Problem changing imaged service tag

Question

After setting up a Latitude D810 from an image, the real service tag number is replaced by the number of the image source Latitude.  Tried changing it using the Express Service Code utility in Programs\Dell Accessories -- changed to the correct tag number, Add to File, Save to File -- but the imaged number returns to the first box when the utility is rerun.  How to fix this?  Where is that service tag info stored?

Ed C · Answer

That CAN NOT happen. No OS image can change the service tag of a Dell notebook or desktop.

Sorry but you must be mistaken.

Oh I see. The real service tag and the Express service code is on a sticker on the bottom of the unit and the service tag is also in the BIOS. What you are looking at is some utility. Forget that utility.

Richard Coghlan · Answer

Where are you checking the service tag?

The only place to confirm the service tag is in the bios. Any program that has the system service tag in windows must take it from there if it has a different one to the one in the bios then it is taking it from a file on the HDD and tnot the true service tag.

JersWork · Answer

I don't happen to have my Dell notebook in front of me right now, but I seem to recall that the software you are speaking of reads the value from a text file on your system.

If you really want to know what the service tag is for the system, you can get a VB-Script which can query the BIOS/SMB for the tag. I remember playing around with that a year or so ago.

dlthompson · Answer

Apologies if I'm not posting correctly... Just wanted to add that the file c:\dell\express.txt is another one that needs to be edited if you tried, as I did, to correct the image problem by adding tags using the pre-installed Express Service Code utility and want to clear them . If you did not mess with that utility, you only need to correct the tag number stored in sysinfo.dat to rectify the image problem... or you could remove the shortcut Start-Programs-Dell Accessories, and/or the program c:\dell\express.exe. Kind of a minor thing, but if you have users who'd be easily confused, it might matter.

dlthompson · Answer

Thank you, you're correct.  Service tag is correct in BIOS.  The imaged tag info is on the HDD, in c:\dell\sysinfo.dat.  The pre-installed utility reads sysinfo.dat and allows you to add other tags; if you do, the added tags are stored in the [Data] section of express.ini, also in c:\dell.  So after  modifying both sysinfo.dat & express.ini, I got the imaged notebooks to show their true tag numbers.  Thanks again for responding.

dlthompson · Answer

Your memory is good; the utility stores data in c:\dell files.  See my post to Richard Coghlan for deetails, and thanks for responding.

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Problem changing imaged service tag

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