Knowing how to find out a manufacture date of a Windows computer (laptop or desktop) can be useful in many ways.
For example, if you are purchasing a second-hand computer you may want to know how old is it to determine the warranty status or to negotiate the price.
This note shows 3 different ways of how to find out how old your Windows computer is.
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How Old Is My Computer/Laptop
by Serial Number
The most reliable way to find out how old is your computer (laptop or desktop) is by searching for its serial number on the manufacturer’s web-site.
To find out the serial number – check a sticker on the back of the computer if it’s a desktop PC or at the bottom if it’s a laptop.
If you can’t find any sticker, you can get the serial number by executing the following command from a command prompt (CMD) or PowerShell in Windows:
C:\> wmic bios get serialnumber
Once you get the serial number, search for it in your manufacturer’s “Warranty or Service Lookup” web-page, e.g. HP, Lenovo, Dell, Acer, Asus.
by BIOS Version
You can get the approximate computer’s manufacture date by checking the BIOS version:
C:\> systeminfo | findstr BIOS - sample output - BIOS Version: HP R71 Ver. 01.19.00, 1/13/2022
This only works if the BIOS hasn’t been updated after the computer is purchased.
Otherwise you cannot get the accurate manufacture date by this way.
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by Windows Installation Date
The Windows instillation date could also give you a clue on how old your computer is.
To find out the Windows installation date, execute:
C:\> systeminfo | findstr /c:"Original Install Date" - sample output - Original Install Date: 3/29/2021, 11:17:48 AM
This only works if you’re using the original version of Windows that was installed by manufacturer or just after the computer is purchased.
If the Windows has ever been re-installed or upgraded, then the “Original Install Date” won’t reflect the real computer’s age.