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Before you call

Before you call, there are several steps that you can take to try and solve the problem yourself. If you decide that you do need to call for assistance, gather the information that will be needed by the service technician to more quickly resolve your problem.

Attempt to resolve the problem yourself​

You can solve many problems without outside assistance by following the troubleshooting procedures that Lenovo provides in the online help or in the Lenovo product documentation. The online help also describes the diagnostic tests that you can perform. The documentation for most systems, operating systems, and programs 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.

You can take these steps to try to solve the problem yourself:

  • Check all cables to make sure that they are connected.
  • Check the power switches to make sure that the system and any optional devices are turned on.
  • Check for updated software, firmware, and operating-system device drivers for your Lenovo product. (See the following links) The Lenovo Warranty terms and conditions state that you, the owner of the Lenovo product, are responsible for maintaining and updating all software and firmware for the product (unless it is covered by an additional maintenance contract). Your service technician will request that you upgrade your software and firmware if the problem has a documented solution within a software upgrade.
  • If you have installed new hardware or software in your environment, check Lenovo ServerProven website to make sure that the hardware and software are supported by your product.
  • Refer to Problem determination for instructions on isolating and solving issues.

  • Go to Lenovo Data Center Support and check for information to help you solve the problem.

    To find the Tech Tips available for your server:

    1. Go to Lenovo Data Center Support and navigate to the support page for your server.

    2. Click on How To’s from the navigation pane.

    3. Click Article Type > Solution from the drop-down menu.

      Follow the on-screen instructions to choose the category for the problem that you are having.

  • Check Lenovo Data Center Forum at Lenovo Data Center forums to see if someone else has encountered a similar problem.

Gathering information needed to call Support​

If you require warranty service for your Lenovo product, the service technicians will be able to assist you more efficiently if you prepare the appropriate information before you call. You can also go to Lenovo Product Warranty Plans for more information about your product warranty.

Gather the following information to provide to the service technician. This data will help the service technician quickly provide a solution to your problem and ensure that you receive the level of service for which you might have contracted.

  • Hardware and Software Maintenance agreement contract numbers, if applicable

  • Machine type number (Lenovo 4-digit machine identifier). Machine type number can be found on the ID label, see Identify the server and access the Lenovo XClarity Controller.

  • Model number

  • Serial number

  • Current system UEFI and firmware levels

  • Other pertinent information such as error messages and logs

As an alternative to calling Lenovo Support, you can go to Submit an eTicket to submit an Electronic Service Request. Submitting an Electronic Service Request will start the process of determining a solution to your problem by making the pertinent information available to the service technicians. The Lenovo service technicians can start working on your solution as soon as you have completed and submitted an Electronic Service Request.