Help to generate serial number...

[belotrei]

Is there any good idea to generate serial number for a software? I've tried using hardware library and want to generate serial number from getdeviceid but it seems not working for all devices (including me) --> empty string. Is there any way that can be used to generate serial number and unique for each device?

I want to try this one but don't know how... :
How to read the owner name from the registry. It seems like ascii (64 00 34 00 55 20 etc...,) (not text.)

**But if someone change the owner name to the owner name that already registered so he can use the serial number with the registered name. Hmm... yeah, at least there's some protection...

Need help...

[Erel]

I recommend you to use the device name which is stored under LocalMachine\Ident\Name.
The Owner Name value doesn't always exist.

[belotrei]

Erel, that can be used. But... that's not a unique name. It can be same for many devices (because it is an original device name (if not yet changed, factory setting)). And however, the users can change it to whatever he wants. The protection seems useless with this method, isn't it? Just need one serial number, share it and change the device name to the registered one...

Any better idea?

Btw, thanks Erel.

[Erel]

I don't think it is useless.
Anyway you can check if the owner name exists and if it does, read it and calculate the sum of all bytes or convert it to a string (assuming you are not showing the string to the user).

[Cableguy]

I have searched for all key in my registry for the machine serial number, that is found in the back sticker...No success!!!!
I'M Sure that that can be found in some part of the regestry or even in some hidden file...But where?

[belotrei]

Erel, maybe i'll try your sum of the owner name bytes method. But still find a better method... Actually what Cableguy said is exactly the best way to generate serial number for protection. Can't be cheated.. Yeah, but unfortunately until now I still haven't found way to read the machine serial number out...

[petrbury]

Cableguy, I'd like to ask you, why are you sure, that this SN is somewhere in PDA ?
Have you found some information about it ?
Petr

[Cableguy]

No I have not, but from my (short) experience with cellphone cranking, i came to notice that most manufacturers hardcode the information and it was aaceessible by the introduction of a pre-formated code...like for imei we entered *#06# and it shows up in the screen....but how to tap into it?

[petrbury]

Hmm, maybe somebody knows it and will let it know. It would be usefull, I think.
Petr

[Cableguy]

After a few minutes searching google I found this!

http://www.pocketpcdn.com/articles/s...umber2002.html

Maybe someone is up to a DLL?