Hmm, How do I protect myself??

Hello all,

I just bought an HP laptop off craigslist. The price I paid makes me wonder about the heat factor (possibly stolen??) but then again maybe not, she said she needed the $$ for car repairs. But the decals from the bottom have been removed??

Anyways, just to be extra safe what can I or should I do?

So I was pretty sure there was a way to get the serial number from the bios? But it looks like where it should be is blank?

Is there another way to find out so I can atleast call the local PD to check?
I would much rather do all I can to verify it before somehow someone tracks it down via the web and I get busted for having it... if thats even possible?

Anyways, what would you do?

 

Whats the specs and how much?

Ask the seller for the serial number, if there isn't one I'd be rightfully suspicious. You would need the serial number anyway for warranty purposes, assuming there is still a warranty.

 

If its not in warranty, dont worry about it. You shouldnt need them.

If it is, well, dont expect to use warranty. AFAIK, the serial and product numbers are not anywhere else. Not in BIOS Either.

 

Hello,
I asked her and she said she took them off because she was going to put a skin on... and that she does not have the decals anymore and she did not buy it new.

It is a HP 6400 or was it 4600... I think 6400. I am not with it right now. $550 asking price, paid $400.

To be honest with you, not to sound dishonest... but it the bios has no s/n and there is no other way of tracking it over the internet, I won't lose any sleep over it?

So the bios normally has a s/n? Is it the system one or a different one? Meaning should the bios s/n match the sticker originally?

And I know there is a MAC address on the NIC and WIFI card? But I don't know if that will help me?

Does anyone kno if there is another way of finding the s/n electronically or physically? Do you think there would be a sticker in the case too?

 

There is a lot of information stored in the BIOS, try using the PC wizard utility from the guys who make CPU-Z. It has that sort of info displayed, if its there to be displayed. Ask her if she has any more cheaper electronics she wants to sell you, in the interest of buying them. That might give some indication of if she can get hot goods lol.

 

Haha, yeah – a cheap thin Samsung telly wouldn't go amiss in my household

 

AHL395 you are wrong the serial number is in the bios so it the product number. Its in every HP i have seen since zv5000's and zd7000's back in 2004/5. Go look in your dv9700t's you will see it.

 

I don't think you will be put into Jail just for buying a 2nd hand gadget without a serial number, you are after all not guaranteed of its quality in the first place. It's not like Microsoft which screws your system if they find out that you have no legal license with there product.

 

oh, ok.

...i never noticed it.