Can I use iMessage/FaceTime without a serial number on my Mac?

I have a iMac that hade work done on it years ago. It no longer has a serial # in theabout this mac window. I just upgraded to Mountain Lion in part to use iMessage and especially FaceTime. I cannot get either program to work. I read online that these applications need to see your serial number to work. Someone said that the Apple store could do it, but I do not live anywhere neer an Apple store, or a store that works on Macs.
The computer was purchased directly from apple in 2007, it is not a stollen machine.
How can I figure out what my serial number is and get the applications to recognize it. If not can I activate iMessage and FaceTime?
Thank you for the help.
Greg

HI,
There was a thread that contained so called "Hackintosh" users who also had difficulty.
There was a Post in this thread that suggested someone had posted a workaround on a "Hackintosh" site.
Although not clear what the "fix" was for these users several people in the Apple thread said that it worked.
This implies that there should be a fix.
It is also claimed that there are two apps "out there" that can help you to "write" to the place the Serial Number is installed on a one time only basis.
It suggests that there are broader "fixes" but that the Serial Number has to be there.
8:16 PM Monday; February 25, 2013
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
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