You are leading a simple life. You have your movies and popcorn showing on your new projector. And then your computer suddenly crashes. You take it to a repair guy and he asks you something you've never thought about before in your life: how old is your computer?
It is at a time like this that this article might come in handy for you. Did you know? It is possible to ascertain the release date of your machine, and thus, estimate your computer age with relevant system information. It includes several data such as the initial release date, the installation date, and so on.
There are a few easy ways through which you can arrive at a rough estimate regarding the exact manufacture date and the age of your computer. The original release date and the approximate manufacturing date will tell how old your computer is.
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How Do I Tell The Age Of My Computer?
There are numerous ways you can employ to get an idea about the age of your laptop or computer. We have listed the most efficient, tried-and-tested methods below. You will find the solution to the question of “How Old Is My Computer?” in this guide below!
Use The Laptop Or Computer's Serial Number
You can resolve your query of how old is my computer quickly if you have some basic system information at hand. Unlike other methods, you will find yourself with the accurate date of manufacture if you are aware of the serial number of the laptop or computer.
Most users buy their systems from reputed brands. This method will help them exclusively. If you have built your system model from scratch with different components, you will have to follow different methods.
Generally, a system manufacturer will affix a sticker on your computer or laptop to include crucial system information. It will include the specific serial numbers or the serial code that is associated with the computers.
Some brand manufacturers will mention the original install date on this serial number sticker itself. You can gauge the exact manufacturing date, which will give you the exact age of your computer.
Even if the installation date is absent on the serial number sticker, you can perform a quick search by googling the serial number present on the sticker.
Upon typing this serial number, the search box will redirect you to the manufacturer's official website. You will gain access to the complete hardware information of your system on the website with the help of the serial number. The manufacturing date will also be available here!
You can also change individual components of your system this way, as all the parts will have the same date of manufacture as the manufacturing date of the entire computer.
Checking The System Information With Model Number
Discovering details concerning the computer age is also possible if you know the model number of your computer. You can get the answer to “How Old Is My Computer?” with a little digging and relevant information at hand.
If you are using a previously used laptop or computer, try reaching out to the previous owner of your device and obtaining the particulars of the model that you are using. Once you have the model number, you can search online and visit the manufacturer's website to view further details.
Similar to the serial number, the model number will also come in extremely handy for you to find how old your computer is!
Entering Command Prompt And Getting Bios Version Date
The BIOS version of your computer stands for Basic Input / Output System. This data calculation will contain the installation date of Windows listed that will be very close to the manufacturing date of the system. Therefore, you can use the BIOS date to get an approximate idea of how old your computer is.
You can also find the serial number of your system by typing ‘wmic BIOS get serial number'. You can access this data if your computer's motherboard is up to date.
We have mentioned a general idea that you can follow to check BIOS version of your Windows System below.
Step 1
Open your computer's Windows search bar and type cmd. Hit enter for the next step.
Step 2
That will open Command Prompt window. Now, type systeminfo and then press enter.
Step 3
A new window of the system information app will open. Keep scrolling until you reach the BIOS version. You will be able to obtain the required data listed under this BIOS information. It will help you judge how old your computer is.
Getting Hardware Information From Manufacturer
Another commonly suggested method is to cross check the date and tell how old your computer is by contacting the manufacturer. You can get numerous details concerning the production date of all similar models related to your computer. Visiting the official website is another proven method.
This method will save you a lot of precious time and will not cause any wasted efforts. Hence, it is imperative to stay in contact with the manufacturer for further consultations!
Checking The Windows Operating System Initiation Date
The Windows Operating System can tell how old your laptop or computer is. However, it is not a very sound method, and you should only use it if the other methods listed fail to help you. The operating system is installed on your computer around the same time your computer is manufactured.
Generally, Windows resets this date every time a new update becomes available. Therefore, it cannot tell how old your computer is to a highly precise degree. You can use it as a last resort. We have mentioned the necessary steps below:
Step 1
Open the command prompt search box on your computer.
Step 2
Enter systeminfo and tap enter.
Step 3
You can find the date of installation of your operating system here, among other pre-installed app credentials. Therefore, you can evaluate the age of your computer.
Analyzing The (C:) Drive Of The Computer
The (C:) drive's folders of your computer have a date associated with them. They can come in handy while trying to estimate the age of your laptop or computer. This method is not guaranteed to be entirely successful either. However, it can help you to a certain extent.
Step 1
Open File Explorer and go to ‘This PC.' Here, open Local Disk (C:).
Step 2
Next to the folders, you will be able to view the ‘Date Modified' particulars. Double-click on them to sort them according to the oldest dates available. It might correlate with the age of your computer or laptop.
Find The CPU's Release Date
If you want to find the age of your computer, you can figure out the CPU's (Central Processing Unit) release date. If your manufacturer has used older generation processors, it will help you land the answer. This recourse will not be of use if the manufacturer has used an updated processor version.
Step 1
Find the processor name under the information of the system.
Step 2
When you find the period of release of this range of processors, you will get an estimated date of release of your computer.
FAQs
Why should I find the age of my computer or laptop?
Ans: The main reason you should find your computer's age is for the process of updating it or replacing it entirely. You will not experience any hassles if you are an average user who uses the computer for normal processes.
On the contrary, this step is vital for you if you are a heavy user who uses a laptop or computer for high intensity work such as gaming, video production, or video editing! Your system's power banks, cooling systems, and other crucial components will experience immense stress.
When the working condition of your system is left neglected, it will lead to a lot of issues when the system fails to keep up with the usage and functioning. As a result, it is crucial to keep tabs on your computer's overall life period.
Hence, being aware of this data will help you keep your device in prime functioning conditions!
How do I find out how old my computer Windows 10 is?
Ans: The Windows 10 initiation date on your computer will help you figure out how old your computer is. You can find this information from the systeminfo feature in File Explorer.
How do I find out how old my Mac computer is?
Ans: Finding your computer's age is a simplified process when Apple manufactures it. Apple assembles all the hardware components of the system. Hence, the serial number is sufficient to get the computer's age accurately.
Step 1
Find your Mac's serial number by entering the Finder menu and clicking on ‘About this Mac'. Under ‘More Info,' you will view a section named ‘Overview'. The serial number will be present here.
Step 2
Now, you can visit the website of Apple Check Coverage. Here, enter the serial number in the box present.
Step 3
You will have to enter the verification code now. Then, you will be able to access the date of manufacture of your system.
How old is my HP computer?
Ans: If you purchased your HP computer in the period spanning from 2010-2019, finding the period of manufacturing for your computer is a breeze! The approximate time is present in the serial number itself.
The 4th, 5th, and 6th digits of the serial code indicate the year and the week of manufacturing of your computer. If the digits are 425, the system was manufactured in the 25th week of 2014.
If you purchased your system before this stipulated period, you must contact the manufacturer for further details. This situation arises since older models do not have the date listed in the serial number.
Summing It Up
We have conducted in-depth research concerning all the methods you can use to determine how old your system is.
With the advent of technology and other resources that keep tabs on all the factors associated with using a system, figuring out the period of manufacture is not an uphill task anymore!
All the methods mentioned above are successful in varying degrees. Hence, you can select the option that suits you the best and follow it based on your system's make and functionality.
