Hello! Today I got an iBook G4 (M9164LL/A) from a friend. When I went into the "About This Mac" menu, the serial number was not displayed (it just said 'Serial Number' when I clicked through). I went into "System Profiler" and got the same results - no serial number. After doing some research on the Internet it seems that the logic board may have been replaced. I am currently reinstalling Tiger to see if that clears it up. If not, does anybody know where I can download the utility to reset the serial number? I bet the Genius Bar wouldn't have the utility and would charge to send it to their repair center. Thank you for the help!
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iBook G4 Serial Number
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Did Tiger have the serial number in 'About this Mac'? Leopard doesn't.
Couldn't you just turn the iBook over? Or look at the box.
Couldn't you just turn the iBook over? Or look at the box.
Wow, quick response! I do have another Mac running Tiger and the serial number is displayed in "About This Mac". Unfortunately I do not have the box, and on this model the serial number is located under the keyboard, which I don't really want to take off unless absolutely necessary.
Hm... I wonder why they took that out of Leopard? That would solve the headaches of trying to find it when you need it.
I hope all goes well for you in your search of the serial number!
I hope all goes well for you in your search of the serial number!
They didn't take it out of Leopard. At some point the system probably had its logic board replaced and that 'cleared' the serial number. I've had it happen to several of my machines in the past.
Mine did. Crap. I can't believe I'd never realized it before the logic board was replaced. Silly me...
My PowerBook G4 (running 10.5.7) shows its serial number in the About This Mac window, as does every other Mac I've ever worked on. You have to click where it normally says 10.x.x to display the build number of your OS X version, then the serial number.
My UMB with 10.5.7 just says the OS. The serial number is in the system profiler, but not the "about this mac" screen.
you can just log out and then click on the login screen and it should come up there
Did you click on the version number?
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1529
That feature has been there since Puma mate
Did you click on the version number?
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1529
That feature has been there since Puma mate
Ain't that an SOB....
Never clicked that
Just out of curiosity, why is it so important to get the serial number of this machine? Also, have you looked in all the locations on the physical machine itself for the number?
http://support.apple.com/kb/TA27282
if the logic board has been replaced there will be no serial number, the Apple store don't put it back, but you should be able to pull the serial number of the bottom in the battery area. with a replaced logic board it will read "SystemSerialNumb" on the About This Mac Screen
On an iBook G4 the serial number is printed on a label under the keyboard. There are two little latches between numbers up on the keyboard. They are on the far left and far right. the middle next to the NUM LOCK is a lock. If the keyboard does not pop up when you pull the latches, turn the little dial on the lock 90º. After you open the keyboard, be careful to just fold the keyboard back towards you so you dont disconnect the cabling. The serial number is on the plastic on a small oblong label just below where the words "iBook G4" is printed on the monitor, just before you see the metal casing of the computer.
It always is... Haha I have peeled my keyboard back so many times that the label is fading away.
You will see if Apple replaced the logic board, they will put a sticker over the old Mac address ID with another sticker which is located next to the serial number. I got an iBook once with what I think had 2 or 3 stickers on top of the other.
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