Dimension Service Tag Question

achilles2828,

See the following thread for an answer to this question.

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=dim_other&message.id=184013

I know this is for how to put it in and not take it out but if you can put it in you could substitute all 000000s for the service tag.

Hi,

I have to ask why?

I cannot see any purpose in removing the assett tag from BIOS. All it does is identify the machine to Dell.

It would not give any future owner, any information beyond the original setup / configuration of the machine when shipped from Dell or provide any details of the previous users.

If you wipe the assett tag, any future owner would be unlikely to be able to get any technical support from Dell for their machine. The first detail always asked by Dell tach is the assett number of hte machine, whether new or secondhand. Even if they wanted to buy parts to upgrade the machine, Dell would ask the assett tag.

Think of it in car terms. You buy a second hand say Ford car, that you could not get any Ford garage to service as they all say that from the only details you don't have i.e. the assett tag, ( or engine / chassis numbers ) the car doesn't exist. No Ford garage would touch your car.

I'm sorry, I may be missing something here, but I see no point in even wanting to wipe the assett tag.

Most machines have the asset tag on a bar coded label or embossed label on the chassis / casing somewhere. If I was buying a second hand Dell computer I would expect it to have this still on it. If it did not it would to me almost certainly mark it out as a very suspicious thing to buy.

To go back to cars again. Would you buy a car that had the engine and chassis numbers permanently removed. 

Ceri

That is all & great, but if the new owners call tech support for one these systems (Tech support is LIFETIME) they will get nowhere, because unless they can determine the REGISTERED Owner of the system, they will not support it.

As long as the buyers are aware that there will be no tech support available, there is no ache.

Hi Ceri,

Thanks for your response.

Why do we want to edit the service tags?  My answer to that is:  why does Dell and HP supply sanctioned utilities that do just that?

I think your answer to that question will address alot of the 'legitmacy' concerns you have about performing such an operation.

Who would buy systems without service tags?

All the warranties on the systems scheduled for resale have expired.  Therefore, retaining service tag information is unnecessary because all warranty service obligations - requiring service tag information - have ceased.  To verify the equipment is authentic, we've furnished our prospective buyers access to purchase receipts to certify legitimacy of the sale.   Consequently, they've expressed no reluctance buying equipment with edited service tags.

Message Edited by achilles2828 on 02-19-2004 05:27 PM

Nevertheless, I still dont know how to do this? 

Will the asset tag/service tag utility editor for optiplex systems described here:

edit dimension system service tags?

Anyone have a clue?

Hi,

I still have a very small DOS file named ASSETT.COM, only 4k,  from the Dell web site.

http://search.dell.com/results.aspx?k=assett.com&s=DHS&cat=sup

This allowed me to change the Tag number back to the correct number, following a motherboard change on a machine some years ago.  

Ceri

Thanks Ceri!!

Unfortunately, I've already tried using the asset.com utility and it hasnt worked :(
Someone suggested using a program called svctag.exe?   I know nothing about it.  Would it work for Dimension systems?    Another person suggested using Dell Openmanage client software, but I beleive applicable included utilities are limited to the asset.com program.

Either way, I think I've figured out how to do it.