What is a Motherboard Tattoo?
A motherboard tattoo is a unique identifying code which is embedded in the BIOS of an operating system. The motherboard tattoo contains information about the system, including the motherboard used, and it is individual to the computer it is installed in. By creating a motherboard tattoo, a manufacturer can ensure that only authorized diagnostic and recovery discs are used with its products, as the computer can be programmed to reject unauthorized materials. Many computer users are totally unaware of the motherboard tattoo, and it rarely becomes an issue. If a computer becomes damaged in some way and a user attempts to use recovery or diagnostic discs designed for another computer, however, an error will be generated. Likewise, discs generated for a computer with a specific motherboard tattoo will not work in other computers, and this can be both frustrating and irritating. The motherboard tattoo can also become a problem in the event that a motherboard or other components in a computer
