Fading Serial Number

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bhowey · #1 Post by **bhowey** » Mon Aug 30, 2004 7:03 am

My X31 Serial Number has faded to white. I purchased a new X31 4 months ago (with everything on it). two nights a drink was accidently spilled on it. I started to call IBM only to discover that the serial number is now pure white! I can't get to CMOS to pull up the serial number and it does not appear on the sales invoice we have to prove purchase. Any suggestions who to contact in IBM to help getting this Tpad repaired? IBM refuses to repair when I offered to repair it at any price. Am I just out 2300.00 or is there a way I can get this repaired and have the three year warranty restored, or more correctly stated, the serial number restored so that the warranty can be used in the future if needed?

Thanks

WR

#2 Post by **jdhurst** » Mon Aug 30, 2004 7:56 am

Go to Access IBM on your ThinkPad and pull up ThinkPad Configuration. Click on System Information on the left side and then click on BIOS Information. Read and then make a paper record of the serial number.

What I do (even though the serial number on the case is still fine) is open one of the bay doors on the bottom (I have a T model). Then I print the model and serial number in 8 or 10 point type on a piece of paper and use UHU glue to glue it on the inside of the door. Then I put a piece of tape over it. That will not fade away.

... JDHurst

bhowey · #3 Post by **bhowey** » Mon Aug 30, 2004 11:01 am

Good Idea, BUT, When the drink spilled on the computer it killed it. Normally it can be found in CMOS, can't get to CMOS. But your idea re the tape will be done on the next one I get. Contacted my insurance company and filed a claim. All I can do apparently is buy a new one and move my hard drive over to it. Also finding out that an 80 gig hard drive convfigured for an X31 is not compatable with an X30... so now I sweat until the new one arrives worrying about the data on the drive....

If it wasn't for a major move to Texas from California, I would consider this a major problem..... Still, if anyone has any ideas (original Post) as to how to get Ibm TO REPAIR THIS THING......would appreciate the comments

Bill

#4 Post by **jdhurst** » Mon Aug 30, 2004 11:40 am

I did not read your post carefully - sorry.

I think you are out of luck, because I also see the serial number is not on the invoice (bad vendor). Maybe your insurance company will accept the invoice as proof. But then your rates go up.

If I were in this boat, I would get someone (yourself?) to disassemble most of the unit. Put the hard drive aside, there is no CD, put the removable ram aside, put any removable mini PCI cards aside, remove and put aside the PCMCIA assembly, remove and put aside the FAN.

Without touching the screen, gently wash the system board and so on with distilled water and let it dry naturally. Consider washing the PCMCI socket with distilled water if it got contaminated - let it dry. Gently wash the ram and mini Cards and let them dry.

Don't wash the fan. Look at it; blow off dust, wipe off external gunge and cross your fingers.

Assemble just the fan back into the unit. Leave everything else out (the machine should have a base memory module soldered in). If you think your hard drive works, put it in. Now try to start it at least to the point of CMOS.

If that does not work, try to find someone who can replace the system board with a used board from eBay.

tselling · #5 Post by **tselling** » Mon Aug 30, 2004 1:15 pm

If you still have the box, the serial number will be on that.

Fading Serial Number

Fading Serial Number

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