Macbook by serial number to find out information. How to test a MacBook before buying it

Many users believe that the price of new Apple technology is unreasonably high. Fortunately, there is an aftermarket for "apple" products, in which MacBook laptops are widely represented. Due to popularity and demand, scammers selling fakes have become more active. There is a guaranteed way to determine the authenticity of a MacBook - using its serial number. Today we want to talk about the details of this check.

The procedure for determining the authenticity of an Apple laptop consists of two stages: obtaining a serial number and using it on the manufacturer's website. Let's consider each stage in more detail.

Step 1: Obtaining a serial number

The Macbook Factory ID can be obtained in several ways. If there is a box in which the laptop was sold, you can find the information you need directly on it.

Also, the serial number is usually indicated on the body of the device - pay attention to the inscriptions on the bottom, located closer to the display hinges.

However, both the first and second options are not very reliable: an unscrupulous seller could take a box from a genuine MacBook, as well as erase the inscription. The most reliable method of obtaining an ID is to use the utility information "About this Mac».

Having received the number, we proceed to the second stage - the actual definition.

Step 2: Authentication

Apple is very concerned about its own reputation, so it has provided users with a special service through which you can verify the authenticity of the purchased equipment.

The operation is elementary, and will take 5 minutes on the strength, provided that the Internet is not too fast.

Conclusion

We examined the methodology for determining the Macbook model by serial number. Finally, we recall once again that the best option for obtaining an identifier is programmatically, through the tool "About This Mac".

The serial number is a unique combination of numbers and letters that characterizes any Apple device, be it a Mac, iPhone, iPod, iPad, as well as all accessories manufactured by Apple: cables, cases, adapters, etc. Although the serial number looks like a random combination of arbitrary characters, it is not. The serial number encodes information about the place of manufacture of the device, the year and week of its release, as well as the model of the manufactured gadget.

Previously, using the serial number, it was easiest to find out the release date of the device - it was enough to look at the third, fourth and fifth characters, which were always numbers. The third one showed the last digit of the year of production (for example, 8 = 2008, 9 = 2009), and the fourth and fifth together gave the number of the week in which the device was released (from 01 to 52). But such a system operated only during the first decade of the 21st century. Since 2010, Apple began to switch to a new serial number format, instead of 11-digit serial numbers, 12-digit ones are now used.

An example of such a new serial number is shown above. There are no more usual numbers in it. But does this mean that the year and week number can no longer be found out? Not at all. True, using a 12-digit serial number, it is an order of magnitude more difficult to do this.

The structure of 12-digit Apple serials is as follows:

• the first three characters are the code of the factory where the device was produced. Unfortunately, no one except Apple employees knows the full list of these codes.
• fourth sign - half-year code in which the device was released
• fifth sign - release week code within this semester
• sixth, seventh and eighth characters - a unique code for each device
• the last four characters are the model code showing the generation, memory size, color, characteristics, etc.

You and I are interested in the year and week of release - but without additional decoding it will not work to find out. You need to look at the fourth and fifth characters of the serial number. As we have already said, the fourth character encodes a half-year, and according to a very strange system - the counting of half-years starts from 2010, and the numbering is alphabetic, starting with the letter C. The letters E, I, O and U are excluded from the numbering. In total, 20 letters are obtained, i.e. Apple will use 12-digit serial numbers for exactly ten years, and in 2020 it will switch to a new format (possibly 13-digit numbers). The correspondence between letters and years is as follows:

The fifth character of the serial encodes the week number of the issue within the half-year, both using numbers and using letters. First come the numbers from 1 to 9, then the letters of the Latin alphabet (with the exception of A, B, E, I, O, S, U, Z) - a total of 27 possible values. The fifth sign cannot be deciphered without the fourth: first you must find out if the device was released in the first or second half of the year.

Difficult? Let's look at a practical example from the beginning of the article:

DMPJL8QEF18G

The fourth character is J, which means that this is the second half of 2012. The fifth character is L, taking into account the second half of the year, this is the 43rd week of 2012.

A common problem for Apple product owners is not knowing the minimum information about their gadget (this rarely applies to iPhone owners). To find out information about the cost of repairing the device, for example, you need to know at least its model / year of manufacture. Viewing this information is not difficult and takes only a few moments.

Serial number

To find out detailed information about the serial number of the gadget, you must:

• If you have just purchased the product or if you have kept the original packaging, then the information on it will answer all the questions that have arisen and have not arisen;
• To search for the serial code, we find the Apple menu, look for the item “About this poppy”, and then double-click on the version (method for newer versions);
• Depending on the model, the serial combination can be seen on the back of the MacBook, also in the battery slot;
• Note: When you receive a receipt for a product from some Apple specialty stores, you may notice that the serial code is also entered on it (this is by no means always the case).

Having found out the Mac's serial number, enter it on the page at the link: "https://selfsolve.apple.com/agreementWarrantyDynamic.do". The page should be called "Checking eligibility for service and support", may be the English equivalent. So, here you should provide all the data about your gadget. There is another method that allows you to find out if the MacBook belongs to a specific version by the serial code. "http://support.apple.com/ru_US/specs/" is the "Specifications" page, and by entering the serial combination, you can find out the model.

Identification via model number

The version code is also indicated on the original box, and the information can also be in the settlement receipt (check). In addition, you can find out the model in the configuration. The combination must consist of "MXNNN", where X is a letter variable, N is a numeric one. The article before the slash (/) varies depending on the state of purchase, so in the following text it will be replaced by "ST".

For example, we will consider the MacBook 2008-2010. release. MacBook4.1 version can have three codes: MB402 ST /A (MB402 ST /B), MB403 ST /A , MB404 ST /A, with configuration 13.3″/D2.1 Ghz/2×512/120/Combo ( 13.3″/D2.1 Ghz/2×512/120/SD-DL), 13.3″/D2.4 Ghz/2×1 GB/160/SD-DL and 13.3″/D2.4 GHz/2×1 GB/250/SD-DL respectively. Next comes the MacBook5,1. Parts: MB466 ST/A and MB467 ST/A configured 13.3″/D2.0GHz/2×1GB/160/SD-DL and 13.3″/D2.4GHz/2×1 GB/250/SD-DL respectively. These models were released in 2008.

New in 2009 was the MacBook5.2: MB881 ST/A - 13.3″/D2.0 GHz/2×1 GB/120/SD-DL, also MC240 ST/A - 13.3″/2.13 /2X1GB/160/SD. Another version was the MacBook 6.1, code MC207 ST/A, 13.3″/D2.26GHz/2x1GB/250/SD-DL. 2010 was marked by the MacBook7.1. Model number - MC516 ST /A, configuration - 13.3″/D2.4 GHz/2x1 GB/250/SD-DL.

The biggest plus is the similarity of checking apple products on different gadgets. Almost any device that has been created and demonstrated to the world over the past few years can be tested using a similar method. It is worth noting that checking the back of a Mac or iPhone does not take even minutes of time, and there are a lot of benefits from this. But if you could not follow the instructions or obviously know that you will not be able to do it, we recommend that you contact consultants and other knowledgeable people.

In our group social network VKontakte received several reviews about the article and requests to write a similar instruction on how to check macbook before buying from hand. Well, we asked - we answer 🙂 Learn more about how to properly check a MacBook before buying in this material.

You can check the macbook or macbook pro that you are going to buy in our service centers:

How to test macbook? Basic moments

When choosing to buy a non-new computer that was previously used by another owner, be prepared that you will have to spend some of your time and effort choosing. Buying the first option you like, you run the risk of suffering with it in the future if the computer has any defects that seriously affect the work. Therefore, to begin with, we will give a few recommendations, how check macbook at the first inspection and what you should pay special attention to.

External inspection and assessment of the condition of the hull.

Carefully inspect the case of the MacBook from all sides. Ideally, it should not have any consequences of a fall or mechanical fall (chips, dents, etc.). Look especially closely at the side edges of the topcase (the bottom of the laptop) and the metal around the perimeter of the display lid. According to statistics, when falling or hitting, it is these parts that suffer most often.

Turning the laptop over, inspect the bottom of the case. Make sure the bottom cover mounting screws are in place and the rubber feet are all in place.

Checking MacBook by serial number.

On the official Apple website, by the serial number of the computer, you can check macbook for an up-to-date warranty, as well as identifying the exact model of the device. Naturally, the model indicated on the site must fully correspond to the information on the box from the computer (if any) and the data on the configuration of the macbook, which can be viewed inside the MacOS operating system after turning it on.

Turning on the computer and assessing the speed of loading the operating system.

Turn on the computer and evaluate the speed of loading the operating system. For Macbook with hard drive average speed booting a clean MacOS, depending on the version of the system, should be from 40 to 90 seconds; models equipped with an SSD should boot significantly faster (from 5-8 to 20-25 seconds).

If the download time significantly exceeds these figures, it is worth considering. It is likely that in the future problems with the installed drive may "emerge" (especially true for laptops that were released before 2012 and are equipped with a hard drive, not an SSD).

Detailed acquaintance with the configuration of the MacBook.

After the computer is turned on, it is worth checking the MacBook in more detail, having read the information about the computer inside macOS. To do this, you need to click on the Apple logo on the left side of the top bar and select "About This Mac". On the first screen of the system window, you can see information about the central processor, the number of random access memory and video chip. For models with integrated graphics and an additional video card, switching between them automatically depending on the load, the name of the chip currently in use will be displayed. By clicking on the "System Report" button, you can get more detailed information information about your computer configuration and installed components.

Checking the battery and charging the device

By clicking on the battery icon with right side top sidebar, you can see the current battery level, as well as get a summary of the built-in diagnostic system about its condition. The battery status indication of the MacOS diagnostic system can be as follows:

• "Normal" - the battery is healthy and working correctly.
• "Replacement is needed soon" - the battery is working correctly, but its capacity has decreased.
• "Replacement required" - the capacity of the battery and, as a result, the battery life of the computer has significantly decreased and it may soon need to be replaced.
• "Service required" - the battery is defective, or its capacity has reached a critically low value. In such cases, the battery needs to be replaced.

Looking again at the "System Report" in the "Power Options" section, you can get more detailed information about the state of the battery, including its current capacity. Naturally, if the battery condition is bad, you should think about the advisability of buying such a computer.

Plug in the MagSafe or USB-C power adapter cable to verify that the laptop is properly charged. When you connect the MagSafe wire, it should light up orange (if the battery is gaining charge), or green (only when the battery is fully charged). If the battery level inside the system is not full and the MagSafe light is green, then either the power supply is not working properly, or the MacBook may have problems with the battery or power circuit components.

Checking the functionality of the display.

Carefully look at the image on the screen for the integrity of the matrix and the presence of dead pixels. Over the entire area there should be no display light or black spots on it. You can check your MacBook for dead pixels in the best quality by choosing a solid black color as your desktop screensaver.

Checking for no set passwords and iCloud account.

Go to "System Preferences" (gray icon with gears) and select "iCloud". There should not be registered any accounts. You can check the availability of the administrator password by going to the "Users and Groups" item in the same place in the "System Preferences". By clicking change password and entering an empty password as the current one, you should not receive messages that the current password is not correct.

Firmware password check.

Setting a firmware password blocks the ability Macbook downloads from any internal or external drive, except for the one that was selected as bootable at the time the password was set. Without knowing the firmware password, the user will not be able to either reinstall the operating system or boot from an external drive if necessary.

To check if a firmware password has been set on the MacBook, turn off the computer, and then turn it on while holding down the "Alt" key. If there is no firmware password, you should be presented with a screen with a choice of boot options. If a password is set, you will see the corresponding screen and a password entry field.

If you want to buy a MacBook with a firmware password from your hands, and the seller cannot provide it to you, we strongly do not recommend purchasing such a computer. Removing the firmware password is a long and time-consuming procedure. At the same time, in most cases it can be done only through the official services of Apple, after proving that the laptop belongs to you.

Checking the health of wireless interfaces and external ports.

When the computer is started and operating system downloaded, check the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth operation by trying to connect to any wireless network, respectively, and create a connection between a third-party device and a MacBook through a Bluetooth connection.

Check the operation of all external USB ports, Thunderbolt, audio out/in, memory card slot and optical drive (for models equipped with these interfaces).

Testing the video chip and processor under load.

Some MacBook models have weakness in the form of a possible failure of the video chip, or incorrect switching between the integrated graphics and an additional video card. Therefore, when buying a computer from hand, we recommend that you check the MacBook, how it works out the processing and rendering of graphics.

Of the public tools that do not involve running graphics tests, for example, playing YouTube videos in HD or FullHD resolution is perfect. Start the video, after 5-7 minutes of playback minimize/maximize the browser window with the running video several times, move the window in different directions. If artifacts appear on the screen, stripes or the picture crumbles into squares, it may well be that this MacBook has or in the very near future there may be problems with the video chip.

If, during these steps, the computer unexpectedly restarts or freezes, we recommend that you abandon the dubious purchase and spend time looking for another option.

Testing the trackpad and keyboard.

Check that all keys on the keyboard are pressed clearly, without sticking and delay. Launch any application with text input and check that all keyboard keys work correctly. If during typing you notice that the keys have a different travel, a crunch or crack is heard when pressing the keys, it may well be that liquid has been spilled on the keyboard earlier. In this case, even if all the keys work, in the future you can "get" to replace the keyboard.

It is most convenient to check the operation of the trackpad by launching a browser and opening a website and scrolling through it a little using various gestures (for more information on them, go to "System Settings" - "Trackpad"). The touch surface should work over the entire area of ​​the trackpad, pressing should be worked out clearly and without delay. When you press the trackpad, there should also be no extraneous crackling or crunching.

Checking the rest of the functionality.

To completely test macbook before buying, after performing all the above steps, we recommend that you pay attention to the operation of the built-in speakers (the sound should be loud and clear, without extraneous noise and crackles), the microphone (the recording should also not crackle and grunt) and the camera. In principle, all this can be combined by launching the PhotoBooth application built into MacOS and recording some video, after which you can watch and listen to it 🙂

Get your MacBook serviced!

If you want to buy a computer from your hands and want to be sure that you are making the right choice, as well as fully test your macbook before you buy please contact our service center.

In addition to all the checks described in the article above, the technicians will conduct extensive testing of the video chip, assess the condition of the internal drive, check whether this MacBook has been previously repaired, and also conduct an internal inspection to assess the general condition and identify possible damage to electronic components. motherboard after exposure to moisture.

Inspection and diagnostics of the computer will be carried out by specialists with more than 11 years of experience in servicing and repairing Apple computers. And the availability of professional equipment and special software will make the test as accurate and fast as possible.

Do you want to buy a MacBook from your hands, but are afraid of running into scammers, or do you just want to check everything carefully and be completely confident in your purchase? Come visit - we will be happy to help you make the right choice!

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