The new codes let techs assign numeric values to most attributes of a service incident, including primary operating system, mode of failure (intermittent, continuous, etc.), actions taken by the services technician and failure symptoms that caused the customer to request service. The new set of codes updates the one first ones created by CompTIA in the mid-1980s as the definitive guide for PC repair technicians.

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Information collected through the use of these codes makes it easier for manufacturers to perform analysis of the symptoms reported by customers experiencing problems, said officials at the industry organization in Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. Manufacturers will also have the ability to track specific parts from service call initiation through resolution and back to the component manufacturer, they said.

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Officials hope that expanded use of the codes will allow manufacturers to reduce the number of "no problem found" service incidents when parts are replaced but are subsequently found to be in working order. Service providers can also use the Standard Error Code data to analyze their own repair work and trends.

The new codes were developed as part of the CompTIA Services and Support Group, a cooperative effort with IT notables including Best Buy, Canon, Cisco Systems, CompuCom, DecisionOne, Dell, Fujitsu Siemens, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Lenovo, Packard Bell, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, Unisys and Xerox.

CompTIA officials noted that the required use of Standard Error Codes in authorized warranty repairs is a growing trend in the industry.