Each hard disk drive (even a USB stick) has a volume ID (like a Serial Number). To view the current Volume ID of a drive, you can just perform a dir <drive>: and the volume Serial Number is shown on the second line down, e.g.

 

Volume in drive E is system
Volume Serial Number is BC09-8AE4

 

The Serial Number can be changed using tools, and if a drive is imaged, the volume ID will be imaged as well.

 

Pros/Cons

+ Always available and always working

+ Works in single user and network environment

- After reinstallation of Windows, the volume ID changes

- Volume ID’s are always the same whenever a image tool is used to set up a drive

- Allows several installations on the same machine

 

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