What Is a Volume Serial Number? (VSN Definition) GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > Windows 21 21 people found this article helpful
Volume Serial Numbers
How volume serial numbers are generated and how to change them
By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 26, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide A volume serial number, sometimes seen as VSN, is a unique hexadecimal number assigned to a drive during the creation of the file system during the format process. It's stored in the disk parameter block part of the volume boot record. Microsoft and IBM added the VSN to the format process in 1987 when they were working together to develop the OS/2 operating system. Simon / E+ / Getty Images A drive's volume serial number is not the same as the serial number of the hard drive, floppy disc, flash drive, etc. assigned by the manufacturer. How Is the Volume Serial Number Generated
It's created based on a fairly complex combination of the year, hour, month, second, and hundredth of a second that the drive was formatted. This means it will change each time the drive is formatted. How to View a Drive' s Volume Serial Number
One of the easiest ways to view the volume serial number is through Command Prompt, using the vol command. Execute it without any options, and you'll see both the volume serial number and the volume label. vol Duplicate Volume Serial Numbers
Since volume serial numbers aren't generated at random and without knowledge of the volume serial numbers on other drives in the computer, there's a chance two drives on the same computer could end up having the same volume serial number. While this is technically possible, the chance is infinitesimally small and isn't usually a concern. The only somewhat common reason why you might run into two drives in the same computer with identical volume serial numbers is when you've cloned one drive to another and are using them both at the same time. Are Duplicate Volume Serial Numbers a Problem
No, they're not a problem for Windows or other operating systems. Windows will not be confused as to which drive is which if two drives share volume serial numbers. In fact, the VSN is used by some software licensing schemes to make sure that an installed copy of the software is being used on the correct computer. When cloning a drive, and the volume serial number remains, it helps ensure the software you run on the new drive works as you'd expect. Another piece of data called the disk signature, part of the master boot record, is the truly unique identifier for a hard drive in a computer system. Changing a Drive' s Volume Serial Number
While there's no built-in ability in Windows to change a drive's volume serial number, some free vendor tools will do the trick. Your best choice is probably Volume Serial Number Changer, a free, open-source program that shows you some basic information about your hard drive, plus a small field to enter the new number you want to set. Another option is Volume Serial Number Editor. This program is similar, but it isn't free. Advanced Reading on Volume Serial Numbers
To learn more about how volume serial numbers are generated, or how you might be able to tell something about a formatted drive by deciphering the number, check out this Digital Detective whitepaper: Volume Serial Numbers and Format Date/Time Verification. There's more in that paper about the history of the volume serial number, as well as how to view it directly from the boot sector. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Vol Command Examples and Options How to Use the Format Command to Write Zeros to a Hard Drive How to Find a Drive's Volume Label or Serial Number 11 Best Free Disk Partition Software Tools (Oct. 2022) What Is a Volume Label of a Drive? 3 Best Free Full Disk Encryption Programs Master Boot Record Definition (MBR, Sector Zero) Task Manager (What It Is & How to Use It) How to Use Disk Utility in macOS MiniTool Partition Wizard Free v12.6 Review How to Format a Hard Drive in Windows HDDScan v4.1 Free Hard Drive Testing Tool Review How to use a System Repair Disc to Format the C Drive What Is a Hard Disk Drive? How Do I Create a Windows Password Reset Disk? EaseUS Partition Master Free Edition v17 Review Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies