Computer Unique ID?

[megaxoom]

Hello everyone

Is there any unique alpha numeric code that is used to identify each copy of windows or computer? If there is, then where it is stored. If it is in the registry, please provide the key location. Thanks for any help.

[boudino]

You can use MAC address of NIC of your computer. It must be unique, otherwise the computer cannot work on network. For inspiration how to obtain MAC address you can use following code:

using System;
using System.Management;
namespace WMI
{
	class Class1
	{
		static void Main(string[] args)
		{
			ManagementObjectSearcher query1;
			ManagementObjectCollection queryCollection1;

			query1 = new ManagementObjectSearcher("SELECT * FROM Win32_NetworkAdapter") ;
			queryCollection1 = query1.Get();
			foreach( ManagementObject mo in queryCollection1 ) 
			{
				Console.Write(mo["caption"].ToString());
				Console.Write(" MAC: ");
				object mac = mo["MACAddress"];
				if (mac != null) Console.Write(mac.ToString());
				Console.WriteLine();
			}
		}
	}
}

[Jason Isom]

I don't know what you're intentions are, but maybe you can use System.Guid.NewGuid()

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...classtopic.asp

I've never actually used it before, but according to most sources I read about GUID's, they usually use a combination of MAC Addresses, milliseconds since a particular time frame, and IP Addresses. However, that's irrelevant as the only important aspect of a GUID that is necessary to use one is that it's unique.

You can do something like

Console.WriteLine("GUID : {0}", System.Guid.NewGuid());

Although, this may or may not work for you. This will generate Unique Identifiers, but whether or not you're trying to generate UniqueIDs or are actually trying to find the UniqueIDs already assigned to a computer is two different stories.

[megaxoom]

Thanks for the help.

I am trying to make my program running on one system only. It does not allow to run on multiple computers. I am still thinking of a solution

[stardv]

Probably reading MAC address would be your solution. But beware that MAC address could be spoofed. You might want to read several identifiers like MAC, IP and make combination of it as unique PC identifier