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how do I search my computer's CPU install Date or Time?!

idata
Employee
10,563 Views

dear all (expert)~

now I have a problem to solve!

Below is my case which i encounter!

there is a PC that CPU may be changed by someone!

how do I know CPU's reinstall date or time in Windows 7 ?!

Or are there some references that could provide me to read~

i will appreciate ur kindly information!

sincerely!

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4 Replies
Adolfo_S_Intel2
Employee
9,151 Views

Currently, the system does not have a records of the date / time that the processor or any other hardware component was changed.

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idata
Employee
9,151 Views

You might be able to check if the CPU was replaced by it's install date, but that depends on the mother board, when the Operating System (Windows, etc) was installed, and if the OS has been installed more than once on the PC. The following works for Windows 7 PCs. It's not perfect and exact, but if you're lucky, you might be able to tell.

The dates you will be looking at are Install Date, and First Install Date. The First Install dates are created by Windows when it is installed, unless the device provides (really saves) a date. Most devices don't, but some mother boards do, and the PC I'm using now does, it was first used by me and had it's first OS installed in 2009. The Install Date always changes whenever a OS is installed, including being installed again. I've re-installed the OS a few times, so Install Date and First Install Date are the same for almost everything on that PC, and is the date I last installed an OS, 2012. But my mother board saved the First Install Date, which is not the same as the Install date, and maybe yours does too, you'll need to check that.

Start Control Panel, and then Device Manager. Open the "device tree" by double clicking on the first entry if it is not already open. Under Computer, you should see an entry like "ACPI X64-based PC". Double click that to open it's Properties, and click the Details tab. Click on Device Description and look for "First Install Date", and "Install Date". Click on those and check the date. If the First Install date seems reasonable, such as about as old as the PC is, then write that date down, and you can continue. If Install Date is the same as First Install date, then the OS has not been reinstalled at on the PC. If Install date is later than First Install Date, the OS was reinstalled at least once, and your chances of checking if the CPU was replaced are less. If the two dates are the same, you have a better chance.

Now find Processors and double click that. You'll see an entry for each core and thread your CPU has. Each one is the same, so just click one. Check the Install and First Install Dates, and compare them to the one you saved. If First Install Date is the same as the saved date, the CPU was probably not changed. If the dates are different, try to find out if the OS was reinstalled. Do they match the Install Date you saw for the board? If not, that means the CPU probably was changed.

idata
Employee
9,151 Views

thanks for your reply! It's really really useful!

but are there any references, papers or manuals to read?!

 

because my forensic report need to apply!

sincerely!

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idata
Employee
9,151 Views

I am not aware of this being described in any document, that was just from my observations of several PCs over time that I have changed various components, and performed multiple installations of Windows.

I suggest checking Microsoft for documents about this.

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