what property/method will return a computer-unique identifier?

[Guest]

i need a property or method that will return an identifier that is unique to the computer that the application is running on - in other words, a number or string that belongs to that particular computer, and not to any other computer in the world

the purpose of this is so that i can program the application to run only on that particular computer, so that it cannot be pirated onto other computers (don't worry about the details of that, i have it all figured out, and just need a computer unique identifier for my idea to work)

alternatively, an identifier that is unique to the windows or office registration would do, because i don't mind if the application is copied onto other computers that are covered by the same windows or office registration, because that means that it will still belong to the same customer

(the productcode property will not do, because all but the first eight digits of the product code are identical - and the first eight digits are far from unique

 

[Cheryl Fischer]

You might want to post this question in -

microsoft.public.security

There are a number of methods used in Access to identify particular
computers and users; however your requirement that the identifier be unique
and exclude "any other computer in the world" sounds as if it is beyond
those methods.

--

Cheryl Fischer, MVP Microsoft Access
Law/Sys Associates, Houston, TX

i need a property or method that will return an identifier that is unique

to the computer that the application is running on - in other words, a
number or string that belongs to that particular computer, and not to any
other computer in the world.

the purpose of this is so that i can program the application to run only

on that particular computer, so that it cannot be pirated onto other
computers (don't worry about the details of that, i have it all figured out,
and just need a computer unique identifier for my idea to work).

alternatively, an identifier that is unique to the windows or office

registration would do, because i don't mind if the application is copied
onto other computers that are covered by the same windows or office
registration, because that means that it will still belong to the same
customer.

(the productcode property will not do, because all but the first eight

digits of the product code are identical - and the first eight digits are
far from unique)

 

[TC]

Jumping in here (cos I can't see the original post):

If (as you say) "an identifier that is unique to the windows or office
registration would do", you best bet would be to get the Windows Product ID
from the registry. Googling on:

"windows product id" VB OR VBA

will doubtless find you something.

HTH,
TC

 

[Guest]

i can't find microsoft.public.security - did you make it up? :

----- Cheryl Fischer wrote: ----

You might want to post this question in

microsoft.public.securit

 

[Cheryl Fischer]

No, I did not make it up. It is a real newsgroup.

 

[Steve]

You can use the Environ Command.

Comp_Name = Environ("CName")

Hope this helps,
Steve.

-----Original Message-----
i need a property or method that will return an

identifier that is unique to the computer that the
application is running on - in other words, a number or
string that belongs to that particular computer, and not
to any other computer in the world.

the purpose of this is so that i can program the

application to run only on that particular computer, so
that it cannot be pirated onto other computers (don't
worry about the details of that, i have it all figured
out, and just need a computer unique identifier for my
idea to work).

alternatively, an identifier that is unique to the

windows or office registration would do, because i don't
mind if the application is copied onto other computers
that are covered by the same windows or office
registration, because that means that it will still belong
to the same customer.

(the productcode property will not do, because all but

the first eight digits of the product code are identical -
and the first eight digits are far from unique)

 

[Steve]

Did you try the Environ command?

Computer_Name = Environ("CNAME")

-----Original Message-----
i need a property or method that will return an

identifier that is unique to the computer that the
application is running on - in other words, a number or
string that belongs to that particular computer, and not
to any other computer in the world.

the purpose of this is so that i can program the

application to run only on that particular computer, so
that it cannot be pirated onto other computers (don't
worry about the details of that, i have it all figured
out, and just need a computer unique identifier for my
idea to work).

alternatively, an identifier that is unique to the

windows or office registration would do, because i don't
mind if the application is copied onto other computers
that are covered by the same windows or office
registration, because that means that it will still belong
to the same customer.

(the productcode property will not do, because all but

the first eight digits of the product code are identical -
and the first eight digits are far from unique)

 

[heidstar pacific]

"did you make it up? " was a rhetorical question. the
real question was, "how do i actually navigate to
microsoft.public.security?"

seriously, i'm finding this whole site really confusing.
today, for instance, i navigated to this forum a different
way to yesterday (directly from an old favourites link
that i'd saved months ago, instead of from the msdn home
page), and it gives me a totally different user interface,
but the same forum with the same messages. but at least
from this one, i can actually find the security
newsgroups, whereas i couldn't from the one i was at
yesterday.

and, i still can't find microsoft.public.security, i don't
think it exists, but i have found
microsoft.public.security.* and
microsoft.public.access.security, so question's answered
now anyway - thanks

 

[Guest]

i tried environ. CName didn't work, CNAME didn't work -
they both returned empty string because neither of them
were in my environment. i even tried iterating through the
environ indexes, from 1 to 100 (0 gave an error; entries
only went up to 7, so i didn't bother going past 100) and
there was nothing in there that would be of any use here.
so environ is a dead end, but thanks anyway, environ will
probably be good for something else though.

 

[TC]

No way that would be sufficiently unique - even if it existed on all PCs.

TC

 

[TC]

Why don't you try what I suggested? Get the Windows Product ID from the
registry.

TC

 

[Tim Ferguson]

seriously, i'm finding this whole site really confusing.
today, for instance, i navigated to this forum a different
way to yesterday

You could always try a normal newsreader like XNews, Gravity, Opera, etc
etc....

Tim F

 

[heidstar pacific]

yes, i've been looking into what you suggested, thanks. i
reposted to access.security, and while waiting for that i
tried the google you suggested, and it so happened that
the first person to respond was linked with one of the
sites i found, so we're getting very close to an answer.

 

[heidstar pacific]

oh... i'm just getting here from the internet browser...

there are other sorts of things i find confusing, though,
like for instance when i search for a particular word or
words, and it comes up with a squillion results that don't
have any of the words i was looking for. but i remember
somebody explaining the reason for that to me a while ago.

 

[Tim Ferguson]

oh... i'm just getting here from the internet browser...

The usenet is one of the oldest parts of the Internet, and like most
things, just does not fit happily into a web browser. Just like trying to
serve a birthday cake using a lamp-post.

Oh, I forget Agent and Free-Agent, AllNews, NewsAgent; even Outlook Express
does it too, apparently.

B Wishes


Tim F