Serial Number Missing after Logic Board Replacement

Question

Serial Number Missing after Logic Board Replacement

I have a xeon xserve (2007) here that had its logic board replaced under warranty. I am now trying a remote install of a new OS (10.5). While trying the first 8 of the server's original serial number as a temp password (in Server Assistant and ssh), I realized that the serial must have changed in the logic board swap. Of course, the plastic tab in the back still has the old serial and MAC addresses on it, but the guys at the repair place (tekserve) at least stuck one ⚠ sticker with the new MAC address onto the back.

Now, I booted into the old OS and found that the system serial number is simply missing form System Profiler (Both GUI and CLI).

Is there a way to set a new serial? This is making the system virtually useless as a headless install.

many many xserves, Mac OS X (10.5.2), Mac Tech, NYC

Posted on May 1, 2008 9:45 AM

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Answer 1

May 1, 2008 10:28 AM in response to Florian Feuser

Hi

You can use 12345678 instead. This is an option for just this eventuality.

I think there is a Serial Number Enabler (I think its called that?) available from Apple's website that you can use to 'write' the Serial Number back to the board. I am struggling to find the link at the moment and the website has gone slow again. Perhaps you could try googling it for yourself?

Hope this helps, Tony

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Answer 2

May 31, 2008 8:23 PM in response to Florian Feuser

The main board in my MacBook Pro c2d was just replaced with a board whose serial number was "System Serial#". I thought that might be the reason that Time Machine doesn't recognise my backups. I changed the serial to my original with the bootable "Blank Board Serializer , v.3T106, part number 693-6430" from
http://spftp.info.apple.com/DiscImages/diagnostics/Apple_Service_Diagnostic/_ssps693-6430-01.dmg
Time Machine still wants to do a full backup. It has many reasons to not do what it's told.

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Answer 3

iToaster

Level 3

739 points

May 31, 2008 11:25 PM in response to ttrtilley

if your system board was changed and your nic was on board your mac address would have changed. TM uses mac address to track what system it has backed up.
the sparse image will have your mac address on the end with out the :
if you can find the sparse image try renaming it to match your new mac address

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