# Gmail advanced search

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-advanced-search/920299>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 10, 2020, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-advanced-search/920299 "2020-09-10T23:45:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-advanced-search/920299/1 "2020-09-10T23:45:20Z")

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I am trying to find out when I bought this computer. I didn’t register with Dell so I am searching gmail. I tried date ranges with yyyy/mo/day and day/month/year with subject Dell, searching all mail including spam. Nothing comes up, but I just do a basic search for Dell I can see a dozen results on the 1st page.

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**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-advanced-search/920299/2 "2020-09-11T15:41:52Z")

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Basic search looks at more than the subject.

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**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-advanced-search/920299/3 "2020-09-12T03:13:46Z")

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Would it be easier to check your credit card statements?

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-advanced-search/920299/4 "2020-09-12T03:29:04Z")

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Another option, since you’re talking about a Dell computer. Go to [Dell.com/support](http://Dell.com/support), enter the service tag (what Dell calls a serial number) on the screen and select Warranty Details. The site will show the ship date for the computer.

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**Author:** ![yearofglad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b782af/32.png) [@yearofglad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yearofglad)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmail-advanced-search/920299/5 "2020-09-12T06:35:51Z")

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You can also go to Settings --\> System --\> About (bottom of left column, if you’re on Windows 10) and scroll down to Windows Specifications - it lists an “Installed on” date which, for me (since I haven’t ever reinstalled Windows 10) gives me a reasonably close date of when I purchased the computer.