Last Updated on April 21, 2026
The Volume Serial Number (VSN) for your hard drive is a unique identifier assigned to a disk volume when it is formatted. It is used primarily for system identification and management purposes. This number helps the operating system and software track and manage different storage devices, particularly when performing tasks like software licensing, disk management, and file system integrity checks. Some software may use the VSN as part of a copy protection scheme to ensure that the software is only used on a specific machine.
Volume Serial Number vs. Physical Serial Number
It is important to distinguish between the Volume Serial Number (VSN) and the Physical Serial Number of your hard drive.
- Physical Serial Number: This is hard-coded into the drive’s firmware by the manufacturer (like Samsung or Western Digital). It cannot be changed by software.
- Volume Serial Number: This is a software-level ID generated by Windows during the formatting process. It is stored in the boot sector of the partition.
When you clone a hard drive, the cloning software often copies the VSN exactly. This can cause “ID conflicts” if both the old and new drives are plugged into the same computer, or it can cause software licensing errors. The steps below focus on changing this software-level VSN.
If you need to change the volume serial number for your hard drive for some reason such as software licensing or maybe you cloned your drive and it changed the serial number, it’s fairly easy to do so using a free tool you can download online. To view the volume serial number associated with your hard drive, you can simply open a command prompt by typing CMD in the Windows taskbar search box and then choose the Command Prompt option. Then you will need to choose the drive you want to view the serial number for. For example, if you want to check your E drive, you can type E: at the prompt and press enter.
You will then see the drive letter and volume serial number listed in the output.
To view the current volume serial number, simply type vol at the prompt and press enter. You will then be shown the volume name\label and the current serial number.
How to View the Serial Number using PowerShell
If you prefer using modern Windows tools, you can also find this information using PowerShell. This method provides more detail about the drive status and file system type simultaneously.
- Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
- Type the following command and hit Enter: Get-Volume
- Look for the column labeled ObjectId or DriveLetter. To see the specific VSN, you can type: gwmi win32_logicaldisk | select name, volumeserialnumber
This will list every drive connected to your system and its current hex-based serial number, allowing you to double-check your work after using the changer tool.
To change this number, we will be using a free tool called Volume Serial Number Changer which can be downloaded here. Once you install and run the software, you can see the same volume number listed after you choose the correct hard drive.
To change this number, you can enter the new number in the New Volume Serial Number section. You can only use numbers 0-9 and letters A-F for your new serial number. You can also add a comment just in case you change this number often.
Common Reasons to Change a VSN
Why would someone need to modify this identifier? There are three common scenarios:
- Software Licensing: Many professional engineering or accounting programs “lock” their license to the specific VSN of the drive it was installed on. If you move your OS to a new SSD, the software may think it’s on a “stolen” machine.
- Disk Cloning Conflicts: If you clone a partition and keep both drives connected, Windows may experience “Disk Signature Collision,” leading to one drive being marked as offline.
- Developing and Testing: Developers often change VSNs to test how their software reacts to hardware changes without having to actually buy new hardware.
Once you enter the new number, simply click on the Change button and you will be prompted to reboot your computer.
After you reboot, you can open the command prompt once again and use the vol command to make sure that the serial number has been changed correctly.
As you can see, it’s not difficult to change the volume serial number for your hard drive in Windows if you have the right tool for the job.
Hard Drive VSN FAQ
Will changing the VSN delete my files?
No. Changing the volume serial number only modifies a small piece of data in the file system header. It does not touch your actual data, photos, or programs.
Does formatting a drive change the serial number?
Yes. Every time you perform a full or quick format on a partition, Windows generates a brand-new, random Volume Serial Number.
Can I use this to bypass a Hardware ID (HWID) ban?
While some software uses the VSN as part of a hardware ID, most modern anti-cheat and security systems use a combination of the physical serial number, MAC address, and motherboard ID. Changing just the VSN may not be enough to bypass a hardware-level lock.
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