Thread View: alt.comp.hardware
15 messages
15 total messages
Started by Skybuck Flying
Tue, 08 Jul 2003 15:13
How to determine the age of a computer ?
Author: Skybuck Flying
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 15:13
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 15:13
16 lines
1708 bytes
1708 bytes
Hi, This might seem a strange question: How to determine the age of a computer ? It would be cool if a programmer could find out how old a computer is. ( For example processor age, or motherboard age ) Down to a few seconds :) It should not be possible for software/users to change the age... it should be something in the hardware :D Bye, Skybuck.
Re: How to determine the age of a computer ?
Author: Edward
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 15:32
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 15:32
24 lines
1839 bytes
1839 bytes
just check the BIOS date. It's not accurate but it's close enough. "Skybuck Flying" <nospam@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:been30$pof$1@news4.tilbu1.nb.home.nl... > Hi, > > This might seem a strange question: > > How to determine the age of a computer ? > > It would be cool if a programmer could find out how old a computer is. ( For > example processor age, or motherboard age ) > > Down to a few seconds :) > > It should not be possible for software/users to change the age... it should > be something in the hardware :D > > Bye, > Skybuck. > >
Re: How to determine the age of a computer ?
Author: Skybuck Flying
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 15:52
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 15:52
6 lines
1586 bytes
1586 bytes
"Edward" <jago_lfn@bellsouth.net> wrote in message news:SiBOa.31$K67.27@fe04.atl2.webusenet.com... > just check the BIOS date. It's not accurate but it's close enough. The bios date can be changed ?! :D
Re: How to determine the age of a computer ?
Author: Edward
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 16:28
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 16:28
13 lines
1743 bytes
1743 bytes
I meant the date of the bios itself. Not the time the bios keeps. "Skybuck Flying" <nospam@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:beepbc$qi5$1@news4.tilbu1.nb.home.nl... > > "Edward" <jago_lfn@bellsouth.net> wrote in message > news:SiBOa.31$K67.27@fe04.atl2.webusenet.com... > > just check the BIOS date. It's not accurate but it's close enough. > > The bios date can be changed ?! :D > > >
Re: How to determine the age of a computer ?
Author: Alien Zord
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 17:08
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 17:08
9 lines
1601 bytes
1601 bytes
"Edward" <jago_lfn@bellsouth.net> wrote in message news:SiBOa.31$K67.27@fe04.atl2.webusenet.com... > just check the BIOS date. It's not accurate but it's close enough. > Its very easy to use a hex editor to change the text strings in a BIOS.bin file then flash it and hey presto, you have a POST screen saying the BIOS is of your own creation, showing your desired dates and logos. I've done it, just for fun.
Re: How to determine the age of a computer ?
Author: V W Wall
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 18:15
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 18:15
21 lines
2225 bytes
2225 bytes
Alien Zord wrote:
>
> "Edward" <jago_lfn@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
> news:SiBOa.31$K67.27@fe04.atl2.webusenet.com...
> > just check the BIOS date. It's not accurate but it's close enough.
> >
>
> Its very easy to use a hex editor to change the text strings in a
> BIOS.bin file then flash it and hey presto, you have a POST screen
> saying the BIOS is of your own creation, showing your desired dates and
> logos. I've done it, just for fun.
I'll bet you've also changed the error message you get when leaving
a non-system disk in the drive! I did. Just for fun.
Virg Wall
--
A foolish consistency is the
hobgoblin of little minds,........
Ralph Waldo Emerson
(Microsoft programmer's manual.)
Re: How to determine the age of a computer ?
Author: Alien Zord
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 18:20
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 18:20
20 lines
2046 bytes
2046 bytes
"V W Wall" <vwall@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:3F0B0A43.5DEAC363@earthlink.net... > Alien Zord wrote: > > > > "Edward" <jago_lfn@bellsouth.net> wrote in message > > news:SiBOa.31$K67.27@fe04.atl2.webusenet.com... > > > just check the BIOS date. It's not accurate but it's close enough. > > > > > > > Its very easy to use a hex editor to change the text strings in a > > BIOS.bin file then flash it and hey presto, you have a POST screen > > saying the BIOS is of your own creation, showing your desired dates and > > logos. I've done it, just for fun. > > I'll bet you've also changed the error message you get when leaving > a non-system disk in the drive! I did. Just for fun. > Out of curiosity, what does your error message say?
Re: How to determine the age of a computer ?
Author: Lane Lewis
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 18:28
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 18:28
1 lines
1402 bytes
1402 bytes
why
Re: How to determine the age of a computer ?
Author: V W Wall
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 18:32
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 18:32
27 lines
2418 bytes
2418 bytes
Alien Zord wrote: > > "V W Wall" <vwall@earthlink.net> wrote in message > news:3F0B0A43.5DEAC363@earthlink.net... > > Alien Zord wrote: > > > > > > "Edward" <jago_lfn@bellsouth.net> wrote in message > > > news:SiBOa.31$K67.27@fe04.atl2.webusenet.com... > > > > just check the BIOS date. It's not accurate but it's close enough. > > > > > > > > > > Its very easy to use a hex editor to change the text strings in a > > > BIOS.bin file then flash it and hey presto, you have a POST screen > > > saying the BIOS is of your own creation, showing your desired dates > and > > > logos. I've done it, just for fun. > > > > I'll bet you've also changed the error message you get when leaving > > a non-system disk in the drive! I did. Just for fun. > > > > Out of curiosity, what does your error message say? It's been so long ago, I don't really remember, but it started with: "You stupid jerk........" Virg Wall
Re: How to determine the age of a computer ?
Author: philo
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 21:10
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 21:10
11 lines
1333 bytes
1333 bytes
"Skybuck Flying" <nospam@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:been30$pof$1@news4.tilbu1.nb.home.nl... > Hi, > > This might seem a strange question: > > How to determine the age of a computer ? > saw it in half and count the rings ?
Re: How to determine the age of a computer ?
Author: Skybuck Flying
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 01:13
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 01:13
5 lines
1611 bytes
1611 bytes
"Edward" <jago_lfn@bellsouth.net> wrote in message news:GbCOa.3560$Sn5.8@fe05.atl2.webusenet.com... > I meant the date of the bios itself. Not the time the bios keeps. Hmm interesting... I never heard of such a thing.
Re: How to determine the age of a computer ?
Author: Ed Guy
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 01:23
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 01:23
19 lines
2100 bytes
2100 bytes
Skybuck Flying wrote: > "Edward" <jago_lfn@bellsouth.net> wrote in message > news:GbCOa.3560$Sn5.8@fe05.atl2.webusenet.com... > > I meant the date of the bios itself. Not the time the bios keeps. > > Hmm interesting... I never heard of such a thing. See http://www.anderbergfamily.net/ant/biosdate/ -- Ed Guy P.Eng,CDP,MIEE Information Technology Consultant Internet: ed@guysoftware.com http://www.guysoftware.com "Check out HELLLP!, WinHelp author tool for WinWord 2.0 through 8.0, PlanBee Project Management Planning System and ParseRat, the File Parser, Converter and Reorganizer"
Re: How to determine the age of a computer ?
Author: gswork
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 08:50
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 08:50
40 lines
2537 bytes
2537 bytes
"Skybuck Flying" <nospam@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<been30$pof$1@news4.tilbu1.nb.home.nl>... > Hi, > > This might seem a strange question: > > How to determine the age of a computer ? > > It would be cool if a programmer could find out how old a computer is. ( For > example processor age, or motherboard age ) > > Down to a few seconds :) > > It should not be possible for software/users to change the age... it should > be something in the hardware :D > > Bye, > Skybuck. It's difficult to define the age of a computer, especially when parts have been changed. You could go for the bios date and hope it's not been updated. You could, more adventurously, consider fetching 'key indicators' such as bios date but also hdd size, ram size & type, video/sound chip and various other hardware data and creating an 'equivalent age'. So a BIOS date of 1998 but with a more recent 9gb HDD and 64mb RAM, yet with a 1996 Matrox video card may indicate an 'equivalent age' of 'June 1998' depending on how you weigh the various factors. It'd be a bit of fun rather than a seriously useful tool, but might yield some hints (like - you could use a new video card) in the way Sisoft Sandra does. To do this in Delphi i'd suggest using some of the Win32 API calls that allow for the inspection of hardware and carefully considering a measurement scheme and weighing scheme to arrive at a realistic date. Have fun!
Re: How to determine the age of a computer ?
Author: V W Wall
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 23:16
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 23:16
26 lines
2107 bytes
2107 bytes
Skybuck Flying wrote:
>
> Just out of curiosity...
>
> Is there a windows 32 api function to get the bios date ?
>
> Using asm is scary... :)
An easy way is to use debug.
It even works in a Windows DOS window:
debug <enter>
- ffff:5 L 8 <enter>
The "-" is debug's prompt.
Read the BIOS date.
Virg Wall
--
A foolish consistency is the
hobgoblin of little minds,........
Ralph Waldo Emerson
(Microsoft programmer's manual.)
Re: How to determine the age of a computer ?
Author: Ed Guy
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 23:39
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 23:39
19 lines
2027 bytes
2027 bytes
Skybuck Flying wrote: > Just out of curiosity... > > Is there a windows 32 api function to get the bios date ? > > Using asm is scary... :) Use the C snippet. -- Ed Guy P.Eng,CDP,MIEE Information Technology Consultant Internet: ed@guysoftware.com http://www.guysoftware.com "Check out HELLLP!, WinHelp author tool for WinWord 2.0 through 8.0, PlanBee Project Management Planning System and ParseRat, the File Parser, Converter and Reorganizer"
Thread Navigation
This is a paginated view of messages in the thread with full content displayed inline.
Messages are displayed in chronological order, with the original post highlighted in green.
Use pagination controls to navigate through all messages in large threads.
Back to All Threads