Are you curious to know the age of your computer? Whether you’re experiencing performance issues or simply want to assess its value, knowing the age of your computer can be helpful in a variety of ways.
After all, technology is constantly evolving and what was once cutting-edge can quickly become obsolete. Sadly, computers are no exception to this rule! And it can be challenging to determine the age of a computer, especially if you’ve lost the original purchase receipt.
Fortunately, there are several ways to determine how old your computer is, and in this article, we’ll explore some of the most common methods.
How to Tell How Old is My Computer?
Without any further ado, let’s dive in and find out just how old your trusty device really is!
1. Check the Serial Number
The simplest way to determine the age of your computer is to check the serial number using these simple steps:
- Locate the serial number sticker on the back of your desktop or the underside of your laptop.
- Visit the manufacturer’s website and input the serial number to reveal information about your device, including its manufacturing date.
In case, you can’t find the sticker or it has faded away, follow these simple steps instead:
- Click on the ‘Start’ button and type ‘cmd’ into the search bar.
- Open Command Prompt and tap ‘Run as administrator.
- In the command prompt window, type ‘wmic bios get serial number and press Enter.
- The serial number will be displayed in the command prompt window.
If your computer is older, consider upgrading its components or investing in a newer device to improve its capabilities and longevity.
2. Check your BIOS Version through the Command Prompt
To check your BIOS version, follow these steps:
- Click on the Start button and type ‘cmd’ into the search bar.
- Open ‘Command Prompt’ and choose ‘Run as administrator.’
- In the command prompt window, type ‘systeminfo.exe’ and press Enter.
- Scroll down till you see the BIOS version
As it clearly mentions the date, even a glimpse of the BIOS version will help you determine the age of your computer.
If you’ve updated your BIOS or purchased a used computer, the outcome maybe an inaccurate date. In such scenarios, you must cross-check with other methods after checking the date under ‘BIOS Version’.
3. Check CPUs Release Date
To check the release date of a computer’s CPU, follow these simple steps:
- Type ‘System Information’ in the Windows search bar and select the corresponding application.
- In the System Information window, locate the Processor entry.
- Note the name of your CPU (e.g., Intel Core i5-8250U).
- Visit the manufacturer’s website and search for the CPU by name.
- Look for the release date on the product page.
Once you know the release date of your CPU, you can estimate the age of your computer. However, it’s important to note that CPUs can be replaced or upgraded, so this method may not be accurate in all cases.
4. Check the Modified/Creation Dates of the Folder in C Drive
Some system files and folders come pre-installed into your computer. You can access them through your C Drive and check their modification dates. This will provide you a rough estimate of the time span around which your computer was built. To check the modified dates of the folders in your C drive, follow these simple steps:
- Open File Explorer and head to your C drive.
- Look for the ‘Windows’ folder and open it.
- Scroll down and check the modified date of all the folders. You will find a date striking common between most of the folders.
- Just to confirm, right click on any folder and check if the date of creation is similar to the modification date striking between folders.
This date gives you an estimate of when your operating system was installed. While this method can provide a rough estimate of your computer’s age, it’s important to note that folder modification dates can be altered, so the information may not be entirely accurate.
5. Check the System Information
The system information provides you with the details of the complete machine. It is better to have a complete idea of all the information related to the machine in order to process it accordingly. There are chances that the machine might need upgrading in some required parts in order to maintain the performance.
6. Check the Windows OS Installation Date
To check the original OS installation date of your operating system, follow these simple
- Click on the Start button and type ‘cmd’ into the search bar.
- Launch ‘Command Prompt’ and tap ‘Run as administrator.’
- In the command prompt window, type ‘systeminfo | find /i “install date’ and press Enter.
The date listed here indicates when your operating system was installed on your computer.
Keep in mind that if you’ve reinstalled your operating system at any point, this date may not accurately reflect the age of your computer.
7. Check Online With Model Number
To find the model number and check the date for the corresponding model number , follow these simple steps:
- Type ‘System Information’ in the Windows search bar and select the corresponding application.
- In the System Information window, locate and note the specifications listed in the ‘System Model’ entry.
- Visit the manufacturer’s website and search for your system model.
- Look for the date on the product page.
8. Checking the Age of Individual Components
When we talk about the age of individual components the very first thing that needs to be understood is every component has a different manufacturing, working, and limitation. For example, a keyboard cannot be compared with a mouse. In the same way every component has to be surveyed according to their functioning and manufacturing guidelines about the product. By checking the age of individual components it gives a very clear image about the computer’s age. And by determining the same an individual can easily identify how to improve the performance of the machine.
Age Of Computer – FAQs
Ans: The details related to the generation of the laptop can be found at the bottom of the laptop. If not present there are some other ways to find the generation of the laptop. Such as searching for the manufacturer with the model name and details or else with the help of processor information the generation of laptop can be determined.
Ans: The same information can be found at the bottom of the laptop. There is a label attached at the bottom that has information about the user’s laptop. Such as manufacturing dates, model type, etc. Also, a user can find this detail by accessing the Device Manager from their laptop.
Ans: When we discuss the age of the computer it is generally related to its hardware specification whereas the OS does play an important role. But then an individual cannot identify the age of the computer by the most recent Windows update date
Ans: Generally, older computers may not be able to handle newer software or hardware as well as newer computers. However, the age of a computer alone does not necessarily indicate its performance – it depends on the specific components and their condition.
