Is every PC unique?

Hi,

Does there exist on each PC some identifier that brands it as being different from every other PC?

Thanks

Andrew

Mac Address of the network interface..... (but not all pc's have network adapters)

You dont remember the big deal years ago on Intel shipping a PC identifier a while back on a particular processor?? Got into all heaps of trouble... People didn't want this, and it was canned...

But what if there is no network card etc...

Well of course, because everyone has all kinds of different files on their pc, so that combination of files will most likely be unique... but what are you asking for?? If you are talking about hardware, then there is nothing definite (that I know about) that will be unique...

If there were, then you would have software companies making automatic builds that would run on that particular ID when you purchase or register the program, thus ensuring that only the system with that piece of hardware could run their program, decreasing the chance of piracy, but you just dont see that, because there isn't an easy way...

About all you can get that will identify a unique system where they are all identical, like mass productions of the same exact config., is to retrieve the Hard drives actual hardware serial number, motherboards serial number, and combine that with the cpu speed to create a hardware hash that will uniquely identify that system. At least until one of the hardware parts goes out or is upgraded/replaced.

(Rob.. clean out your PM queue... its full :) )

Darn, I just did cleaning a couple of days ago. :(

Hold on...

Thanks for the answers.

A while back I was considering purchasing a program but noticed that the author made reference to the """"feature"""" that the program would only run on one box.

I did not like that feature and chose not to buy but wondered if the program was able to id the box or if a file would be written to my box at the programs inception that would then be the unique identifier.


Andrew

It probably created a hardware hash and required you to register that id with them so they can keep track of it. Then if you changed something of signifigance it would probably prompt you that its not registered and required re-registering. Then they would know somethig has changed. Or if you tried to install on a secondary system it would send the hash and see its already been registered and not allow it.

A phone call would have to be made if you upgraded your system causing a re-registeration, if they supported it.