What is the easiest way to collect SNs?

outsideroutsider
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
We're trying to do an inventory on Macs here at work and I am in need of collecting serial numbers (of the actual machines) of about 200 Macs. i can go to each one in person but this would be time consuming. is there a 3rd party product that would do this?



Thanks!

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    alcimedesalcimedes Posts: 5,486member
    we're looking at something along these lines at my job, but so far there's very little that works on Macs. let me know if you find something.



    you might want to check via google and see if there's anything under the "groups" section.
  • Reply 2 of 8
    paulpaul Posts: 5,278member
    I'm not sure if there is an automated way to do this with Apple Remote Desktop, but at least you could log on remotely and it would save you the trouble of going to each machine and manually typing (or writing) the # down at each station...



    and don't forget the other more practical advantages of ARD--like spying on the students who use the lab (I kid i kid...kinda heh)



    the easiest way to get at the SN is to click "about this mac" and click on the version number of the OS 2 times... voila- the SN...



    hth



    -Paul
  • Reply 3 of 8
    jccbinjccbin Posts: 476member
    Apple System Profiler can give you this information. I think you can get Apple Remote Desktop to create the reports for you and save them whereever you want them - it's been several versions ago that I messed with it, so I may be wrong.



    Besides, having a copy of the system profile is always a good thing - it details RAM, HD, etc and makes planning and budgeting easier.



    Hope this helps
  • Reply 4 of 8
    paulpaul Posts: 5,278member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by jccbin

    I think you can get Apple Remote Desktop to create the reports for you and save them whereever you want them



    I wasn't 100% sure this would be the case, but that was what I was shooting for.



    btw, thanks for the podpac template I'll probably be making one soon
  • Reply 5 of 8
    jccbinjccbin Posts: 476member
    You're welcome for the template! Enjoy the iPod!



    Also, if ARD didn't do it, a little AppleScripting could.



    Basically (not actually):



    Tell "Apple System Profiler"

    save document "Profile" in "/Network/Servervolume/folder/folder" as"Plain text"

    end tell



    If you were really whiz bang, you could have the script run from the server, name the files sequentially, even extract the exact info you want and save it as a file of computer names and serial numbers.



    Yeah, that'd be a real geeky thing to do.
  • Reply 6 of 8
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Courtesy of Brad, in the GUI->CLI thread...



    /usr/sbin/AppleSystemProfiler | grep "Customer serial number"



    Gives you the line with the serial number in it. You can use other shell/scripting to extract just the number.



    And, it works over a network, using something like ssh.
  • Reply 7 of 8
    paulpaul Posts: 5,278member
    holy crap... I have GOT to learn this unix thing... amazing...
  • Reply 8 of 8
    jccbinjccbin Posts: 476member
    Me too (dammit!)
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