Unbelieveable code, it produces one result in VB6 run and another if
compiled in a exe file ???? What gives ???

Simply put this code in a single Form (i.e. Form1), make a text1 text
box and run it (it is supposed to give a HDD serial number - I need to
findout the HDD serial number in my software)....

Option Explicit

Private Sub Form_Load()

Dim arrComputers() As String
Dim strComputer As Variant
Dim objWMIService As Object
Dim colItems As Object
Dim objItem As Object
Const wbemFlagReturnImmediately = &H10
Const wbemFlagForwardOnly = &H20

Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:\\.\root\CIMV2")
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery("SELECT * FROM
Win32_PhysicalMedia", "WQL", _
                                       wbemFlagReturnImmediately +
wbemFlagForwardOnly)
Text1.Text = ""

For Each objItem In colItems
    Text1.Text = Text1.Text & vbCrLf & Trim(objItem.SerialNumber)
Next

End Sub

Just ran the code in VB6 SP5 on WinXP Pro.

From IDE and also from the created EXE

I get the exact same serial number.

Robert

Show quoteHide quote

Show quote Hide quote I dont get it, how come I don't.

We'll here, let me add the obvious difference is that I run VB6 SP6
and Windows VISTA , could that be it ? But even if it is, why
different results at VB runtime and EXE runtime of the same exact
code ?

Can anyone try this on VISTA (and maybe on VB6 SP6) ?

Thank you guys for the attempts to help me.

Can anyone try this on VISTA (and maybe on VB6 SP6) ?

Try this:

strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\"
& strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Str = ""
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery("SELECT * FROM Win32_LogicalDisk")
For Each objItem In colItems
   Str = Str & objItem.Name & " SerialNumber: " & objItem.VolumeSerialNumber
& vbCrLf & vbCrLf
Next
MsgBox Str

Show quote Hide quote Thanks Kevin, but I didn't want the ".VolumeSerialNumber" property,
since the volume number, I've been told can be changed by the user, so
I cannot use this to uniquely identify a user's PC.

I need the .SerialNumber property, which is the HDD's serial number
that cannot be changed by the user.

Thank you for your suggestion, but I am still looking for someone to
help me with the issue of my code giving me two different results in
VB run time and in EXE run time.

Thank you.

Hi,
Sorry I didn't see this post sooner.

I use this function in my ApplicationLicenseValidation component for
creating 'seat' LicenseKeys for my VB6 apps and my VBA addins. It works
reliably and consistent in IDE or runtime on any system from Windows2000 to
Vista. (I haven't tried it on any others)

It returns the serial number of the vBIOS as the MachineId. I chose this for
the very reason you cite below: hard drives can be swapped out. The BIOS is
built in to the PC so it persists through the lifetime of the machine. A
change here would indicate a new machine (for all practical intents) and
since replacing the motherboard is required then it is no longer the same
machine (technically) regardless of whether it resides in the same case or
not.

Function To Get a PC's Serial Number

Function GetPC_SerialNo(Optional RemotePcName As String) As String
' Gets the serial number of a PC's BIOS

  Dim sComputer As String, sImpersonation As String
  Dim oWMI As Variant
  Dim vSettings As Variant, vBIOS As Variant

  If RemotePcName = "" Then
    sComputer = "."
    sImpersonation = "impersonate"
  Else
    sComputer = RemotePcName  'for remote machine
    sImpersonation = "impersonate,authenticationLevel=Pkt"
  End If

  Set oWMI = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
      & "{impersonationLevel=" & sImpersonation & "}!\\" _
      & sComputer _
      & "\root\cimv2")
  Set vSettings = oWMI.ExecQuery("Select * from Win32_BIOS")
  For Each vBIOS In vSettings
      MsgBox vBIOS.SerialNumber
      GetPC_SerialNo = vBIOS.SerialNumber
  Next
End Function

HTH
Kind regards,
Garry
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