Replacing system board

[Rex]

Hi there,

For reasons of a failing/failed LCD backlight, I am replacing the system board of my T20 with a T20/T21 system board that I bought on eBay.

Reading the Maintenance Manual, there is a section on 'Retaining Serial Numbers' with mention of EEPROM and UUID.

The system board I have bought has the processor and bottom case; I will use my T20 HD, memory, battery and screen.

Is this 'Retaining Serial Numbers' an issue? When I have done the replacement, surely on booting, the computer will only see the replacement with all the correct numbers?

Grateful for your advice,

Many thanks,

Rex

[rkawakami]

Is this 'Retaining Serial Numbers' an issue? When I have done the replacement, surely on booting, the computer will only see the replacement with all the correct numbers?

No, it should not be an issue as long as the replacement motherboard WAS the original one for the base it's in. The reason is that the serial number of the laptop is contained within the EEPROM on the motherboard. Said serial number is also on the label on the bottom of the case. If they both match, then no problem.

If however, somebody has already performed some surgery and swapped motherboards around before selling the set to you, then what you may be getting is a mis-matched set of serial numbers. I only see this as a problem if you go and re-sell the system. You may have a hard time explaining why the serial numbers don't match. There is a maintenance diskette that the HMM refers to which enables the operator to change the serial number and UUID of the motherboard to match but it is not in general distribution as far as I can tell.

When you have the system put together, boot into the BIOS screen (hold the F1 key down while powering on) and check the information in that screen to what's published on the bar code label on the bottom. If they're the same, no worries.

[dsigma6]

You may have a hard time explaining why the serial numbers don't match.

What is this, a '63 Eldorado? Are people really concerned when it comes to a non-collectors item laptop?

[rkawakami]

ALL of the systems I buy off eBay get this check of the serial numbers; SOME of them also get checked by IBM as far as them being reported stolen. Yes I know that it's not a 100% guarantee that some swapping not has taken place, but as the maintenance diskette is generally not too easily available, I'll go with my gut feeling that the average crook does not know this tool exists.

[Rex]

Ray,

Thanks for the information. I don't think the new board and base has been tampered with so I guess that everything will be hunky dory.

I was thinking of swapping the systemboard as this may be less work. Would this mean that I would have to get the Maintenance disk and change the number to that of my current T20?

Out of interest, what is in the case that dictates the systemboard and base number must match? I could understand the systemboard and processor needing to match, but the case and systemboard?

Rex

[rkawakami]

Would this mean that I would have to get the Maintenance disk and change the number to that of my current T20?

No it doesn't. Only if you are anal about things matching up or forsee a point in the future where you may want to sell the system and not have any questions asked about it, do you need to bother with changing the serial number and/or UUID.

Out of interest, what is in the case that dictates the systemboard and base number must match?

Absolutlely nothing.