Sending in T60 for service, should I take off personal info?

Hi, I am sending in my T60 for warranty service - broken fingerprint reader and I thought I'd have them fix a sticky backspace button too. Should I remove the extra RAM I installed (BTW does upgrading/changing components void a warranty?) and also delete my files?
thanks!

 

I would send it in with the original RAM, and remove the HDD. At least with Dell and HP you can remove the HDD, as they'll have some spares in the tech centers.

The only reason I recommend changing out the RAM is because I've heard where a company will notice that the incorrect RAM is in there, and swap it out with what was originally ordered. One user, one time, lost 4GB of RAM because a company (which will remain nameless) saw the amount was wrong and installed the original 1GB back into the machine and kept the 4GB sticks.

 

I would be on the safe side and put the original RAM back in , I personally only have experience with dells and fujitsu's but I didn't chance it. I don't know (but |I don't think that..) upgrading Ram would void your warranty because it's just normal hardware.

Good luck

 

I have seen a lot of forum threads about the warranty/ replaced parts question. Evidently there is no clear answer, because it depends. Clearly, if you stick the wrong thing in there, or hook it up wrong, and brick the machine, the warranty does not cover it - if they can detect that you did it... In all other cases that are not so clear, it depends on who looks at it, and what they determine caused the symptoms, and whether they want to allow warranty claim on it. For instance, seeing that you have replaced the ram, the tech would know that you had removed the cover below the keyboard. If he thought that you somehow damaged the fingerprint reader or keyboard in the process, then there could be a problem. My policy is to always send it back virgin, and let them try to figure out whatever they can about what I might have done - or not.

 

Upgrading RAM doesn't void the warranty, but you should probably send it back w/the original deal.

 

If is clear that the problem is not related to the HDD or to software or drivers, you might ask Lenovo whether you should remove the hard drive. I think that this is the standard policy of some computer makers.

If you need to send in the HDD, you should assume that you will lose your data. So, you need to back it up elsewhere, and confirm that the backup can be recovered successfully.

There have also been reports of repair depot's accessing user data, and copying it for their enjoyment, or alternately reporting it to the police with the user ending up in jail. I can imagine that some might steal passwords to break into bank accounts.

You may also be obligated by professional codes of conduct, employer policy or privacy laws to protect client or employer information.

If these are concerns, then deleting files will give you a false sense of security. In fact, all the deleted files can be readily recovered by computer technicians. The only solution is to wipe the disk with special utilities (some are included in some anti-virus suites).

If you are concerned about this, you should understand that the problem occurs not only when you send your laptop to be repaired. Your laptop can be stolen at any time. The only solution to this larger problem is disk encryption.

 

Item #5:

thinkpads.com FAQ

 

You should consider that if the techies replace your drive for any reason the HDD is usually "refurbed" and sent out again. If the appropriate measures are not taken to low level format the drive using the most excruiciating techniques then some jerk could very well steal your data and it may be another LEnovo customer. The industry's dirty little secret is that RMA parts are refurbed sometimes on a cursory basis without requalification as being good and shipped out again.

 

Hi all, thanks for your responses!

Are some (all) of you saying that I might not receive my actual laptop back?!?!? I never thought of that! Is the HDD the "hard drive"? (Sorry, I'm a hopeless newbie). I think that just comes out with a button release off the side of the notebook, right?

Thanks everyone, you all rock!

 

I once knew someone who sent their TP to Easyserv, and on the way back, the FedEx plane caught fire on the runway. He didn't have a backup of his data.

That's only one of the reasons thinkpads.com FAQ Item #5 exists. In case you didn't follow my earlier link, it says:

5) Does EasyServ need my HDD to fix my ThinkPad?

Never send anything to EasyServ that isn't part of the problem. Period.

Yes, HDD is hard drive, and it's internal to your system. The button release is for whatever is in your Ultrabay (DVD/CD, battery, extra HDD, etc). Get out the HMM and the screwdriver to remove your HDD.

 

the HDD is the hard drive.