How to get machine serial number?

Hi there, does anyone have any idea how to read the PC's serial number from the BIOS? Any help would be very much appreciated.

Just to clarify, I am talking about the hardware serial number of the PC itself, not (i repeat not) software keys of any description! We are building an asset list of our PCs and this information would help greatly

Many thanks in advance.

GC

Unscrew case... take off cover (or side depending on age of computer)

Retrieve flashlight from the junk drawer.. make sure flashlight batteries are charged by sticking battery to toungue.. (Warning kids dont try this at home)

Turn on flashlight... point flashlight at a 90 degree angle into pc case.. be carful not to shine in your eyes.

Look on board... for serial number.

LOL

Just joking. I dont know of any software to do it. You could try ASTTRA32 (advanced systemsinfo tool and reporting assistant)
can be downloaded for free @
http://www.astra32.com/download.htm

Try looking in the case as well it should have it in little white letters on the board. everything has a serial number. thats how they keep up with RMA's and such.

By mahine i would guess you mean motherboard/mainboard.

Hope that helped.

How about setteling for the BIOS name and version?
Add a reference to System.Management as well as an imports statement.

VB Code:

Imports System.Management
 
Public Class Form1
 
    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim query As New SelectQuery("Win32_bios")
        Dim search As New ManagementObjectSearcher(query)
        Dim info As ManagementObject
        For Each info In search.Get()
            Console.Writeline("Bios version: " & info("version").ToString())
        Next
    End Sub
End Class

I have added the System.Management reference but don't know what you meant by an import statment, I am sorry, I am really really new to .net and trying to learn as I go along. :(

Thanks in advance

Damn you techwizz! I was just about to write a sarcastic post like that, you beat me to it:D :lol:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RobDog888

[color=navy]How about setteling for the BIOS name and version?
Add a reference to System.Management as well as an imports statement.

---

Hey man, thanks for this, I got it working. Changed out "version" for serialnumber and BINGO! as for the lifting the lid option, it's 160 PCs!!! hehehe thanks though :)

Thanks for your help guys, you are, as always a big bunch of stars!!

GC

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GusChops

Hey man, thanks for this, I got it working. Changed out "version" for serialnumber and BINGO! as for the lifting the lid option, it's 160 PCs!!! hehehe thanks though :)

Thanks for your help guys, you are, as always a big bunch of stars!!

GC

---

Hi,

Could you post your actual code please?

Post #3.
Change the line to this...

VB Code:

Console.Writeline("Bios version: " & info("version").ToString())
'Change to this:
Console.Writeline("Bios SN: " & info("serialnumber").ToString())

Hi,

Sorry to be a pest but that code gives me an error


I am using:

VB Code:

Dim query As New SelectQuery("Win32_bios")
        Dim search As New ManagementObjectSearcher(query)
        Dim info As ManagementObject
        Dim sStr As String
        For Each info In search.Get()
            sStr = "Bios SN: " & info("serialnumber").ToString()
        Next

The error is

Object reference not set to an instance of an object.


on the line

sStr = "Bios SN: " & info("serialnumber").ToString()

I tried amending

Dim info As ManagementObject

to

Dim info As New ManagementObject

but that made no difference.

I assume that you added the reference and Imports?

Yes, Both reference & import. You don't get a problem with it? If you don't then I must have something affecting it.

If I replace "SerialNumber" with "Version" it works OK.

Next time I bootup I'll check the BIOS.

I get "Bios SN: SYS-1234567890"

(notice that the numbers are 1-9+0)

:confused:

I got "To Be Filled By O.E.M." Running AMI Bios.

Hahah.. sorry beet you to the punch wossname ... lol

& GusChops.. yeah 160 pc's thats alot of leg work... sorry for the humor. :wave:

Sorry to refresh an ancient thread, but the code provided by RobDog888 doesn't work in VS2008. SelectQuery, ManagementObjectSearcher and ManagementObject don't exist. The only thing in System.Management is the namespace Instrumentation. Now, what do I do, since I have the same problem as the original author of this thread.

EDIT: Never mind, I fixed it.

sorry me too like obi1kenobi to revive this old thread....but i am facing a prob. with the same code....i am using vb2003 my code is

Code:

---

Dim query As New SelectQuery("Win32_bios")
        Dim search As New ManagementObjectSearcher(query)
        Dim info As ManagementObject
        Dim mSrNo As String
        For Each info In search.Get()
            Console.WriteLine("Bios SN: " & info("serialnumber").ToString())
        Next

---

i just get an output as
Bios SN: System Serial Number

an not the actual serial number....pls. help...i have added the ref. and the import statment..
thankx

hi guys.....anyone to help me out with this prob pls ?? would b obliged for ur help.
thankx a lot in advance

Code:

---

    Public Function SystemGUID() As String
        Dim sGUID As String = ""
        Dim objHDDSearcher As New System.Management.ManagementObjectSearcher("SELECT * FROM Win32_PhysicalMedia")

        For Each hardDrive As System.Management.ManagementObject In objHDDSearcher.Get()
            On Error Resume Next
            sGUID += hardDrive("SerialNumber").ToString
        Next

        Return sGUID.Trim
    End Function

---

This is how I generate a system GUID by taking all of the HDD serial numbers. I figured by saying machine serial number you might possibly mean the hard drive serial number and that's how you get it.

Hope this helps.

Check out the Hardware IDs link in my sig... with that class, you'll be able to get the motherboard Serial #, CPU Serial #, MAC Address of the primary ethernet controller and hard drive Serial #.

hi jenner thankx for the reply ...
i tried the post ...but it gives me MB-1234567890 but if i give dir in the command prompt and the Volume Serial no. that it shows is diffrent
i would want to display that particular serial no.

hey hey....thankx a ton jenner....i just read the entier post and got what i wanted....i just posted the reply a bit early....u have really been a help to me..
thankx a lot jenner...