White M13 - Is there a difference between 82G3282 and 92G7461?

[E TwentyNine]

I checked the wiki, and it lists the 82G3281 as manufactured by Lexmark but the MaxiSwitch part number as 92G7461.

I have a July 1996 MaxiSwitch M13 with details:

Part No. 82G3282
ID No.    FRU020092

Of the 82g3282's that I've found online, the ID No's started with "FRU300", which would sort of follow the pattern of the 92G7461 serials.

I'm wondering if it's just a different number for the 92G7461 and mechanically/electrically the same.

[rootwyrm]

I checked the wiki, and it lists the 82G3281 as manufactured by Lexmark but the MaxiSwitch part number as 92G7461.

I have a July 1996 MaxiSwitch M13 with details:

Part No. 82G3282
ID No.    FRU020092

Of the 82g3282's that I've found online, the ID No's started with "FRU300", which would sort of follow the pattern of the 92G7461 serials.

I'm wondering if it's just a different number for the 92G7461 and mechanically/electrically the same.

The 92G7461 is a totally different TrackPoint system - that's the TrackPoint II. The 82G3282 is the original TrackPoint. Also, you got the numbers mixed up I believe. The FRU should be 82G3282 with an ID following the scheme. IBM never used "FRU020092" as the ID Number either - even for RPQs. (RPQ M13's should have the RPQ in the FRU field.)

Can you get some photos of the label? Wondering if you got a counterfeit.

[E TwentyNine]

I got it direct from IBM.



Edit: As long as I have your attention - you wouldn't know the earliest known production date of the M13 Industrial keyboards would you and what the oldest surviving version you've seen is?  Thanks

[rootwyrm]

I got it direct from IBM.

Edit: As long as I have your attention - you wouldn't know the earliest known production date of the M13 Industrial keyboards would you and what the oldest surviving version you've seen is?  Thanks

Well, part of my attention. (One of those days.)

That is damn odd though. Because, well, that FRU doesn't decode. As in, it is not a valid FRU - it's 6 digits. All FRUs are 7 digits. But FRU should be blacklisted as a serial prefix because, well, FRU! Field Replacement Unit! And it's way, way out of sequence and format.

The only thing I can think of is that it's an 82G3282 from an additional run made for use as spares, maybe? But even then, it shouldn't have gotten a whole new (and incompatible) serial number format. Not only that, but the TrackPoint II was made up until 1998. And 92G7461 was an indicated replacement for 82G328.

[E TwentyNine]

I got it direct from IBM.

Edit: As long as I have your attention - you wouldn't know the earliest known production date of the M13 Industrial keyboards would you and what the oldest surviving version you've seen is?  Thanks

Well, part of my attention. (One of those days.)

That is damn odd though. Because, well, that FRU doesn't decode. As in, it is not a valid FRU - it's 6 digits. All FRUs are 7 digits. But FRU should be blacklisted as a serial prefix because, well, FRU! Field Replacement Unit! And it's way, way out of sequence and format.

The only thing I can think of is that it's an 82G3282 from an additional run made for use as spares, maybe? But even then, it shouldn't have gotten a whole new (and incompatible) serial number format. Not only that, but the TrackPoint II was made up until 1998. And 92G7461 was an indicated replacement for 82G328.

It has the same trackpoint as the black one - square stem with "stickers with vertical wires" on the sides of the base.

I don't know the different variations of the trackpoints, been digging around for examples, can't find many closeups of the trackpoint assembly or comparisons of the different generations.

[rootwyrm]

I got it direct from IBM.

Edit: As long as I have your attention - you wouldn't know the earliest known production date of the M13 Industrial keyboards would you and what the oldest surviving version you've seen is?  Thanks

Well, part of my attention. (One of those days.)

That is damn odd though. Because, well, that FRU doesn't decode. As in, it is not a valid FRU - it's 6 digits. All FRUs are 7 digits. But FRU should be blacklisted as a serial prefix because, well, FRU! Field Replacement Unit! And it's way, way out of sequence and format.

The only thing I can think of is that it's an 82G3282 from an additional run made for use as spares, maybe? But even then, it shouldn't have gotten a whole new (and incompatible) serial number format. Not only that, but the TrackPoint II was made up until 1998. And 92G7461 was an indicated replacement for 82G328.

It has the same trackpoint as the black one - square stem with "stickers with vertical wires" on the sides of the base.

I don't know the different variations of the trackpoints, been digging around for examples, can't find many closeups of the trackpoint assembly or comparisons of the different generations.

Well, I can tell you which one it is, but I'll tell you straight up that it's definitely a TrackPoint and not a II. What's confusing the hell out of me is that 82G3282 is documented as a OPN only and not a BPN. 82G3282 is the spares code for 82G3281. So when you ordered an 82G3282, what you actually got was an 82G3281.

And it would have to follow the 13H6705, 82G3281, and 92G6741 serial numbering scheme. Which is absolutely consistent for MaxiPoint - they're all "M" prefix, Plt. No 00. IBM has never used FRU for a serial prefix for any computer product. So this keyboard is more fishy than anything else - spares OPN rather than production PN and invalid serial.

[E TwentyNine]

Well, I can tell you which one it is, but I'll tell you straight up that it's definitely a TrackPoint and not a II. What's confusing the hell out of me is that 82G3282 is documented as a OPN only and not a BPN. 82G3282 is the spares code for 82G3281. So when you ordered an 82G3282, what you actually got was an 82G3281.

And it would have to follow the 13H6705, 82G3281, and 92G6741 serial numbering scheme. Which is absolutely consistent for MaxiPoint - they're all "M" prefix, Plt. No 00. IBM has never used FRU for a serial prefix for any computer product. So this keyboard is more fishy than anything else - spares OPN rather than production PN and invalid serial.

I found another one on ebay:


White M13

Mine has an earlier date and lower ID, but the label is the same format.

[rootwyrm]

... weird. Especially since it appears to be two different label lines and two different formats. If it was 020092 to 204650 would mean a production run of over 200,000 units from one plant in about 3 months. A plant that was making 3 other PNs at the same time.

And everything I've seen indicated that 82G3282 was an spares OPN for 82G3281. And it's not common for IBM to do sequential part numbers or models except for spares. (e.g. SVCs are 2145-8G2, 2145-8G4, 2145-CF8.) And we already know they didn't assign unique part numbers on a per-plant basis.

Somebody go poke an IBMer for me, because I'm stumped as to what's going on with this here.

[tygersmoke]

Hi,

New member here, and new owner of an 'M'.

I was looking for information on the wiki, and it referred to this thread if there is any new information to offer.

I have just bought a Model M13. It is contrary to the info in the wiki, because it's a 92G7461, made in the USA in 1995 by Lexmark. Given the model number, it's presumably a Trackpoint II version, although they supposedly didn't come out until 1996, and were supposedly made by Maxi-Switch not Lexmark.

Can anyone identify from the attached photo's whether it's a Trackpoint or Trackpoint II? Thanks...

Just out of interest, I am in Australia and bought it from an IBM employee.

[Snowdog993]

Hi,

New member here, and new owner of an 'M'.

I was looking for information on the wiki, and it referred to this thread if there is any new information to offer.

I have just bought a Model M13. It is contrary to the info in the wiki, because it's a 92G7461, made in the USA in 1995 by Lexmark. Given the model number, it's presumably a Trackpoint II version, although they supposedly didn't come out until 1996, and were supposedly made by Maxi-Switch not Lexmark.

Can anyone identify from the attached photo's whether it's a Trackpoint or Trackpoint II? Thanks...

Just out of interest, I am in Australia and bought it from an IBM employee.

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)

My M13 is a Trackpoint II made by MaxiSwitch.  I am very positive yours is a Trackpoint II.
The only difference is yours was made earlier by the Lexington plant.  Same as far as I can tell.



The picture below is of the original label on it.

[SamirD]

Made in USA > Made in Mexico?

[Snowdog993]

I can make a guess about the 82G3282.  It is the Mexico plant, and possibly that particular plant actually did things the "MaxiSwitch" way, until the model numbers were the same across the board.
The FRU may be a MaxiSwitch rather than an IBM tracking system at the time of build.
Once they went to the 92G, they had things more or less straightened out.

*This is all truly an observation and a theory.  It's really anybody's guess on this.

What really helps here is the FRU number on the Lexmark board actually having 92G7461.
This (in theory) explains WHY the MaxiSwitch has a 13H6728 FRU ID.  White Model 13H.

[tygersmoke]

It all seems to be a bit of a grey area, but thanks for the info that my 1995 is a Trackpoint II; just a little bit ahead of itself!

I am loving using it. I am finding excuses to type, which I have never done before!

[SamirD]

I am loving using it. I am finding excuses to type, which I have never done before!

I find myself taking typing tests--fun and improves your speed!