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Service Hints & Tips

Document ID: MNOK-42BTNV

This document is provided to IBM and our Business Partners to help sell and/or service IBM products. It is not to be distributed beyond that audience or used for any other purpose.

Aptiva - Service Memo - Nov. 17, 1998 (US only)

Applicable to: United States

Items below are reminders while troubleshooting technical problems with Aptiva systems:

1.> System problems should only be diagnosed with the "original" Keyboard, Mouse, Speakers or Monitor attached that came with the particular model from IBM manufacturing. Not utilizing the components that came with a particular model 'will' induce problems (hardware and/or software) or give false errors (hardware and/or software), thus causing parts to be replaced needlessly and not fixing the customers original problem. It is very possible that passive speakers will be bundled with Aptiva systems. If Active speakers are used to diagnose a sound or speaker problem the result will be an incorrect diagnosis of the customers problem.

2.> Diagnostics used in the testing of Aptiva's must be the diagnostic that is provided with the Hardware Maintenance Manual for the particular Machine Type - Model you are servicing. Diagnostics are specific to the system and there are items within the software to allow for proper testing. Using a different diagnostic program could result in no errors found or false errors being reported, causing parts to be replaced needlessly and not fixing the customers original problem. Customers are provided the windows version of the same diagnostic that service providers have been provided. Service providers should be using the DOS version of the provided diagnostics so as to eliminate software driver problems. If your customer tells you he/she ran diagnostics and found an error and you then run the DOS version of the diagnostics and do not find an error it is likely a driver problem and the web should be accessed by either the customer or the servicer to download the most current drivers for a particular component.

3.> Cables internal to the system should not be tie wrapped together unless they were that way when the system was carried into your location. Tie wrapping cables together will cause cross talk between internal devices and could induce problems or give false errors, thus causing parts to be replaced needlessly and not fixing the customers original problem.

4.> Web sites that will be of assistance to you and your customers; http://www.pc.ibm.com/support/ this is available to you or your customers. A site that may have more information specifically put in place for service providers is the partner info site at http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/partners/ - here you will find not only service & support information but also marketing information as well as the latest drivers and system BIOS which should be loaded when replacing a main system board.

5.> If there are "any" questions as to the diagnosis of a customers problem please contact the IBM HelpCenter for Service providers at 1-800-IBM-PROD (1-800-426-7763). These folks were put in place to support you - the service providers in the US.

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	Hint Category	General Information
	Date Created	17-11-98
	Last Updated	25-02-99
	Revision Date	25-02-2000
	Brand	IBM Aptiva
	Product Family	Aptiva
	Machine Type	2134, 2136, 2137, 2138, 2139, 2140, 2142, 2144, 2153, 2156, 2158, 2159, 2161, 2162, 2163, 2164, 2168, 2176
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