Get a unique computer ID in Python on windows and linux

python hardware
darkpotpot picture darkpotpot · Mar 17, 2010 · Viewed 56.7k times · Source

I'd like to get an id unique to a computer with Python on Windows and Linux. It could be the CPU ID, the motherboard serial, ... or anything else.

I looked at several modules (pycpuid, psi, ...) without luck.

Any idea on how to do that?

Answer

Kimvais picture Kimvais · Mar 17, 2010

There seems to be no direct "python" way of doing this. On modern PC hardware, there usually is an UUID stored in the BIOS - on Linux there is a command line utility dmidecode that can read this; example from my desktop:

System Information
        Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
        Product Name: OptiPlex 755                 
        Version: Not Specified
        Serial Number: 5Y8YF3J
        UUID: 44454C4C-5900-1038-8059-B5C04F46334A
        Wake-up Type: Power Switch
        SKU Number: Not Specified
        Family: Not Specified

The problem with MAC addresses is that usually you can easily change them programmatically (at least if you run the OS in a VM)

On Windows, you can use this C API

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