At work today...a co-worker of mine was telling me about this problem with some pentium 3 bios chips where, when the computer wnet online...it would send data to an "Unknown source" as he called it. Is there any truth to this at all?
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At work today...a co-worker of mine was telling me about this problem with some pentium 3 bios chips where, when the computer wnet online...it would send data to an "Unknown source" as he called it. Is there any truth to this at all?
Well, the Pentium 3s (as well as 4s) have what's called an processor serial number (or something like that... it's been a while since I read anything about it). Basically, whenever you would connect to the Internet when this feature was enabled, it would broadcast that number to the web sites you visit for tracking purposes. Originally, they were all enabled by default, but after enough of a public outcry, Intel made it disabled by default on it's processors and any updated BIOS will allow you to either enable or disable it at your leisure.
AJ
That's why I use AMD! :D I'll cry if AMD starts doing a hard-wired s/n.
Serial Numbers...Social Security Numbers...Registration Numbers
Who cares if you processor number is on...I just got a postcard in the mail from my high school telling me they are trying to keep up with their "Where are they now" databases. I graduated in 1992. Ive moved at least 8 times since then. Not once did I submit a change of address to the postmaster. Yet somehow, they found me. And this was just my high school. There is no anonymity in this world, so don't worry about your serial number. The irony is that they sent it to me and they already know where I am. Good luck.