Mint 21 system installed now creation date

[deepakdeshp]

Hello,
My HP laptop came with Windows 10 which is removed now. Immediately Mint was installed. Is there any way to find out when the system was installed so that I can know the laptop's age? So from details of the created Disk partitions etc.

[antikythera]

the created date and time stamp of /etc/hosts. right click that file and look at it's properties

[deepakdeshp]

the created date and time stamp of /etc/hosts. right click that file and look at it's properties

Thanks but I had restored Clonezilla backup from another system to this system on 15th . So thats the date shown here.

Code: Select all

  ls -l /etc/hosts
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 242 Aug 15 16:04 /etc/hosts
  

[cfb]

Often, there is a sticker on the computer, that tells when it was made.
Otherwise, find the serial number of the computer (on sticker or in BIOS/UEFI) and enter the number on the HP support site. That will probably identify the computer including when it was made. At least that works for Lenovo Thinkpads.

[deepakdeshp]

Often, there is a sticker on the computer, that tells when it was made.
Otherwise, find the serial number of the computer (on sticker or in BIOS/UEFI) and enter the number on the HP support site. That will probably identify the computer including when it was made. At least that works for Lenovo Thinkpads.

Right , but here I am looking for when I bought the machine. And I installed Mint on it immediately after I bought it.

[cfb]

So, actually you are not interested in the age of the laptop as you wrote in the OP.
Why don't you just put the date somewhere on the computer (sticker, marker pen, etc). Could be under the battery if it is removable.

[antikythera]

Right , but here I am looking for when I bought the machine. And I installed Mint on it immediately after I bought it.

Did you register it with HP? If so that information will be on their support site. Linux Mint cannot tell you the exact date your bought your PC, only the day you installed Linux Mint.

[deepakdeshp]

Did you register it with HP? If so that information will be on their support site. Linux Mint cannot tell you the exact date your bought your PC, only the day you installed Linux Mint.

I didn't register with HP. Yes I need the date I installed Mint. I created partitions using gparted ,that date isn't in the gparted application I tried to look for it.If I vet that date it's good enough

[antikythera]

Well partition tables are not time and date stamped upon creation. since you restored with clonezilla from another system you have effectively destroyed any record saved in the file system too.

Another place to look, your bank statements, debit or credit card bills, paypal account depending what method you used to pay for the laptop. If three goats, you are out of luck there too.

[deepakdeshp]

But the date is embedded in partition creation ,I know.I am just not able to find it. Bank statement is a good lead but I have to scan bank statements which are some years old.

[all41]

Try this:

first run:

Code: Select all

sudo su

then run the following:
tune2fs -l /dev/sdxx | grep 'Filesystem created:'
where sdxx is the boot partition (example: sda1)

[deepakdeshp]

Try this:

first run:

Code: Select all

sudo su

then run the following:
tune2fs -l /dev/sdxx | grep 'Filesystem created:'
where sdxx is the boot partition (example: sda1)

Tries it with no joy. sda1 is my /boot/efi. With sda1 it gave couldn't open. It's not ext2 3 or 4 as those are the only types supported by tune2fs according to man. I tried it with sda7 my / but it gave a wrong date, may be because of the Clonezilla restore. But CZ restore doesn't create a new fs. So strange.

[deepakdeshp]

Code: Select all

 sudo dumpe2fs /dev/sda7|grep create
dumpe2fs 1.46.5 (30-Dec-2021)
Filesystem created:       Sat Aug 13 10:57:44 2022  

The filesystem on sda was actually created in 2015 but above it indicate 2022