Getting the serial number of a computer or device using Command Prompt (CMD) is a straightforward process that provides you with unique identification information. This serial number can be useful for various reasons, such as system management, troubleshooting, or warranty checks. Here’s a detailed guide on how to retrieve the serial number using CMD.
Firstly, it's important to note that the serial number you'll get using CMD is not a globally unique identifier like a UUID or MAC address. Instead, it's typically the serial number of the motherboard or the system’s manufacturer-assigned serial number. This information is stored in the system’s BIOS or UEFI and can be accessed through the Windows Command Prompt.
To begin, open the Command Prompt as an administrator. You can do this by searching for “cmd” in the Windows search bar, right-clicking on “Command Prompt,” and selecting “Run as administrator.”
Once the Command Prompt is open, you can use various commands to retrieve the serial number. One of the most commonly used commands for this purpose is the "wmic" command, which stands for Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line.
Type the following command into the Command Prompt and press Enter:
wmic bios get serialnumber
This command queries the BIOS of your system and retrieves the serial number associated with it. After executing the command, you should see the serial number displayed in the Command Prompt window.
Another method to obtain the serial number is by using the "systeminfo" command. This command provides detailed configuration information about a computer and includes the system’s serial number.
To use the "systeminfo" command, type the following into the Command Prompt and press Enter:
systeminfo | find "System Serial Number"
This command will search through the system information and display the line containing the serial number. The output will typically look like this:
System Serial Number: XXXXXXXX
Here, "XXXXXXXX" represents the actual serial number of your system.
If you encounter any issues with the above commands or they don’t provide the desired output, there are alternative methods to retrieve the serial number. You can use PowerShell, a more powerful scripting language that can provide more detailed information about your system.
To retrieve the serial number using PowerShell, follow these steps:
-
Open PowerShell as an administrator. You can do this by searching for “PowerShell” in the Windows search bar, right-clicking on “Windows PowerShell,” and selecting “Run as administrator.”
-
Once PowerShell is open, type the following command and press Enter:
Get-WmiObject win32_bios | Select-Object SerialNumberThis command uses the Get-WmiObject cmdlet to retrieve information about the BIOS and selects only the serial number property to display.
After executing the command, you should see the serial number of your system displayed in the PowerShell window.
It's worth mentioning that the serial number retrieved using these methods might differ from the one printed on the physical device or specified in the device’s documentation. This is because the serial number displayed by CMD or PowerShell is the manufacturer-assigned serial number or the serial number of the motherboard, whereas the one printed on the device might be a different type of identifier.
Retrieving the serial number of a computer or device using Command Prompt or PowerShell is a simple process that provides you with valuable information about your system. Whether you’re managing multiple systems, troubleshooting hardware issues, or checking warranty information, knowing how to access this information can be incredibly useful. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily obtain the serial number and use it for various purposes.