get a string which is unique for each computer

[Winanjaya]

Dear The Expert,
I need to get a string which is unique for each computer, this is used for software protection. .. I would appreciated if someone could provide me solution?

many thanks

Winanjaya

[mendhak]

Get the Hard Drive serial number.

http://www.mvps.org/vbnet/index.html...olumelabel.htm

[randem]

Winanjaya


The only thing you will be protecting the software from is the person who purchases it. You can only get unique strings from certain HW serial numbers.

Now to attempt to force a client to only have one machine in their life or they can not use the software... is quite rude.

[StevenHickerson]

You could perhaps get the name that windows is registered to.. this would allow the person to use the software on multiple machines that they own and have registered appropriately with their name.

Still a big hassle to any customer that uses your software though. And this isn't exactly what you asked for as in being unique to the machine.

[Winanjaya]

I though the only way for securing the application is to get the unique hardware ID (eg. s/n mainboard, s/n harddisk) after that based on it we can create customer id, by using customer id then we can produce regisration no. (by using some formulas) .. the point is how to get the unique hardware ID..? should I ask assembly programmer to create the DLL then I call it from my VB6's application? .. any suggestion would be appreciated and thanks a lot in advance

Regards
Winanjaya

[randem]

Winanjaya


Assuming each customer has more than one machine... why would you limit the customer to which machine he can install on?

Suppose that machine dies and they need to use another machine... they are screwed.

BTW: No customer ID is ever created on a piece of hardware.

[Winanjaya]

Thanks for your speedy reply, so should I use dongle for doing this? .. any comment?


TIA

Winanjaya

[randem]

Winanjaya

That would be a better way...Expecially for the customer.

[Winanjaya]

But .. How to read dongle (eg. parallel dongle and or serial dongle) .. do you have tips for it? ..


Regards
Winan

[randem]

Winanjaya

No, but I suppose the manufacturers of the dongle would.