I'm trying to see if I can create a unique ID for a computer based on the hardware and software that it runs. Here is some criteria I have come up with so far:
- MAC Address(es)
- CPUID info
- OS type, version
Basically, what I want to achieve is unique ID. However, I realize that if a person upgrades their OS or CPU or NICs, that this ID will be foobared. Is there a way to get a truly unique ID that will not change when hardware and OS changes?
Founder and avid member of the Internationsl Typo Associateion
If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.
If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.
A GUID is great except for one flaw that I'm trying to avoid - it uses a time seed to create the GUID. Therefore, each time you create it, it will always be Unique and different. I'm trying to get it to be unique per machine, regardless of the time you create it.Originally Posted by Salem
Founder and avid member of the Internationsl Typo Associateion
Why would you want to create it more than once?
You've already suggested that doing it more than once is a disaster waiting to happen.
"I realize that if a person upgrades their OS or CPU or NICs, that this ID will be foobared"
If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.
If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.
To counter this, I would put in an updating mechanism for when hardware changes. Regardless, What I'm trying to achieve is a GUID that is unique to the hardware only. So it doesn't matter when my program is run, it will always pull (or calculate) a GUID that is a sum of the machine's hardware.
So, what are some criteria I can use to create a unique footprint of a machine? (excluding a time seed).
Does Windows have a GUID that it creates when it is first installed?
Last edited by Mastadex; 09-15-2009 at 12:40 PM.
Founder and avid member of the Internationsl Typo Associateion
