Guid

[Taggs]

Can anybody tell me where my GUID is created/generated from please?

Is it stored in the hardware from the manufacture?

Mother board? BIOS? MAC address + some formula...etc????

Thanks inadvance

[Taggs]

p.s. I would also like to know where it is held in the registry, if any body knows please.

Thanks

[Martin Zugec]

Well, AFAIR GUID WAS generated including MAC address of computer - but that meant, that even by Word document U could track back the computer where it was written, so Microsoft changed the algorithm. Now it is random generated number and because of large random space (I think 2^128) it is impossible two GUID will have the same value....

But it depends - what R U interested in? COM IDs, Computer IDs, SIDs or what?

[Taggs]

To make a long story short......

I work on a site with 4500+ PC's and 4499+ different PC configurations.

What I'm planning on doing, using a RIS Server, is when we build or rebuild a PC the person rebuilding the pc enters the PC name on the RIS build.

PC Rebuilds! On the first boot a special program runs (hopefully written by yours truly) that will check the PC name and the GUID (to make sure no mistakes have been made) against a database. My program, will then get from the database, a list a applications, settings etc for that PC.

It then installs as per database configuration. Job done and don't have to get off my lazy backside to rebuild a PC.

The GUID reported on the CIW of RIS is different than that stored in AD(It's transposed) not that this is a problem, but I want to find out if I swapped a NIC/Mother board/etc.. because it is faulty will this change my GUID!

I hope this makes sense

[Martin Zugec]

Well, if U got lot of pcs why not using professional solutions like SMS or USD instead? I got USD and divided computers by group - or U can use RAC

[Taggs]

I work for the govenment and we have no money, (SMS we are looking at 250K+, ) plus why spend money on something you don't need to? (Especially that much money) We would rather have that money in our pocket than Mr Gates's)

Anyway before we get side lined off the issue and on to money I'd like to know out of interest aswell.

Cheers

Taggs

[Martin Zugec]

Well, SMS can save U a lot more money than U will to spend for it...

But to your problem.

GUID is generated by MAC only if NIC dont support PXE (e.g. U used floppy emulation), in other cases it is random number.

U can determine computer GUID by WMI property.

Using command line:

wmic csproduct get UUID

Using vb script:

On Error Resume Next

Const wbemFlagReturnImmediately = &h10
Const wbemFlagForwardOnly = &h20

arrComputers = Array(".")
For Each strComputer In arrComputers
   WScript.Echo
   WScript.Echo "=========================================="
   WScript.Echo "Computer: " & strComputer
   WScript.Echo "=========================================="

   Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\CIMV2")
   Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery("SELECT * FROM Win32_ComputerSystemProduct", "WQL", _
                                          wbemFlagReturnImmediately + wbemFlagForwardOnly)

   For Each objItem In colItems
      WScript.Echo "UUID: " & objItem.UUID
   Next
Next

The usual way to synchronize AD with real UUID is using ADSI script, that will set AD GUID to computer GUID.

[Martin Zugec]

Ah, find this KB article

[Taggs]

wmic csproduct get UUID

Thanks, thats great!

Sorry for seeming stupid (but I am!).

Are you saying if the NIC has PXE, it is a random number?

If it hasn't got PXE, it is generated from the NIC?

Thanks

Taggs

PS do you know where this is stored? Is it on the NIC or mother board?

[Martin Zugec]

IMHO on NIC...

BTW better solution for your problem is to install software by computer name... Do U have static DHCP?

[Taggs]

BTW?

We do have a static IP here, although I use dynamic while building from the RIS. We are plannig to go completely dynamic at some point but when that is, is any bodies guess.

I'm not sure how to get the static IP in to the build, as each build creates a unique reg key for the NIC properties in the registry. I'm hoping we may have swapped to dynamic by the time I have this sorted.

[Martin Zugec]

The best practise is using DHCP to provide static IP, also called locked... Then U can create PC name from IP (for example 172.16.1.38 will be PC138) and associate them with software list. I created this once for one school, where software is installed to computers by their class position and day of way, so there is only software needed for next day lessons.