Appendix A. Getting help and technical assistance

Appendix A. Getting help and technical assistance

If you need help, service, or technical assistance or just want more information about IBM products, you will find a wide variety of sources available from IBM to assist you. This appendix contains information about where to go for additional

information about IBM and IBM products, what to do if you experience a problem with your Eserver or IntelliStation® system or optional device, and whom to call for

service, if it is necessary.

Before you call

Before you call, make sure that you have taken these steps to try to solve the problem yourself:

vCheck all cables to make sure that they are connected.

vCheck the power switches to make sure that the system and any optional devices are turned on.

vUse the troubleshooting information in your system documentation, and use the diagnostic tools that come with your system. Information about diagnostic tools is in the Problem Determination and Service Guide on the IBM Documentation CD that comes with your system.

vGo to the IBM support Web site at http://www.ibm.com/support/ to check for technical information, hints, tips, and new device drivers or to submit a request for information.

You can solve many problems without outside assistance by following the troubleshooting procedures that IBM provides in the online help or in the

documentation that is provided with your IBM product. The documentation that comes with Eserver and IntelliStation systems also describes the diagnostic tests

that you can perform. Most Eserver and IntelliStation systems, operating systems, and programs come with documentation that contains troubleshooting procedures and explanations of error messages and error codes. If you suspect a software problem, see the documentation for the operating system or program.

Using the documentation

Information about your IBM Eserver or IntelliStation system and preinstalled software, if any, or optional device is available in the documentation that comes with the product. That documentation can include printed documents, online documents, readme files, and help files. See the troubleshooting information in your system documentation for instructions for using the diagnostic programs. The troubleshooting information or the diagnostic programs might tell you that you need additional or updated device drivers or other software. IBM maintains pages on the World Wide Web where you can get the latest technical information and download device drivers and updates. To access these pages, go to http://www.ibm.com/ support/ and follow the instructions. Also, some documents are available through the IBM Publications Ordering System at http://www.elink.ibmlink.ibm.com/public/ applications/publications/ cgibin/pbi.cgi.