On 4/17/2023 7:52 PM, Skybuck Flying wrote:
> So I shot a video of my new AMD processor the 7950x 3D V-Cache...
>
> On the box there are serial numbers and on the processor itself there are serial numbers.
>
> And apperently there is an AMD website where there are forms and maybe if this thing dies the form will have to be used, either be me or more likely my webstore and then it must put in a serial number ?!
>
> Now suppose somebody "steals" / copies my serial number ?! How bad would this really be ?
>
> I can imagine maybe something trying to fake serial numbers, but is that really a common thing ? How hard would that be to do ? And also once the "dead" chip arrives at AMD won't that be able to detect it that it's not the correct serial number ?!
>
> So how much protection/genuineness do I have with this thing even if I show the serial number ?! If I show the serial number would that put the warranty in any serious danger ????
>
> Bye for now,
> Skybuck.
>

"Is the CPUID the Same as the ATPO (Serial Number) of the Processor?"

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000054875/processors.html

"Where Can I Find Intel Boxed Processor Numbers for Warranty?"

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005609/processors.html

One thing you'll notice, is the serial number is not electronically accessible
via CPU instructions. There is a reason for this.

Rest assured, serialization information is recorded inside the CPU, but it's
on other bus structures which are not normally used in motherboard design.

Intel learned long ago, after the Pentium III incident, not to be putting
readable serial numbers inside the processor.

https://www.anandtech.com/show/254/4

"Many users expressed dissatisfaction with the processor serial number as they
felt that it would turn into nothing more than a means of violating the privacy
of Pentium III owners"

Something like a test bus or a JTAG scan chain, will have a copy of the serial number.
I would expect a processor die to be "tracked", from the instant it is scribed and
cut with a diamond saw, ready for packaging. As the bare chip heads through the
process, automated equipment will be scanning that (private) interface, to ensure any exterior
packaging, matches the information inside the processor.

You can serialize hardware, using EEPROM technology (program a serial number during
wafer sort). Or, you can use a laser, and burn a series of fuses on a die, as a means
of doing the programming without the application of electricity to VCore or other
race track rings.

The motherboard has one or more identifiers. It is the NIC MAC which is used
for a lot of identification purposes. There is serialization going on, but it
follows the motherboard around. At least one Asus flasher, allowed changing
the NIC and Firewire MAC values. But generally, that's not an option.

There are as many processor frauds as there are days of the week.
And I'm not clever enough to think of all of them. That's why I
just scratch out identifying numbers, where there is any chance of abuses.

Paul