Serial Number Tip

[NETWizz]

Ever working on a typical, Big-Box desktop or laptop? i.e. A Dell and want the Service Tag/Serial Number, yet the sticker is hard to find, in microprint, under the battery, in the setup utility, or you have to install silly utilities like Dell Detect.

Try this from a command prompot.

wmic bios get serialnumber

Then to convert to an express code:
http://creativyst.com/Doc/Articles/HT/Dell/DellNumb.htm


Basically, what dell does is use Base 32 for the numbering of serial numbers. Hence, they use 0 - 9, and A-Z

The express code is base 10 with 0-9

 

[HCHTech]

0 - 9, and A-Z

I never quite understood base32. You use characters A-Z, then 2-7 (why skip 0 and 1?). This is a different than, say, how hex (base16) works, where you use characters 0-9, then A-F. Why wouldn't base32 use 0-9, then A-V? One of these years, I might find time to go answer all of these questions myself... Maybe there is an efficiency from a programmatic standpoint somehow?


Edit: I just browsed the link - they say that the service tag is a Base 36 number, which seems to follow the pattern of Base16, 0-9, the A-Z. Aha! Maybe this makes some sense after all.

 

[NETWizz]

It's base 36; I am sorry...

0 = 0
1= 1
9 = 9
A =10
Z= 35
10 = 36
11 = 37
1Z = 71
20 = 72
...

 

[AlexCa]

Normally i use: wmic bios list brief

 

[George Colin]

Ever working on a typical, Big-Box desktop or laptop? i.e. A Dell and want the Service Tag/Serial Number, yet the sticker is hard to find, in microprint, under the battery, in the setup utility, or you have to install silly utilities like Dell Detect.

Try this from a command prompot.

wmic bios get serialnumber

Then to convert to an express code:
http://creativyst.com/Doc/Articles/HT/Dell/DellNumb.htm


Basically, what dell does is use Base 32 for the numbering of serial numbers. Hence, they use 0 - 9, and A-Z

The express code is base 10 with 0-9

Thank you for the post NETWizz. I found it very helpful.

Regards,
George Colin

 

[Altster]

-OR- Press F2 when the computer is first powered on to get into the BIOS / SETUP screen(s) and find the TAG# there.

 

[katz]

I think Speccy will display this info. as well, of course, another program to install...

 

[Tntwrdsl]

Thank you, something new everyday.

 

[tlaybourn]

I think Speccy will display this info. as well, of course, another program to install...

You don't have to install Speccy as they provide an .exe version in the Builds section of their website.