Warranty look up/serial number question

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Litza · #1 Post by **Litza** » Tue May 30, 2006 6:55 pm

So, I just opened up my T42, which I bought through e-bay. I wanted to see if there was any warranty left, but see no serial number sticker on the unit!?!
There are MAC address stickers on it from the previous owner, but nothing other than the Type number (2373), and the Windows COA. I am getting a little suspect, but am trying to to be rational...
Is there a way to locate the serial number in software form? Or should I start looking over my shoulder for the police?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

vinny77 · #2 Post by **vinny77** » Tue May 30, 2006 6:58 pm

in the bootble thinkvantage software I belive there is an automatic mode that will auctomaticly get the data.

or here

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... nknownuser

#3 Post by **GomJabbar** » Tue May 30, 2006 7:24 pm

The easiest way is to press the blue Access IBM button, go to Get Help & Support > System information.

Litza · #4 Post by **Litza** » Tue May 30, 2006 7:32 pm

To use the Access IBM button, do I already have to be hooked up to the internet for info to come my way? As I said, I just got the unit out of the box and haven't even taken the time to set up my ISP, and there are other things I must do before the sun sets. No I'm not lazy, just pressed for time like most of us! Thanks for the responses so far.

christopher_wolf · #5 Post by **christopher_wolf** » Tue May 30, 2006 7:36 pm

Litza wrote:To use the Access IBM button, do I already have to be hooked up to the internet for info to come my way? As I said, I just got the unit out of the box and haven't even taken the time to set up my ISP, and there are other things I must do before the sun sets. No I'm not lazy, just pressed for time like most of us! Thanks for the responses so far.

Nope, you can do it even before you have registered.

Just press the blue Access IBM button, then hit System Information; you will get a dialog with the Serial Number, Model Number, etc...There will also be a button that says "Warranty&Parts."

HTH

Website · #6 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Tue May 30, 2006 8:17 pm

You can also look up your warranty information automatically, by using this link.

EDIT: Sorry, just realized that you stated that you haven't set up your ISP yet.

tselling · #7 Post by **tselling** » Tue May 30, 2006 9:01 pm

Thinkpad Configuration utility has it as well. Select System Information -> BIOS Information

Litza · #8 Post by **Litza** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:31 pm

Wow, I am impressed, and thankful for all the replies to my query! Plenty of helpful info, and plenty of answers from those with many feathers also.
I pressed the Access IBM button, and got no response on the screen, a little more panic tickled my edges...Then I navigated from Start and found the info I needed. I was happy to find this machine is covered under warranty until May of 2008, so I breathed a sigh of relief, though I can't believe I even bid on a costly item ($620 with shipping) that the seller claimed he didn't know a thing about the warranty status. Now as long as IBM doesn't keep it as stolen/recovered property if I send it in to them!

I'll be doing a lot of learning soon, and am happy that I have this resource to tap for help. Hopefully I can print out a manual or two at work tonight, and go full speed ahead.

Thank you for your help folks!

Lisa

christopher_wolf · #9 Post by **christopher_wolf** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:37 pm

Impressive handling, first off; it seems, though, that the Access IBM button didn't work, which could indicate that you don't have the Predesktop area intact on your system.

Welcome to the Forums by the way.

#10 Post by **GomJabbar** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:08 am

christopher_wolf is probably correct, however when you push the Access IBM button in Windows, it brings up the Access IBM online User's Guide. I am not sure if the Predesktop area is necessary for this function to work. Look in Windows: Add or Remove Programs for "Access IBM" to see if the online user's guide is installed. You can also access this online user's guide from off of the Start Menu, and from Start > All Programs > Access IBM > Access IBM.

Access IBM online User's Guide for Windows 2000/XP - ThinkPad T42/p

christopher_wolf · #11 Post by **christopher_wolf** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:51 am

GomJabbar wrote:christopher_wolf is probably correct, however when you push the Access IBM button in Windows, it brings up the Access IBM online User's Guide. I am not sure if the Predesktop area is necessary for this function to work. Look in Windows: Add or Remove Programs for "Access IBM" to see if the online user's guide is installed. You can also access this online user's guide from off of the Start Menu, and from Start > All Programs > Access IBM > Access IBM.

Access IBM online User's Guide for Windows 2000/XP - ThinkPad T42/p

Lisa managed to find that successfully, what I can't understand is why the Access IBM button association would be broken were it not for somebody nuking the Predesktop area in the first place. I am not even sure if there is a why to disable it in Windows (besides a special hotkey program or a registry hack) to get it to not initialize the "Access IBM" program besides just ripping the program straight off.

Yet, if the program is safe and sound in the Start>Program Files>Access IBM menu, then the only other thing I can think of is that the Predesktop area got nuked.

#12 Post by **GomJabbar** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:35 am

christopher_wolf wrote:....Yet, if the program is safe and sound in the Start>Program Files>Access IBM menu, then the only other thing I can think of is that the Predesktop area got nuked.

You're probably right. I'm not going to nuke my Predesktop area at this time, to find out definitively.

Too bad I don't have a spare ThinkPad to test my hypotheses on.

#13 Post by **GomJabbar** » Wed May 31, 2006 7:23 pm

OK, I decided to do some experimenting today. I have a spare hard drive and a Windows XP Pro Install CD that I made using information in the Windows forum. My spare hard drive was a clone of my existing hard drive. What I did is the following:

1) Install spare hard drive in main hard drive slot.
2) Set security in Predesktop area to Disabled.
3) Boot up from Windows XP Pro Install CD and delete all partitions.
4) Create one partition.
5) Format the one partition NTFS.
6) Install Windows XP Pro.
7) Install Access IBM online User's Guide.
8) Reboot, then try blue Access IBM button while in Windows - nothing happened.
9) Install Hotkey Features driver.
10) Reboot, then try blue Access IBM button while in Windows - the online User's Guide came up, and I was able to locate model and serial number as mentioned previously. Note: there was no Predesktop area on this hard disk.

EDITED - left out a couple of steps.

Litza · #14 Post by **Litza** » Wed May 31, 2006 11:43 pm

After reading your many responses/suggestions I checked out Access IBM on my machine through All Programs. All that the HD lists is the battery maximiser wizard, a 2kb file. It does look like the HD was nuked, huh? I even stumbled upon the option to search the entire drive versus searching only those places not hidden, still no luck other than the Battery Wizard, hmmm.
So, I called IBM to request the Rescue and Recovery Disks, and they are obliging. Nice to have the warranty as a backup. Do the R and R disks include Windows XP as well as all the IBM stuff?
I am wondering where the most concise directions would be found to complete the R and R? I can be a bit anal, plus I am not a computer wizard, thus directions are a must. I think safest would be to remove the current funtional, but limited HD, buy a new one and go from there. That way, if I do muck up the new HD, I still have a working one, and I am no further behind then when I started, other than a few more gray hairs(!)
Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.

#15 Post by **GomJabbar** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:07 am

Litza wrote:Do the R and R disks include Windows XP as well as all the IBM stuff?

Yes.

Take a look at the READ ME FIRST FAQ then post > Announcement: FAQ (thinkpads.com - Frequently Asked Questions) off of the Forum Index page. It should answer many of your questions.

Litza · #16 Post by **Litza** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:24 pm

Gom Jabbar, I looked in the FAQ section, and refreshed my memory as to how helpful it can be as you suggested. I do not see any concise info re using the Rescue and Recovery disks.
I hesitate to ask too many questions, fearing someone will reply with a reference to coming to my home and doing it for me(in jest), but I do respect the collective intelligence and helpfulness of those that frequent this forum, and am glad I found it. Thank you

Website · #17 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 4:37 am

Hey Gomjabber, apparently, I am missing it too. I don't see anything close to the answer to her question in the FAQ.

Not to sound like an idiot, but would you mind pointing it out....then again it is 4:30am here and I am tired and might have overlooked it.

#18 Post by **GomJabbar** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:05 am

I must apologize. I gave a rather quick answer to Litza's post because I was lazy. You both are right. There is nothing in the FAQ about Rescue and Recovery. I pointed Litza to the FAQ to answer general questions, not specifically questions about Rescue and Recovery. Yet the thrust of Litza's post was about Rescue and Recovery. Sorry about the goose chase.

To begin with, the terminology in use here is a little misleading. Here is my take on it. Rescue and Recovery is a multi-pronged recovery process.

First of all it is a backup program to backup your hard drive. While in windows you launch Rescue and Recovery or Rapid Restore Ultra (depending upon the version of Rescue and Recovery you have installed) and backup your hard drive. The first backup is a base backup of your entire hard drive. Subsequent backups are incremental (I hope I am using the correct term here). You can backup to the same hard drive, and external hard drive or CD/DVD's. You can restore this backup by booting up into Rescue and Recovery (by pressing the blue Access IBM button at the beginning of the boot process), or by booting up from a Rescue Media CD (this is different than the Recovery Disc set).

Secondly you can boot up Rescue and Recovery (by pressing the blue Access IBM button at the beginning of the boot process) and restore factory contents on the same hard drive.

Thirdly, you can use the Recovery Disc set to restore factory contents to your existing hard drive or a new hard drive. Using these discs erases all existing data on your hard drive. You can create these discs on T42 models and newer (one time only). To use, you boot up off of the startup disc, choose to restore factory contents, then follow the prompts. You will be asked to insert subsequent disc(s). Your computer will reboot about 6 times throughout the whole process. (Once you restore factory contents, you have the option to Create Recovery Discs again.)

Where I should have pointed you to in the first place is Access IBM. Press the button while in Windows, or choose Access IBM from your programs list: Start > All Programs > Access IBM > Access IBM. There is a lot of specific ThinkPad information there.

Here are a couple of more links.

ThinkVantage Rescue and Recovery v3.01.0037
Download and read the installation instructions (z096zis3037us00.txt) for more info.

ThinkVantage® Rescue and Recovery™
One button recovery

Rescue and Recovery v3.0 - Considerations

I hope this post makes up for my last one.

Litza · #19 Post by **Litza** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 10:24 am

Gom Jabbar, thank you for taking the time to reply! Quite an extensive answer, and lots of stuff to digest and learn. I better get cracking. By the way, certainly no reason to

but I do tend to be a bit wordy. No wonder you had a hard time weeding through my dissertation to find the meat!

Thanks again.

Litza · #20 Post by **Litza** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 5:48 pm

So, I received my R&R disks today, 2 days after making the call I think(!) Amazingly, there are 16 pages of Software License recovery mumbo jumbo in 30 plus languages AND one page of directions on how to carry out the job. Even I should be able to complete the job...now if I can just find the right Hard Drive.

Warranty look up/serial number question

Warranty look up/serial number question

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