Is there a device property for each device that is unique to that specific device instance only (such as a GUID or ID string)?
I would prefer a GUID but an ID string would be fine.
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possible duplicate of [Generating a unique machine id](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/99880/generating-a-unique-machine-id) – Jonathon Reinhart Jul 28 '15 at 23:25
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`DEVPKEY_Device_LocationPaths`, presumably. – Harry Johnston Jul 28 '15 at 23:50
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By "device" do you mean "computer"? – Harry Johnston Jul 28 '15 at 23:59
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No like a USB device. DEVPKEY_Device_LocationsPaths obviously would be unique but is there something shorter in length that would be easier to compare? Like DEVPKEY_Device_Driver? (The Device instance driver key). I don't know if that is unique though. – Caleb Merchant Jul 29 '15 at 02:42
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1@JonathonReinhart: not a duplicate, the OP wants to ID individual devices, not the machine as a whole. – Harry Johnston Jul 29 '15 at 23:47
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I shouldn't think DEVPKEY_Device_Driver would be unique; there are often multiple devices running under the same device driver. I think the path is the only property guaranteed to be unique. – Harry Johnston Jul 29 '15 at 23:49
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Yeah thats true. I just need something shorter than the path that is easy to compare. – Caleb Merchant Jul 30 '15 at 00:42
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The Device Instance ID is a unique identifier for any device in a single system (read: as long as they are attached to it).
However, since you were talking about USB devices, you can have a Device Instance ID which is unique for that device, even if that's plugged on another system / machine, if the USB device provides a serial number AND the manufacturer guarantees that the serial number is unique for that USB (VID, PID) pair.
See my detailed answer for a similar question here.
gog
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