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Maybe you have been wondering how old your PC/laptop is because it has been exhibiting some issues, and you want to know if it is time for a new one.
Thankfully, there are some simple ways to find the age of your computer.
In this article, I will explain four different ways to know how old your laptop is.
Let’s get into it.
4 ways to check how old your computer/laptop is
1. Check Your System Serial Number (If Available)
For example, if you purchased your system from a popular manufacturer like Dell or HP, your computer will likely come with a sticker on it, and the serial number of your computer will be written on this sticker.
If you are using a desktop system, you will likely see the sticker at the back of the machine, and if you are using a laptop, you will find the sticker on the underside of the chassis.
As soon as you locate the serial number, all you need to do is launch your web browser and go to Google, type in the serial number in the Google search bar.
Once you have done that, your computer manufacturer’s website will come up, and you will be able to see all the essential details of your computer, including the manufacturing date.
2. Locate Your BIOS Version using the Command Prompt
This is another effective way of determining how old your computer is. To use this method, you will need to run the systeminfo.exe command prompt, and it will display all the relevant details of your computer, including the manufacturing date.
This method can also be used to know the ‘Original Install Date’ of your operating system. However, this date can sometimes be incorrect because Windows will always change the original install date every time there is a significant update.
Let me use my laptop as an example; my computer was produced in December 2020. However, when I run the systeminfo.exe command prompt, it shows 14/1/2021. So if you are going to use this method, the better way to go about it is to locate the ‘BIOS Version’ listed. It will give you a date that will be very close to your computer’s production date.
If you do not know how to pull up your computer’s info using the command prompt, you can follow the simple steps below:
- Locate the Windows search box placed in the taskbar and type ‘cmd,’ then hit enter.
- The command prompt will be displayed on the screen, and you can now type systeminfo.exe and tap on enter.
- You can then navigate to the ‘BIOSVersion:” option
- Locate the date listed
If you have carried out an update of your BIOS since you bought your system, or maybe you bought a used computer, you will likely see an incorrect date.
The most effective way of knowing that you have the correct date is to use another method listed in this article. If the dates are the same, then you can be sure that you have a valid date.
3. Look for Your CPU’s Release Date
This is another way of having an idea of how old your computer is. All you need to do is check the type of processor you are using and then check out when it was first manufactured.
Let me also point out that method will not give you’re the exact date your computer was manufactured. This is because new processors are manufactured every year thereabout. However, some system manufacturers prefer using old generation processors in their budget computers.
Basically, checking your processor’s original release date should give you a rough estimate of how old your computer is. As I mentioned earlier, to be sure that you have the correct date, you can cross-check it with other methods in this article.
If you will like to know when your CPU was manufactured, follow the simple steps below:
- Look for the Windows search box located in the taskbar, type sysinfo, and tap enter.
- You will find your CPU beside your Processor.
- Please take note of the name of your processor (you can write it down somewhere)
- Launch your web browser and go to Google, then type the name of the processor in the search bar.
- Click on the processor’s company website.
- Once the page loads, you should be able to see the initial release date of your processor.
Like I mentioned earlier, the method is not perfect, but it will give you a good idea of how old your computer is.
4. Look for the ‘Date modified’ Dates of the Folders in Your (C:) Drive
This is another popular method that you can use to know how old your system is. You need to look for the Date modified dates of the folders in your computer’s (C:) drive.
Also, this method is not perfect because you will likely see items in your (C:) drive that are older than your system. But what you need to do is cross-check with other methods that I’ve explained in this article.
If you like to use this method, you can follow the tips below:
- Go to your Windows search box located in the taskbar and type in ‘file explore,’ and then tap the enter key.
- It will take you to the File Explorer window, then locate ‘This PC’ on the left-hand side and click on it.
- Then locate the ‘Local Disk (C:)’ option and double-click on it.
- Look for the option ‘Date modified’ dates located after the folders.
Alternatively, you can double-click on the ‘Date modified’ option, and it will show the oldest items.
Conclusion
Generally, knowing how old your computer can be as easy as using the first method is by simply typing in the serial code on Google. This method will definitely give you the closest date that your desktop computer or laptop was manufactured.
You can also make use of the other three methods, which are more complex than the first method. All you will need to do is cross-check the dates listed to have a close idea of when your computer was manufactured.
