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Mac 101: Quick Mac info

by Dave Caolo May 8th 2008 at 8:00AM

Here's a quick and unobtrusive way to grab some information about your machine. As you may know, you can select "About this Mac" from the Apple Menu to produce a small window which lists your version of the Mac OS, your processor type and speed plus the amount of memory installed. You could click "More Info..." to launch System Profiler and gain more information, or try this.

Click the version number field and it changes to the OS X build number. Click it again, and your machine's serial number is displayed.

But the fun doesn't stop there! You can gain even more information from the login window (accessible when you first start your machine or after logging out). Clicking the field under "Mac OS X" there reveals
  1. Your computer's name
  2. The OS version
  3. Build number
  4. Serial number
  5. IP address
  6. Any available network accounts
  7. Date and time
Don't you just love Finder tricks and OS easter eggs?

We tested this under Mac OS 10.5.2, so if your experience is different, let us know what version of the OS you're using as well as what you found.

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OS Mac 101

Here's a quick and unobtrusive way to grab some information about your machine. As you may know, you can select "About this Mac" from the...
 

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11 Comments

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Kevin

I'm still waiting on the gripping "The power button can sleep, shutdown, or restarts your computer!!!" feature.

May 08 2008 at 12:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ed

This tip doesn't work as suggested. As someone else mentioned, it only works at the login window and NOT in the 'About This Mac' window.

TUAW You should really check these things properly in future! Your reputation worsens almost every day.

May 08 2008 at 10:36 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Ed's comment
Korim

Well, I think TUAW's reputation is OK on this one. It just shows how many people don't pay attention when they read:

"But the fun doesn't stop there! You can gain even more information from the login window. Clicking the same field reveals..."

TUAW clearly says "from the login window"!

May 08 2008 at 10:55 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ruud Welten

It works on Tiger 10.4.11 as well! Pretty cool feature if you ever need to know something before logging in.

May 08 2008 at 10:06 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Redhead

It's on the Login screen you only see the extra information. And indeed if your motherboard got replaced you get SystemSerialNumb.....

May 08 2008 at 8:23 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Arnoz

And I juste discovered that I don't have a serial number anymore because my motherboard got replaced. I'm wondering if it is normal, though...
Serial Number: "SystemSerialNumb".

May 08 2008 at 8:19 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Arnoz's comment
D

The Genius Bar has a tool to fix that.

May 08 2008 at 9:12 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Scott Hopkins

I am on 10.5.2 and am also only getting Version, Build, and Serial Number. I'm on a Mac Pro (Early 2008).

May 08 2008 at 8:13 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jacob B

I can also only get OS version, build number and serial number.

I'm running 10.5.2 on a MBP 2.33GHz

I'm connected to a router so should be able to show IP address if that is an option.

May 08 2008 at 8:10 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
danielj.paull

On a PPC with 10.5.2 I can only get:

The OS version
Build number
Serial number

May 08 2008 at 8:07 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to danielj.paull's comment
larsalan

same on my macbook os 10.4.13 updated from 10.4.6

May 08 2008 at 3:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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