IT Management Suite

  • 1.  Why is Computer Type shown as Lunchbox?

    Posted Jan 17, 2011 10:22 AM

    I'm currently trying to extract Inventory form Altiris Client Management Suite 1, and when I import my findings into excel my Dell Optiplex 760 are showing as Computer Type: Lunchbox.

    Why is this? other devices are showing as Notebooks and Desktops as expected.

    Also, can this be changed to Desktop?

    Any feedback appreciated!

    Thanks,

    Gary 



  • 2.  RE: Why is Computer Type shown as Lunchbox?

    Posted Jan 17, 2011 11:32 AM

    The hardware inventory is returning a value of 16, for Lunch Box, instead of 3, for Desktop.  I'm not positive where this data is stored, but I'm guessing it's within a manufactured component like the motherboard or chassis itself.

    Is it a mini tower (tall and regular size), desktop (uses low profile cards), small form factor (SFF), or ultra small form factor (USFF)?



  • 3.  RE: Why is Computer Type shown as Lunchbox?

    Posted Jan 18, 2011 04:22 AM

    Thanks for your feedback mclemson, this sheds a bit more light on things.



  • 4.  RE: Why is Computer Type shown as Lunchbox?

    Posted Jan 18, 2011 04:27 AM

    sorry. i forgot to mention it's a desktop although it's slightly smaller than  your standard desktop.

    see details below:

    http://www.dell.com/downloads/emea/products/optix/Optiplex_760_Spec_Sheet_en.pdf



  • 5.  RE: Why is Computer Type shown as Lunchbox?

    Posted Feb 01, 2011 03:05 PM

    Perhaps a BIOS update from Dell would resolve the issue.  This data must exist somewhere on the mainboard.



  • 6.  RE: Why is Computer Type shown as Lunchbox?

    Posted Feb 02, 2011 04:23 AM

    I must try this and see if it resolves the issue - thanks for the suggestion!



  • 7.  RE: Why is Computer Type shown as Lunchbox?

    Posted Mar 18, 2011 10:55 AM

    You can find the Information in the following WMI Dataclass: Win32_SystemEnclosure

     

    1. In a "cmd" type wmic and press Enter

    2. Type SYSTEMENCLOSURE

    There is a column named "ChassisTypes"



  • 8.  RE: Why is Computer Type shown as Lunchbox?

    Posted Mar 18, 2011 11:51 AM

    In my understanding, if you also have "CMDB Solution", you can create a CMDB rule that will "fix" these more unusual chassis types to standard "Desktop", "Laptop".  We actually created a custom inventory and script that gathers a separate data class with "normalized" chassis types in it.  Depending on the vendor/model/BIOS, some laptops will be listed as "Laptop", or "Notebook" or some other oddness.  We use this to simplify reporting by laptop/desktop, and normalize the model names, etc.



  • 9.  RE: Why is Computer Type shown as Lunchbox?

    Posted Mar 20, 2011 11:22 PM

    Within the NS database, there's a chassis type lookup function which provides the actual chassis description.  These are populated based on Microsoft's WMI classes.  So the motherboard/whatever is reporting back a value of 16.

    4 choices: 

    • Accept it as is
    • Change your reports so they report "lunchbox" as "desktop" or similar
    • Change the source data (not recommended!)
    • CMDB - display options which allow you to change the display name of a particular value or field.  We often use this to display "cell phone" as "mobile phone", "zip" as "postcode" and so on.
    • Actually there's another choice - ask the hardware vendor


  • 10.  RE: Why is Computer Type shown as Lunchbox?
    Best Answer

    Posted Mar 21, 2011 09:39 AM

    Thanks guys, this info has been very beneficial!