Windows doesn’t display your PC’s serial number anywhere in its interface, and neither do popular system information tools. But you can often find a PC’s serial number with a simple command, a peek in your BIOS, or on the hardware itself.
Run the WMIC Command
Windows 10 is activated using a digital licence against the hardware. (no different for a host or virtual machine) If the key for Windows 7 Pro was a boxed retail product then you may be able to get it re-activated by calling support, or type support in search and select the top result. Jan 29, 2015 But if the sticker of computer serial number and model name has demolished or erased from your Windows computers then finding the same information through following ways are quite appropriate. In today’s guide, we will show you – how you can easily find the serial number and model name of your computer.
Open a Command Prompt window to get started. On Windows 10 or 8, right-click the Start button and select “Command Prompt”. On Windows 7, press Windows + R, type “cmd” into the Run dialog, and then press Enter.
At the Command Prompt, type the following command and then press Enter:
You’ll see the computer’s serial number displayed beneath the text “SerialNumber”. This command uses the Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) tool to pull the system’s serial number from its BIOS.
If you don’t see your PC’s serial number, blame your PC’s manufacturer. The number will only appear here if the PC manufacturer saved it to your computer’s BIOS or UEFI firmware. PC manufacturers don’t always fill in the number properly. In that case, you’ll see something like “0” or “To be filled by O.E.M.” instead of an actual serial number.
RELATED:How to Check Your Motherboard Model Number on Your Windows PC
This is also true if you built your own PC because the PC itself won’t have a serial number. However, you can look up the serial number of your motherboard and other components.
Check the BIOS
You may also be able to find the serial number in the BIOS or UEFI firmware settings screen. This technique won’t get you a serial number if the wmic command didn’t, since the command pulls the serial number from the BIOS. However, checking the BIOS could be helpful if you can’t actually sign into Windows to run the wmic command.
RELATED:What Does a PC’s BIOS Do, and When Should I Use It?
Access the BIOS or UEFI firmware settings screen and look around for a “Serial Number” somewhere on a system information screen. It’ll be in a different place on different PCs, but you can usually find it somewhere on the “Main” or “System” screen.
Find the Serial Number On the PC’s Hardware, Box, or Elsewhere
If you don’t see a serial number after running the wmic command—or if you just can’t turn the PC on or don’t have access to it—there are several other places you might find the serial number:
- If you have a laptop, flip it over. On some laptops, you’ll see the number on a sticker. On others, you’ll see the number printed directly on the metal or plastic the laptop is made from. If your laptop has a removable battery, the serial number is sometimes on a sticker inside the battery compartment, under the battery.
- If you have a desktop PC, look at the back, top, or side of the case for some sort of sticker. The number may also be on a sticker inside the case, so you might have to open it up.
- If you can’t find the serial number on the PC itself, look online for instructions specific to your model. The manufacturer’s website should tell you exactly where to look.
- If you registered your PC with the manufacturer or received warranty service, the serial number should be included in the registration documentation, warranty service receipt, or email confirmation for the service.
Machine Serial Number Windows 10 Pro
- If you still have the original product box, it usually has the serial number printed on it—often on the same sticker with the bar code.
- If you purchased the PC online or in store, the serial number may be printed on the physical or email receipt you received.
System Serial Number Windows 10
And if you just can’t find your serial number at all, don’t give up hope. If you have proof of purchase, the manufacturer still may be able to help you with whatever service you need and may even be able to find out the serial number for you.
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I'm normally a Linux user, but there are a few things that I occasionally need which won't run under Wine. To this end, I purchased a license of Win7Pro a couple of years ago, and installed it in a virtualbox VM. This worked for a couple of years very well. I'd occasionally change the specs of the VM (more resources when running Autodesk inventor, fewer when running something less intensive etc), and it didn't have an issue with this.
Since the update to Win10 I've found that I'm a little bit stuffed - having changed the specs on the VM for some CAD work, Win10 has decided it's not activated, but won't let me reactivate it. The errors I receive are vaied, but none of them are listed on the activation help pages, I have no Win10Pro key (only a Win7Pro key, which Win10 rejects), and telephone activation doesn't seem to work either. I'm a little cheesed off having shelled out $$ for useless software which is less functional than cracked versions I could have downloaded for nothing...
Is there any way I can reactivate my Win10, or will I be forced to reinstall Win7 and be stuck with it?