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User profile for user: mehrankhan
mehrankhan Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Serial Number not Matching

Hi everyone,


I recently purchased a used MacBook Air 2015 Early Model, when i checked the serial number in the "About This Mac" & on the back cover of the machine, both of them were matching in the last Four characters only i.e the initial characters were different, i verified both of them on the apple serial number website, and both shows the same model with a valid purchase date.


So is it okay to have unmatched characters in the beginning of the serial number ?? is it related to some software update or its some hardware issue. The Mac is working perfectly fine.

Posted on Aug 9, 2019 6:06 PM

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User profile for user: HWTech
HWTech
User level: Level 9
60,656 points

Posted on Aug 9, 2019 7:50 PM

Sometime in the past some one has repaired this laptop. It is possible someone took parts from two or more systems to make a single working system to resell. You may have problems if you ever take the laptop to Apple for service. I honestly don't know what Apple would do in this situation if it needed to be repaired. It may even depend on your region or the tech involved.


If you are within the return window you may want to consider erasing the system and returning.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201065


There may not be anything wrong with the actual laptop if the work was done by someone knowledgeable. Unfortunately there is no way to know. You always have to be careful buying used items.

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User profile for user: HWTech
HWTech
User level: Level 9
60,656 points

Aug 9, 2019 7:50 PM in response to mehrankhan

Sometime in the past some one has repaired this laptop. It is possible someone took parts from two or more systems to make a single working system to resell. You may have problems if you ever take the laptop to Apple for service. I honestly don't know what Apple would do in this situation if it needed to be repaired. It may even depend on your region or the tech involved.


If you are within the return window you may want to consider erasing the system and returning.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201065


There may not be anything wrong with the actual laptop if the work was done by someone knowledgeable. Unfortunately there is no way to know. You always have to be careful buying used items.

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Serial Number not Matching

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