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From: Clark on 31 Mar 2008 23:21
I just replaced the motherboard in my 600m. The motherboard came from a
D600 and has no system password installed.

Question, can I change the Service Tag without some special software if
no system password is set?

I plan on calling Dell when I know for sure the motherboard is working
correctly, so maybe they will answer all these questions, but I cannot
update the bios to a 600m right now and I would like to.

Thanks,
Clark
From: Ben Myers on 1 Apr 2008 00:33
Deep in Dell's web site are the programs ASSET.COM and ASSET.EXE, one for
laptops, the other for desktops. You need to prepare a bootable DOS floppy and
run one or the other to change the service tag.

The command syntax for either one, IIRC, is:

ASSET /S <service_tag>

where you substitute the service tag appropriately.

Even after changing the service tag, you will not be able to change the BIOS to
a 600m BIOS. Dell's BIOS update software, like most others, checks the BIOS
signature on the motherboard and makes sure it agrees with the signature of the
BIOS being installed. There may be ways to override this, but why do it? You
probably have an out of warranty system there, and if you screw up the BIOS
update you will have a dead system on your hands.

Long ago, when even used motherboards were worth a couple of hundred bucks, I
was able to defeat the checking mechanisms used by BIOS updaters, but for really
good reason and with the prospect of making myself some good money selling a
used motherboard. Nowadays, the BIOS update programs make it even more
difficult to change BIOS signatures... Ben Myers

On Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:21:08 -0600, Clark <who(a)whoknows.com> wrote:

>I just replaced the motherboard in my 600m. The motherboard came from a
>D600 and has no system password installed.
>
>Question, can I change the Service Tag without some special software if
>no system password is set?
>
>I plan on calling Dell when I know for sure the motherboard is working
>correctly, so maybe they will answer all these questions, but I cannot
>update the bios to a 600m right now and I would like to.
>
>Thanks,
>Clark
From: Clark on 1 Apr 2008 12:39
Ben Myers wrote:
> Deep in Dell's web site are the programs ASSET.COM and ASSET.EXE, one for
> laptops, the other for desktops. You need to prepare a bootable DOS floppy and
> run one or the other to change the service tag.
>
> The command syntax for either one, IIRC, is:
>
> ASSET /S <service_tag>
>
> where you substitute the service tag appropriately.
>
> Even after changing the service tag, you will not be able to change the BIOS to
> a 600m BIOS. Dell's BIOS update software, like most others, checks the BIOS
> signature on the motherboard and makes sure it agrees with the signature of the
> BIOS being installed. There may be ways to override this, but why do it? You
> probably have an out of warranty system there, and if you screw up the BIOS
> update you will have a dead system on your hands.
>
> Long ago, when even used motherboards were worth a couple of hundred bucks, I
> was able to defeat the checking mechanisms used by BIOS updaters, but for really
> good reason and with the prospect of making myself some good money selling a
> used motherboard. Nowadays, the BIOS update programs make it even more
> difficult to change BIOS signatures... Ben Myers
>
> On Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:21:08 -0600, Clark <who(a)whoknows.com> wrote:
>
>> I just replaced the motherboard in my 600m. The motherboard came from a
>> D600 and has no system password installed.
>>
>> Question, can I change the Service Tag without some special software if
>> no system password is set?
>>
>> I plan on calling Dell when I know for sure the motherboard is working
>> correctly, so maybe they will answer all these questions, but I cannot
>> update the bios to a 600m right now and I would like to.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Clark

"Dell's BIOS update software, like most others, checks the BIOS
signature on the motherboard and makes sure it agrees with the signature
of the BIOS being installed."

I was concerned about that, but the reason I was thinking of doing it is
I seem to be getting a driver error message for a PCMCIA MTD-00002
device. I have loaded drivers and the devices show up for the main
cards, but I thought this might be related the the D600. This board was
shipped in 2005 and originally had a media setup. Maybe I am using the
wrong driver for a D600.

I think I will give the board a week to break in and make sure it is OK,
then call Dell and see what they tell me.

Thanks,
Clark
From: Ben Myers on 1 Apr 2008 14:32
If the PCMCIA device in question is on the motherboard, download the right
drivers for the one on your motherboard from the Dell web site... Ben Myers

On Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:39:15 -0500, Clark <who(a)whoknows.com> wrote:

>Ben Myers wrote:
>> Deep in Dell's web site are the programs ASSET.COM and ASSET.EXE, one for
>> laptops, the other for desktops. You need to prepare a bootable DOS floppy and
>> run one or the other to change the service tag.
>>
>> The command syntax for either one, IIRC, is:
>>
>> ASSET /S <service_tag>
>>
>> where you substitute the service tag appropriately.
>>
>> Even after changing the service tag, you will not be able to change the BIOS to
>> a 600m BIOS. Dell's BIOS update software, like most others, checks the BIOS
>> signature on the motherboard and makes sure it agrees with the signature of the
>> BIOS being installed. There may be ways to override this, but why do it? You
>> probably have an out of warranty system there, and if you screw up the BIOS
>> update you will have a dead system on your hands.
>>
>> Long ago, when even used motherboards were worth a couple of hundred bucks, I
>> was able to defeat the checking mechanisms used by BIOS updaters, but for really
>> good reason and with the prospect of making myself some good money selling a
>> used motherboard. Nowadays, the BIOS update programs make it even more
>> difficult to change BIOS signatures... Ben Myers
>>
>> On Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:21:08 -0600, Clark <who(a)whoknows.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I just replaced the motherboard in my 600m. The motherboard came from a
>>> D600 and has no system password installed.
>>>
>>> Question, can I change the Service Tag without some special software if
>>> no system password is set?
>>>
>>> I plan on calling Dell when I know for sure the motherboard is working
>>> correctly, so maybe they will answer all these questions, but I cannot
>>> update the bios to a 600m right now and I would like to.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Clark
>
>"Dell's BIOS update software, like most others, checks the BIOS
>signature on the motherboard and makes sure it agrees with the signature
>of the BIOS being installed."
>
>I was concerned about that, but the reason I was thinking of doing it is
> I seem to be getting a driver error message for a PCMCIA MTD-00002
>device. I have loaded drivers and the devices show up for the main
>cards, but I thought this might be related the the D600. This board was
>shipped in 2005 and originally had a media setup. Maybe I am using the
>wrong driver for a D600.
>
>I think I will give the board a week to break in and make sure it is OK,
>then call Dell and see what they tell me.
>
>Thanks,
>Clark
From: Clark on 3 Apr 2008 09:22
Ben Myers wrote:
> If the PCMCIA device in question is on the motherboard, download the right
> drivers for the one on your motherboard from the Dell web site... Ben Myers
>
> On Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:39:15 -0500, Clark <who(a)whoknows.com> wrote:
>
>> Ben Myers wrote:
>>> Deep in Dell's web site are the programs ASSET.COM and ASSET.EXE, one for
>>> laptops, the other for desktops. You need to prepare a bootable DOS floppy and
>>> run one or the other to change the service tag.
>>>
>>> The command syntax for either one, IIRC, is:
>>>
>>> ASSET /S <service_tag>
>>>
>>> where you substitute the service tag appropriately.
>>>
>>> Even after changing the service tag, you will not be able to change the BIOS to
>>> a 600m BIOS. Dell's BIOS update software, like most others, checks the BIOS
>>> signature on the motherboard and makes sure it agrees with the signature of the
>>> BIOS being installed. There may be ways to override this, but why do it? You
>>> probably have an out of warranty system there, and if you screw up the BIOS
>>> update you will have a dead system on your hands.
>>>
>>> Long ago, when even used motherboards were worth a couple of hundred bucks, I
>>> was able to defeat the checking mechanisms used by BIOS updaters, but for really
>>> good reason and with the prospect of making myself some good money selling a
>>> used motherboard. Nowadays, the BIOS update programs make it even more
>>> difficult to change BIOS signatures... Ben Myers
>>>
>>> On Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:21:08 -0600, Clark <who(a)whoknows.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I just replaced the motherboard in my 600m. The motherboard came from a
>>>> D600 and has no system password installed.
>>>>
>>>> Question, can I change the Service Tag without some special software if
>>>> no system password is set?
>>>>
>>>> I plan on calling Dell when I know for sure the motherboard is working
>>>> correctly, so maybe they will answer all these questions, but I cannot
>>>> update the bios to a 600m right now and I would like to.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Clark
>> "Dell's BIOS update software, like most others, checks the BIOS
>> signature on the motherboard and makes sure it agrees with the signature
>> of the BIOS being installed."
>>
>> I was concerned about that, but the reason I was thinking of doing it is
>> I seem to be getting a driver error message for a PCMCIA MTD-00002
>> device. I have loaded drivers and the devices show up for the main
>> cards, but I thought this might be related the the D600. This board was
>> shipped in 2005 and originally had a media setup. Maybe I am using the
>> wrong driver for a D600.
>>
>> I think I will give the board a week to break in and make sure it is OK,
>> then call Dell and see what they tell me.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Clark

It appears the PCMCIA device has a problem, which might be why the
motherboard became available. No matter what drivers I use it fails,
and even Ubuntu says the unit is not functioning.

If I had some way to completely rewrite the Bios, I might try that, or I
might try removing the battery for a period to clean the CMOS. I have
already re-flashed it with no effect.

What is really funny (or sad) about this is my old motherboard did not
have a working on board left channel sound from the day I got it
(headset sound was normal). This replacement motherboard has the same
problem, and it was shipped 2 years later.

Thanks for the input,
Clark
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