How to Determine if a USB Flash Drive Has a Serial Number

USB flash drives, commonly known as thumb drives or flash drives, are portable and reusable data storage devices. Each USB flash drive is assigned a unique serial number by its manufacturer. This serial number is crucial for tracking and management purposes. In this article, we will guide you through the process of determining if your USB flash drive possesses a serial number and how to retrieve it.

Understanding the Importance of the Serial Number

A serial number is a unique identifier assigned to each USB flash drive. This identifier allows the operating system to distinguish between different USB devices connected to the computer, thereby enhancing security and management. The serial number is stored in read-only memory (ROM) on the flash drive and cannot be duplicated, deleted, or modified.

Identifying the Serial Number

To determine if your USB flash drive has a serial number, follow these steps:

Plug in a USB flash drive to your computer. Navigate to the drive letter corresponding to the flash drive in the File Explorer. In the File Explorer address bar, input the following command: Press Enter.

This action will launch the Command Prompt and prompt Windows to scan the computer for any Mass Storage devices, such as flash drives, linked to the USB Host Controller on the motherboard.

Executing the Command and Retrieving the Serial Number

Once the Command Prompt window opens, you will need to execute the following command:

wmic path Win32_USBControllerDevice get Dependent | find "yyyy"

This command will scan the computer for any USB-connected devices. The output will contain information about the detected devices, including the serial number. To extract the serial number:

Identify the serial number, which is typically listed last in the output. Exclude the hexadecimal value preceding the serial number (if present). The remaining characters constitute the serial number of the USB flash drive.

For example, if the output is as follows:

DependentUSBClass_xxxVID_xxxxPID_xxxxREV_xxxx1234567890abcdef

The serial number would be 1234567890abcdef.

Conclusion

Knowing the serial number of your USB flash drive can be incredibly useful for troubleshooting, management, and security purposes. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily determine if your USB flash drive has a serial number and retrieve it using the Command Prompt.