Life Cycle Machine Repair
Each faculty and staff member is issued a life cycle (LCR) computer that best suits their position and responsibilities. Occasionally a LCR machine needs to be returned to the manufacturer for repairs covered by the manufacturer warranty. An SMCM technician will assess the equipment and determine if warranty repairs are required. Should the repair require the shipment of the equipment from the campus the State of Maryland IT Policy for the Disposal, Servicing and Transfer of Information Technology Equipment will be followed and the process outlined below will be implemented.
Warranty repair process:
- The technician will advise the user of the problem and the proposed resolution and length of time for repair.
- The need for an interim replacement machine (loaner) will be addressed.
- The technician will meet with the faculty or staff member to ensure ALL work/college related information/data has been saved to the G drive, external media or both.
- Personal information stored on an SMCM machine (photos, music, personal documents or files) is not the responsibility of the technician or SMCM. The technician can support the backup of personal files if time and work assignments permit or the technician may advise the user how to backup/store their personal documents/data.
- Once the user is comfortable that all data has been appropriately stored/saved the user will sign the Computer Repair Agreement and the technician will ship the equipment to the manufacturer for repair.
- The user will be contacted once the machine is returned from the manufacturer and a time to meet with the technician will be arranged. The technician will install the stored information/data on the repaired machine.
- Should the machine be deemed non-repairable by the vendor a replacement LCR machine will be issued to the user.
Interim/Loaner machine:
In the event a LCR machine requires warranty repair an appropriate interim/loaner machine will be prepared for the user. The interim/loaner machine will function in the same manner as the original equipment. The technician will support the process for the transfer and access of all stored data.
If the user had administrative rights on the original machine those will be granted on the interim/loaner. Any specific software program that is required by the user to perform their college responsibilities will be installed by the technician.
NO PERSONAL SOFTWARE or PROGRAMS will be installed by the technician on the interim/loaner machine.