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- Windows Server 2008/2003/2000/XP/NT Administrator Knowledge Base
  - Windows NT
    - Registry Tips
      - Network
        Registry Tip : Determine NIC Address

Section(s): Network, Network
Published on Apr 20, 2004.
Last Modified on Apr 20, 2004.
Last Modified by Wayne Maples.
Rated 1.6 out of 5 based on 5 votes.

Reliable method of obtaining the NIC address programmatically.

A reliable method of obtaining the NIC address programmatically. If NetworkAddressLocal=0, there is a NIC card installed. The contents of NetworkAddress is a six-byte array that corresponds to the NIC address.

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Key: SOFTWARE\Description\Microsoft\Rpc\UuidTemporaryData
Name: NetworkAddressLocal
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0=NIC installed
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0=NIC installed
Name: NetworkAddress=NIC address
This address has been known to be incorrect when Ghosting or other image duplication techniques have been used to install a set of PCs. A series of PCs ghosted were found to have the same NIC address. If NetBios protocols are installed, standard NetBios calls may be more reliable.