and then press Enter:
You’ll see the computer’s serial number displayed beneath the text “SerialNumber”. This command uses the Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) tool to pull the system’s serial number from its BIOS.
If you don’t see your PC’s serial number, blame your PC’s manufacturer. The number will only appear here if the PC manufacturer saved it to your computer’s BIOS or UEFI firmware. PC manufacturers don’t always fill in the number properly. In that case, you’ll see something like “0” or “To be filled by O.E.M.” instead of an actual serial number.
RELATED:How to Check Your Motherboard Model Number on Your Windows PC
This is also true if you built your own PC because the PC itself won’t have a serial number. However, you can look up the serial number of your motherboard and other components.
Check the BIOS
You may also be able to find the serial number in the BIOS or UEFI firmware settings screen. This technique won’t get you a serial number if the wmic command didn’t, since the command pulls the serial number from the BIOS. However, checking the BIOS could be helpful if you can’t actually sign into Windows to run the wmic command.
RELATED:What Does a PC’s BIOS Do, and When Should I Use It?
Access the BIOS or UEFI firmware settings screen and look around for a “Serial Number” somewhere on a system information screen. It’ll be in a different place on different PCs, but you can usually find it somewhere on the “Main” or “System” screen.
Hp Computer Serial Number Search
Find the Serial Number On the PC’s Hardware, Box, or Elsewhere
About My Pc Model
If you don’t see a serial number after running the wmic command—or if you just can’t turn the PC on or don’t have access to it—there are several other places you might find the serial number:
- If you have a laptop, flip it over. On some laptops, you’ll see the number on a sticker. On others, you’ll see the number printed directly on the metal or plastic the laptop is made from. If your laptop has a removable battery, the serial number is sometimes on a sticker inside the battery compartment, under the battery.
- If you have a desktop PC, look at the back, top, or side of the case for some sort of sticker. The number may also be on a sticker inside the case, so you might have to open it up.
- If you can’t find the serial number on the PC itself, look online for instructions specific to your model. The manufacturer’s website should tell you exactly where to look.
- If you registered your PC with the manufacturer or received warranty service, the serial number should be included in the registration documentation, warranty service receipt, or email confirmation for the service.
- If you still have the original product box, it usually has the serial number printed on it—often on the same sticker with the bar code.
- If you purchased the PC online or in store, the serial number may be printed on the physical or email receipt you received.
And if you just can’t find your serial number at all, don’t give up hope. If you have proof of purchase, the manufacturer still may be able to help you with whatever service you need and may even be able to find out the serial number for you.