Customer Support and Services
Purchasing an IBM PC hardware product entitles you to help and support during the warranty period. If you need additional support and services, a wide variety of extended solutions that address almost any need are available for purchase.
Getting Help by Telephone:
During the warranty period, you can get help and information by telephone, at
no additional charge,
through the IBM PC Support Line.
Expert technical-support representatives are available to assist you with
questions you might have on the following:
Please have the following information ready when you call:
If possible, be at your computer when you call:
These services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Your technical-support representative can also fax or mail additional technical or product information to you, such as:
ThinkPad EasyServ:
ThinkPad EasyServ is a
courier repair service for IBM mobile
products in which your ThinkPad computer will be picked up, sent
to IBM for repair, and then returned to
the location of your choice.
This service is available at no additional charge during the warranty period.
Most repairs can be made the same day the system is received at the IBM
repair location.
You can arrange this service by calling the PC Support Line for service. Telephone problem determination is performed in the event the issue may be resolved over the telephone. If the problem is not able to be resolved over the telephone, a support representative can arrange for ThinkPad EasyServ.
You should keep your original ThinkPad shipping materials to send the computer to the repair location. If the original shipping carton is not available, the courier will deliver a shipping carton and return to pick up the system for delivery to IBM. This service is available only in the U.S. and Canada.
Getting Help around the World:
If you travel with your computer or need to move it to another country, you can register for International Warranty Service. When you register with the International Warranty Service Office, you receive an International Warranty Service Certificate that is honored worldwide, wherever IBM or IBM resellers sell and service IBM PC products.
For more information or to register for International Warranty Service in the U.S. or Canada, call 1-800-497-7426.
Online Housecall is a remote communication tool, available in the U.S. and Canada only, that allows an IBM technical-support representative to access your PC by modem. Many problems can be diagnosed remotely and corrected quickly and easily. To use this tool, a modem and a remote access application program are required. IBM may ask you some fees for this service.
For more information about configuring your PC for Online Housecall:
Getting Information by Fax:
If you have a touch-tone telephone and access to a fax machine, in the U.S. and Canada you can receive by fax free marketing and technical information on many topics, including hardware, operating systems, and local area networks (LANs). You can call the IBM PC Company Automated Fax System 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Follow the recorded instructions, and the requested information will be sent to your fax machine.
To access the IBM PC Company Automated Fax System, do the following:
Using Electronic Support Services:
If you have a modem, you can access public electronic bulletin boards and public messaging areas, electronic conferences, and searchable databases available in several of the most popular online information services.
Bulletin boards and online services contain information on many topics, such as:
The IBM PC Company Bulletin Board System (BBS) can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Modem speeds of up to 14,400 baud are supported. Long-distance telephone charges might apply.
To access the PC Company BBS:
Commercial online services that contain information about IBM products include:
Use the Jump command; type IBM and select PC Product Support.
Use the Go to keyword IBM.
During and after the warranty period, you can purchase additional services, such as support for IBM and non-IBM hardware, operating systems, and application programs; network setup and configuration; upgraded or extended hardware repair services; and custom installations. Service availability and name might vary by country.
Enhanced PC Support Line:
Enhanced PC Support is available for desktop and mobile IBM computers that are not connected to a network. Technical support is provided for IBM computers and IBM or non-IBM options, operating systems, and application programs on the Supported Products list.
This service includes technical support for:
You can purchase this service for a single incident or multiple incidents. For more information about purchasing Enhanced PC Support, see "Ordering Support Line Services".
Network and Server Support Line:
Network and Server Support includes all the features of the Enhanced PC Support Line and is available for simple or complex networks made up of IBM workstations and servers using major network operating systems. In addition, many popular non-IBM adapters and network interface cards are supported.
This service includes technical support for:
You can purchase this service for a single incident or for multiple incidents. For more information about purchasing Network and Server Support, see "Ordering Support Line Services".
Ordering Support Line Services:
Enhanced PC Support Line and the Network and Server Support Line services are available for products on the Supported Products list. To receive a Supported Products list:
For more information or to purchase these services:
Warranty and Repair Services:
You can upgrade your ThinkPad EasyServ/Customer Carry-In warranty service or extend the service beyond the warranty period.
Warranty upgrades in the U.S. include:
Your warranty provides ThinkPad EasyServ/Carry-in repair service.
You can also extend your warranty. Warranty and Repair Services offers a ThinkPad EasyServ Maintenance Agreement.
For more information about warranty upgrades and extensions:
IBM provides update diskettes, called ServicePaks or corrective service diskettes (CSDs), to customers who report a DOS or OS/2 problem for which there is or will be a corrective program.
You can obtain update diskettes from the following sources:
Ordering Publications:
Additional publications are available for purchase from IBM. For a list of publications available in your country:
During the warranty period, you may be responsible for repair costs if the product damage was due to misuse, accident, modification, unsuitable physical or operating environment, or improper maintenance.
For complete details about the product warranty, see Appendix E. "Product Warranties and Notices".