What do you do prior to sending your laptop for repair?

Beside erasing all your personal documents, taking out the RAM card that you had added (could forget! ), what about the password and fingerprint reader? I suppose you don't need to provide the repair service with your windows password, as I guess they can boot your system without it? Is your fingerprint left in there safe?

 

Make a complete backup of all partitions and the OS, they'll wipe the hard drive and then you'll need to reinstall everything.

 

Does the rescue and recovery disc created do this job?

 

Correct me if I'm wrong. I once read on Lenovo website that you may take out the hard drive when sending it in for repair.

 

Yes, unless it's the drive that's broken, pull it. Only send the notebook. They don't need the extras like AC adapter.

 

this is correct.   service no longer requests users to include their hard drive when sending in a system for repair.

kns, instead of worrying about what data to remove, please remove your hard drive instead.   it is not necessary to send in with your repair.

 

Just thought to ask: the repair is to replace the wireless card (and add antenna), would they need to access the hard drive for this? e.g. maybe the drivers?

 

if you dont have anything personal installed on it yet, I suggest send in everything and let them fix what they need to fix. This way when they test it, they will hopeully test it with your HD and that will ensure everything is working?

 

Thank you (just deleted the previous post thinking it irrelevant, then immediately saw your reply ). I'll do that.

What about fingerprint stored in there (BIOS someone told me before) ?

Also, everything in the "temp" folder can be deleted, right?

Thanks in advance.

 

the 4965AG and 4965AGN uses the same driver.   nothing on your hard drive will be updated as there's nothing to update.   you already have the driver you need.

if service updates your BIOS then this can be done without a drive installed.   unless you're running a BIOS older than 2.19, this will not be updated.

service has hard drives on site in which they can test your system if necessary.

again, keep your hard drive.

 

Other benefit of removing the hard drive - careless couriers who throw packages around their van (I've seen this too many times for it to be an isolated event) - that kind of thing can be lethal to glass plattered hard drives.

 

Thank you erik and all others. I tried to take out the HD today (following the movie), but I was unable to It was very very tight on the side opposite the one with the screw. I was afraid to break it so didn't continue. Any idea?

 

It's possible that it merely has a very snug fit on the connector inside. Did you try wiggling it back and forth (front to back of the machine) while you gently pulled?

Also make sure you removed the correct screw. I've made the mistake before where I flipped the notebook over left to right (thereby putting the drive on the opposite side) and removed the wrong screw.

 

pull that piece of plastic out at about a 30-degree angle, then pull straight up on the door.   it should slide right out with a small amount of effort.

use this trick in reverse when reassembling.

 

It's the correct side, Rich. The side next to the modem connector (opposite the screw side) is very very tight. If I use a thin metal (like a blunt bread knife) to try to separate it, the modem connector is going to come off with it! It's just extremely firmly closed, only the screw side could be separated. Can't "pull that piece of plastice out" at all

Could there be something inside blocking the opening? Any risk the knife touches something inside?

If I somehow damaged the plastic around, will it be covered by warranty?

 

did you try the method i suggested?   it's worked for me for years of using the X60 and X61 notebooks and tablets.

 

Erik, it's just impossible to try your method: can't pull the piece of plastic out at all, even 1 degree, let alone 30 degrees Only the screw side could be lifted, but with the other side firmly snugged in, continuing to lift the screw side would break the plastic

 

Are you 100% sure all the required screws are out?

 

Yes, there is only 1 screw, same as in the movie:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-64336.html

If the plastic (or even something inside) is damaged in some way by my effort, will that be covered by warranty?

 

customer-induced damages are not covered by warranty.

the door has a lip along the top.   you might have to lift the door slightly to get it to swing out.   if necessary, bend the door slightly in the middle and it should snap out.

but, if you're that worried about breaking it then just leave it.

 

I took it out! Tons of thanks, Erik! Your last hint "bend the door slightly in the middle and it should snap out" did the trick! I did that and it snapped out! Before, I had no idea how that piece of plastic was embedded there, so did not know in which way to apply the force. I thought my HD would never get to see daylight Thank you so much for your patience in guiding me in this effort!

Btw, I see the p/n of the HD is 42T1575, and it can't be found in Lenovo's parts search.