Thinkpads Forum

Hello,

in the BIOS of my TP770z there is a selcetion for "Asset ID". By googling I found out that this is transmitting chip for identification of the TP and for deactivating it by leaving a certain area (done by a gate). I also found out that Asset ID is only available in some rare systems. Now I wonder if I have such a Asset ID chip (only for knowing, not for using it ). Now my question: Is this selection only possible on systems with the Asset ID or is this greyed out or not listed, when this chip is not implemented?

Regards
Pomdas

pomdas wrote:Hello,

in the BIOS of my TP770z there is a selcetion for "Asset ID". By googling I found out that this is transmitting chip for identification of the TP and for deactivating it by leaving a certain area (done by a gate). I also found out that Asset ID is only available in some rare systems. Now I wonder if I have such a Asset ID chip (only for knowing, not for using it ). Now my question: Is this selection only possible on systems with the Asset ID or is this greyed out or not listed, when this chip is not implemented?

Regards
Pomdas

Never heard that, please post pictures of what are you describing.

It is interesting.

Ok, I'll do that when I am at home. Since your never heaert about this, I think, that this point is not present in your systems?!

For now here some information I still found out about this function:

Is is a RFID-like chip which can be read at some points of a company. This is done by some bridges or gates with the proper transceiver. If the employee is not allowed to take his Thinkpad out of the company, a special passwort will be set, which only the administrator knows. This prevents the leave of sensitive data. As far as I know TP770z and TP600e with some numbers have this option...

Pomdas

This sounds like an added function...maybe for special 770Zs that were made for a specific company. I'm sure that IBM could have easily added this function.

I'll try to pull out my 770X and see if it is there, because I am not familiar with it either.

This is a special function for some 770z and 600e. As far as IBM tells online, other models never have this function.

Pomdas

OK, I just did a quick check on this via Google, then the HMM for the 600E. Apparently, only the 2645-AAU version of the 600E has the ability to add this RFID kit. Which would make sense that the BIOS update for that version might have the Asset ID information.

Wow, you learn something new every day!

( My imagination )

The boss comes and say, you are not allowed to move the asset assigned to you from the plant and if you remove it the asset from the building it will auto destruct itself, in a million pieces.

OK, here are the pictures. The first shows the specific setting in config-menu, the second the possible selections for it. Are this points on your Thinkpads, too?




Pomdas

I have these items in the EasySetup config menus on my 770Z (9549-8BU). There is a supplement to the 770X User Guide that provides a small amount of 770Z-specific information, and it says:

Asset ID icon
The "Config" menu of Easy-Setup includes an Asset ID icon ([image]), for a new radio-frequency ID option that is supported in specified models. More details are provided in the option's user's guide.

I am unaware of the content of the "option's user's guide" referenced.

Phil.

As a side note... I just checked one of my 600X systems with ITET55WW BIOS revision and the same Asset ID option exists under the Config menu. I remember seeing it there before since I check all of the settings in the BIOS when I get a new system. I don't believe that any of my systems have the asset tag but I've always disabled the option anyway.

Guess what? I also have the option in never notice i did but it's there.

Here are pictures:






Carlos.

It is a pitty that I cannot find a list, which systems do have this option and which not. For me it would be interesting to see a implementation of it...

Pomdas

Apparently, according to the Hardware Maintenance Manualfor the 770 series, all of the 770Zs should have it.

As for the 600Es, there is only one model (2645-AAU) according to page 81 of the Hardware Maintenance Manual.