T42 Depot Service Experience

[revolutionary_one]

Sent my machine in for the first time to Depot repair because faulty fan assembly. I cant say i'm dissapointed, but at the same time, things didnt go perfectly.

The turn around time was as expected, I mean its only a fan. But when i got the machine back:

-Recieved the Machine with multiple scuffs, scratches, and chipped paint.
-Missing Screw on the HDD Carriage Cover
-Despite the missing screw, they didnt re-image the HD like i expected.
-Replaced motherboard when I specifically told the tech support Rep the motherboard was fully functional and was able to post and boot once i pressed ESC.

On the plus side, they did clean the lcd REALLY WELL. and got out the dot in the middle of the LCD from the trackpoint pressure.

I'm seriously considering sending the machine back in to get the top magnesium cover replaced and at the very least have them send me a replacement re-imaged HD. Hopefully they can rectify some of this. Otherwise, this wasnt a bad experience, comparatively, i suppose.

[semaj]

i send machines into them weekly and i normally dont have that problem. We never send the hard drives in but there is an option on the paper you filled out when you sent the hard drive back to them that authorized them to format or not to format. THey may have deemed the hdd not to be the problem and ignored it. We did once recieve a laptop that a screw wouldn't screw in the whole way and was slightly pushed out. that was the only problem we have had with them. I dont know why it happened to you.

[Manos]

I've sent my T43 to the Memphis depot twice. Other than easily removed fingerprints or smudges, the only marks I could see were some small scuffs on the bottom of the unit. The top surface has an amazing ability to be restored just by rubbing it. On the first return trip, they forgot to replace the top piece of foam in the box, and the laptop slipped out of the inner styrofoam piece, but received no damage. They also forgot to return my power adapter on that trip. The second time things went better.

[snip]

I've just had my T40 in at the depot here in the UK I ended up getting the system board replaced but not the lcd panel which was what I sent it in for!

Also when I got it back there seems to now be a sqeeky noise and a a sort of strange sagging feeling when I put the heel of my right hand on the handrest next to the touchpad, this is terribly annoying, but I don't really dare send it in again as it took 12 days to get it back last time and they did'nt fix the fault only caused more

//J

[revolutionary_one]

EXACTLY! I have that same flex/squeakiness/creakiness on the right side of the palmrest panel where left arrow and the control keys meet.

I think they forgot to put a screw in to tighten the thing.

The machine is totally functional and I don't think any of these minor defects are anything to worry about. Although I'm going to call them and tell them to send me a box, I'm going to have to delay sending it in, yeesh, I expected a lot worse, but peeved that, IN REALITY, its somewhere in between a nightmare and a reasonable job fixing a laptop.

[snip]

Ok, I have now had my TP back at the depot once more. This time it was nice as pie, courier picked it up at my doorstep Tuesday at 1300 (UPS had said he'd be there between 1300 and 1400 so thats pretty good) It was dropped off by another courier Friday at 1020 complete with a new display panel and has been cleaned.

HOWEVER.. The squeeking is still there and is slowly driving me potty. I need to fix it and I don't want to send it back to the depot to have it done.

Before I start ripping the whole thing apart and randomly poking and prodding at things, has anyone got any input as to what I am looking for here? A guide to disassembling the machine will also be welcomed.


Best regards


//J

[EOMtp]

Hardware Maintenance Manual:
ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/mo ... 192_01.pdf

[DIGITALgimpus]

Is UPS the new carrier? Last year when I had to do depot, the only option was Airborne/DHL...which is about the same as being dragged by a mule.

[K. Eng]

HOWEVER.. The squeeking is still there and is slowly driving me potty. I need to fix it and I don't want to send it back to the depot to have it done.

Before I start ripping the whole thing apart and randomly poking and prodding at things, has anyone got any input as to what I am looking for here? A guide to disassembling the machine will also be welcomed.

I had the exact same problem as you when I got my T40 back from the service depot a couple years ago.

Right under the righthand side of the palm rest is a plastic ridge that fits into a groove on the left side of the HDD bay. I am 99% sure this causes the noise. I took some sticky sided foam (very thin) and placed it over the ridge on the back of the palm rest. This made the noise go away.