Topic: Motherboard tattoo

[Fishyneil]

I ran into a computer yesterday that needed to have the motherboard re-tattooed  I downloaded the file from the tech area of the website but it was really confusing.
Has anyone else had to do this?
Fishy

[Shit machine gun]

I thought you were going to say you got a motherboard tattooed on your body.  Can't help you with the tech question.  Sorry.

[RangerF150]

Hi ya fishy , if you post a link to the site docs and where your downloading the tattoo , make and model of the box your workin .
We could ponder your plight :-)

Good luck :-)

[Fishyneil]

It was a Compaq Presario and the link is on an authorized tech site. I told them to send it back to Compaq and have them do it. The tattoo was asking for "hardware bom" and "software bom" codes and all sorts of shit. I passed on this one but was just wondering if this is a common thing or some obscure event.
I have the zip file if you are interested. Thanks for listening.
Fishy

[RangerF150]

No i ain't ever tattooed a box , thank god !
Don't mention Compaq, i only ever have trouble with them computers.

Yeah id be interested in that zip , just to have a look see :-)
I suspect you did the right thing , it could go pear shaped pretty easy , and would you get any thanks for your efforts ? Doubt it !

Wise move :-)

[FunkyZebra]

I've never had to do this but I had a friend who had to, and I tried to help and later gave up but I did learn a little.

Ya, you have to enter a whole bunch of crazy shit because the mobo tatoo is basically a code in the bios that makes sure your system restore will work on the machine and not other ones.

From what I know you have to enter ther machine serial number and operation system info, also if any components on the mobo have been change from how it was out of the box then it is a real pain because then the chip that contains the above info has to be reprogrammed (as was the case with my friend).

I'd recommend getting some tech support from compaq or just sending it in (if it's worth is to you that is)

[Fishyneil]

I just sent the cocksucker back to Compaq...let the "super geeks" deal with it. I hope they had fun
You are completely right about having to input some weird shit, right down to the MB place of birth and it's lineage!!!
Ranger helped me through the tough times...cheers to him and you.
Fishy

[letsgo2smokes]

I got the geeky version aha

 A motherboard tattoo is a unique code that can be written in the basic input/output system (BIOS) of a computer to ensure that System Restore or diagnostic compact discs (CDs) will work only on the machine or line of machines with which the CDs are sold. The tattoo process ensures that recovery or diagnostic CDs cannot be illegally used with computers other than those for which they are intended to be used.

A tattoo consists of an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) chip that contains information about the machine, such as the serial number and operating system data. This chip is unique to each machine. If the motherboard, or certain components on it, are replaced, the EPROM chip must be reprogrammed. The same is true if the original recovery or diagnostic CDs are lost. The technical support department of the computer vendor, or the technician who performed modifications or repairs, should be contacted for details about the reprogramming (re-tattooing) process.

[Bailey]

No i ain't ever tattooed a box , thank god !
Don't mention Compaq, i only ever have trouble with them computers.

Yeah id be interested in that zip , just to have a look see :-)
I suspect you did the right thing , it could go pear shaped pretty easy , and would you get any thanks for your efforts ? Doubt it !

Wise move :-)

A fucking men.  Comcraps man, nothing but propriety bullshit to squeeze more dollars out of the consumer.

[Drunk_As_Fuck]

I actually tossed a Compcrap laptop out a window I was so pissed off at that POS - seriously.  That was after spending over an hour on the phone with their "tech support"people.  Compcrap's make baby jesus cry.

[Bailey]

I actually tossed a Compcrap laptop out a window I was so pissed off at that POS - seriously.  That was after spending over an hour on the phone with their "tech support"people. Compcrap's make baby jesus cry.

LMAO, everytime i read that line i lol.

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[letsgo2smokes]

All computers that you buy from a store seem like they always have something wrong with them either overclocking,"Blue Screen Of Death,ETC the best way to get your moneys worth is to just build your own pc

[RangerF150]

All computers that you buy from a store seem like they always have something wrong with them either overclocking,"Blue Screen Of Death,ETC the best way to get your moneys worth is to just build your own pc

I just did ! A rather tasty box :-)
2 160 GIG SATA HD's , 2 GIG of RAM , blah , blah , blah .... cost me a packet  !
It's worked for about an hour :-(
Mega problem's , don't like my RAID array , don't like lousy Nvidea drivers, BIOS is all wrong,needed upgrading, you name it it's all wrong :-(
Many hour's later , it's just workin !
Just ......

Gone back to my  Mac Mini and old but happy FreeBSD lapper  :-)
The tasty new box lies gathering dust , till I have time to sort it !

[Bailey]

Sounds tasty indeed, i'd be willing to pay freight to oz...

What kinda probs you having with it man?  Or is this Apple propaganda? lmao! jokes.  Driver updates, including mainboard bios etc is always good, lol tho not always, that's the interesting world of pc's for you eh? 

[RangerF150]

The new box constantly reboots :-(
All the hardware is good , swaped out everything ,
I pretty much have it nailed to a driver issue, which i think is an Nvidia driver issue !
When it works it's got awesome speed and great graphics , I ain't really a gamer , but have a couple of game's and they are great on it.
But most of time it's used for testing, download's and eh, backin up DVD's :-)
I don't really use  XP anymore, the Mac is a far better box to use for "normal" use and FreeBSD is just awesome , after you spend several years trying to figure out how to work it !

Each to their own :-)

[letsgo2smokes]

Well i was working for a pc company this summer and made some big buxs!! And i also made my pc for realll cheap

1 Gig Ram
200GB SATA HD
Nvidia GForce 7800
3.2 GHZ (Intel )
Thermalright..dont kno what model of heatsink but it looks like a radiator lol.
OCX 520 Watt PSU
SOme cheap TV tuner
some neons
DVD Burner
DVD Player
and CD Player/Burner

got it all for 1 grand i got huge discounts..no im just hoping i get a liquid cooling unit from santa...(well i hope my parents are reading this post:) )