H083626 - 176 POST COVER TAMPERING ERROR POSTED BY PC-730                    
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
SYMPTOM:                                                                        
IBM PC 700 Series 6877 systems may display a 176 POST error                     
following a cold boot after setting of the Administrators                       
password.                                                                       
                                                                                
PROBLEM ISOLATION AIDS:                                                         
A 176 POST error is intended to alert the user that the cover of                
the system has been removed or tampered with (C2 Security                       
feature).  The 176 POST error is only active if the                             
Administrators password is enabled.  The error is cleared by                    
entering the Administrators password.                                           
                                                                                
Affected 6877 systems will post a 176 error on cold boot even                   
with no prior top cover tampering or removal.                                   
                                                                                
Verify operation of the C2 security feature as follows:                         
                                                                                
1) Set an Administrator Password using the Setup Utility                        
    NOTE - Make note of the administrator password prior to                     
           turning system power off.  If the administrator                      
           password is forgotten or misplaced, the system                       
           board must be replaced.                                              
2) Turn the system power off.                                                   
3) Power on the system unit and display.                                        
4) The system should come up error free and request only                        
   the Power-on password.                                                       
                                                                                
If a 176 POST error is displayed, enter the Administrators                      
password to allow the system to IPL, then perform an orderly                    
shutdown.  Power the system off/on.  If the 176 POST error is                   
displayed again, this system is affected.                                       
                                                                                
FIX:                                                                            
The failure may be caused by the top cover plunger not contacting               
the tamper switch on the base frame properly.                                   
                                                                                
If the system is displaying 176 POST errors without tampering                   
with the top cover assembly AND with the top cover installed                    
properly, disable the Administrator password to allow the system                
to POST error-free.                                                             
                                                                                
The tamper evident switch is being redesigned to increase the                   
surface area of the tamper switch actuator to ensure that the                   
top cover contacts the switch properly.                                         
                                                                                
The updated switch will be available in mid-July 1996.  This tip                
will be updated with part number and availability information                   
as soon as it becomes available.