Author Topic: Apologese - I will be offline for a while ... (Read 30,420 times)

Carol Haynes · « **on:** February 12, 2007, 06:28 PM »

Sorry to say I will be offline for an indefinite period - my new MOBO just blew a gasket and I am going to have to argue with ASUS for an RMA.

The computer was left switched on and when I came back a few hours later all I had was a blank screen and it would reboot.

I removed everything except for CPU, Graphics Card and Memory and I still get no response when I switch on.

I have changed CPU, used a single graphics card (and swapped it) and used a single stick of memory (and swapped it) all with no result.

I have plugged a second computer (the one I swapped the CPU from) to the monitor and it works fine.

Must be the mobo causing the problem but I don't know how long it will take to get it all back up and running again.

I will probably be able to pop in occasionally on this computer but I woun't be around nearly as much until it sorted out.

TTFN

mouser · « **Reply #1 on:** February 12, 2007, 06:30 PM »

Let us know if we can do anything to help Carol!

nudone · « **Reply #2 on:** February 12, 2007, 06:39 PM »

oh dear. good luck.

tinjaw · « **Reply #3 on:** February 12, 2007, 10:57 PM »

Sorry to hear that.

I hate having to deal with stuff like that. I wish you luck getting it back up and running soon.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #4 on:** February 13, 2007, 12:26 AM »

Thanks all - I just hope ASUS are helpful and quick tomorrow ...

Josh · « **Reply #5 on:** February 13, 2007, 12:32 AM »

If we promise to miss you will you please go away?

Just kidding, hope all goes well

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2007, 10:54 AM »

ASUS are neither quick nor helpful ....

It took them 3 days to send me a form to complete which I then have to return and get authorised. After that I have to post the board to them for testing (at my expense) plus send them a cheque to cover return postage (so far a total of over £30 / $60) and then wait for a 4 week turnaround !!

In the end I have sent it back to Overclockers (at least that way I get free return postage) but 4 weeks isn't good - especially as it has been nearly a week now and it hasn't even got to ASUS yet!

Redhat · « **Reply #7 on:** February 16, 2007, 11:40 AM »

Sorry to hear that Carol! No manufacturor's warranty? Please tell me you got the 'super-bang-whizz omg 3yr extended-warranty available today for special price'??

edit - totally lost track of thought there. What I meant to say is - can't you take it back to retailer for a refund?

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #8 on:** February 16, 2007, 12:55 PM »

I sent it back to the retailer - but they send it back to ASUS for warranty replacement.

I will get a replacement (presuming they don't try and fix my board!) but it will take around 4 weeks at ASUS - plus shipping via the retailer etc. so realistically I am probably looking at 5-6 weeks turnaround time.

I can't wait that long so I have ordered a replacement while I wait - when it arrives I will either build a new system (I have a case/PSU and memory that will work so I would just need a CPU for which I can pick up a cheap Athlon 64 3200+) or simply keep it as a spare!

nudone · « **Reply #9 on:** February 16, 2007, 01:28 PM »

it's a sad tale but it's another example of how computer hardware retailers have their own set of rules.

i'm no expert and i might be talking complete rubbish but isn't it the UK law for the retailer to replace the faulty product - like there and then on the spot? not make an excuse that they have to send away.

that's what it seems to look like when i read the 'customer's rights' in newspaper columns every few months, and yet all computer retailers seems to have their own set of rules that they like to print out on the back of receipts.

i think you'll know more about this than me, Carol, but i wonder about it none the less.

mouser · « **Reply #10 on:** February 16, 2007, 01:35 PM »

i think your decision is a good one carol, a spare is always a good thing. plus it gets you back here faster

Redhat · « **Reply #11 on:** February 16, 2007, 02:48 PM »

Sale of Goods Act (Key Facts) -

• Wherever goods are bought they must "conform to contract". This means they must be as described, fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality (i.e. not inherently faulty at the time of sale).

• Goods are of satisfactory quality if they reach the standard that a reasonable person would regard as satisfactory, taking into account the price and any description.

• Aspects of quality include fitness for purpose, freedom from minor defects, appearance and finish, durability and safety.

• It is the seller, not the manufacturer, who is responsible if goods do not conform to contract.

• If goods do not conform to contract at the time of sale, purchasers can request their money back "within a reasonable time". (This is not defined and will depend on circumstances)

For up to six years after purchase (five years from discovery in Scotland) purchasers can demand damages (which a court would equate to the cost of a repair or replacement).

• A purchaser who is a consumer, i.e. is not buying in the course of a business, can alternatively request a repair or replacement.

• If repair and replacement are not possible or too costly, then the consumer can seek a partial refund, if they have had some benefit from the good, or a full refund if the fault/s have meant they have enjoyed no benefit

• In general, the onus is on all purchasers to prove the goods did not conform to contract (e.g. was inherently faulty) and should have reasonably lasted until this point in time (i.e. perishable goods do not last for six years).

• If a consumer chooses to request a repair or replacement, then for the first six months after purchase it will be for the retailer to prove the goods did conform to contract (e.g. were not inherently faulty)

• After six months and until the end of the six years, it is for the consumer to prove the lack of conformity.

nudone · « **Reply #12 on:** February 16, 2007, 03:17 PM »

thanks for that RedHat. i'm still not entirely sure what the retailer is obliged to do. sending things back to the manufacturer sounds like an unreasonable way of doing business - i can't imagine high street shops telling customers they had to wait 4 weeks until a replacement arrived. maybe that's because high street shops just like being nice though.

Lashiec · « **Reply #13 on:** February 16, 2007, 04:22 PM »

Hummm, in Spain if the component is still in warranty, they replace it right away, but even then, four weeks for a replacement is a bit too much, and asking you to pay some expenses it's a bad decision on Asus' part. If the motherboard is faulty, their responsibility is to change it free of charge, not demanding you to pay as if it was your fault.

I hope I won't run into issues with the motherboard I have ordered (an Asus as well

)

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #14 on:** February 16, 2007, 04:54 PM »

Actually I don't really think it is Overclocker's responsibility to replace a motherboard after 3 months use - it is Asus that makes the guarantee, not the dealer.

Having said that they have 10 in stock so they could simply test it and then issue a replacement and claim a mobo for stock which would effectively be the same and they would have dealt with the problem in a more useful manner.

As I understand it they have to ensure that the goods are 'fit for purpose' which an ASUS mobo is - it is hardly their fault if a component which is usually trouble free fails.

I still rate ASUS as a manufacturer - it is just their service department I am not at all happy with - and I will be telling them so in no uncertain terms.

When I have had hard discs die in warranty I have been sent a new drive with packaging to return the old one before now - and even ATI replaced a graphics card on a much more friendly basis than ASUS.

f0dder · « **Reply #15 on:** February 16, 2007, 05:00 PM »

IMHO it should be the company that has the "customer contact" that should have the main responsibility for shipping replacements. It's the one you did business with, and it's the one that certainly has an office branch in your country...

nudone · « **Reply #16 on:** February 16, 2007, 07:14 PM »

that's how i understand it to work with most things - if not everything other that pc stuff.

if you took a faulty mp3 player or tv or whatever back to the store you got it from you'd expect it replacing there and then - or a refund. no questions asked. well, maybe a bit of a discussion first but i'd be surprised to be told i've got to wait 4 weeks for a replacement.

i just wonder if the terms and conditions pc retailers show to their customers are actually valid. i know they must have a terrible time with loads of things being returned - but hey, they chose to go into that line of business (one of the reasons i wouldn't do it).

anyway, i'll shut up because i have no idea. i just think it's unfair.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #17 on:** February 16, 2007, 09:10 PM »

I understand what you are saying but the mobo is over 3 months old - the retailer can justifiably argue that I have accepted the goods.

As I understand it they don't have to refund or replace an item if the goods were as specified and the customer accepted the goods. Overclockers will accept returns up to 28 days for any reason which is way beyond the Distance Selling regulations but they argue that outside that period the warranty is with the manufacturer.

I have had other things that have gone wrong after a period of time and insode the warranty where the retailer simply says you need to send it back to the manufacturer for repair or replacement (and argue with them for a refund if that is what you want). The terms of the warranty are replace or repair (at the manufacturer's discretion).

It wasn't Overclockers that said a 4 week turnaround - they stated they would test the item and if it wasn't working they would return it to the manufacturer for warranty replacement. It was Asus that told me they have a 4 week turnaround - which given that the dealer will confirm it is defunct is a little excessive in my opinion.

I am in the strange position of defending the retailer - but I do understand their point. If they offered to repair the item they would probably invalidate the warranty as only ASUS can do repairs.

Another example, if I buy a TV from a High Street box shifter (such as Argos) which has no repair facilities I can't see they would replace goods that died just before the end of warranty (or after a policy based period) they would expect you to use the warranty service - that is what warranty is. Almost all warranties say 'repair or replace at the manufacturer's discretion' and I can see how a retailer can assess which the manufacturer would want to do - esp. if they don't do their own repairs.

TucknDar · « **Reply #18 on:** February 16, 2007, 09:10 PM »

This sort of thing is a favourite with Norwegian "consumer-tv programs" (if you know what I mean by that). The dealer is responsible for any faulty products in that they've actually sold the product to the end user... in Norway, at least. $:-\$

nudone · « **Reply #19 on:** February 16, 2007, 10:43 PM »

i understand what you mean, Carol.

it's just wishful thinking on my part.

f0dder · « **Reply #20 on:** February 16, 2007, 10:46 PM »

In Denmark, when online shopping, there's a 14-day no-questions-asked full return warranty, since you haven't had a chance to "check it out before buying", no questions asked. Product still needs to be in decent condition though. This does mean that I could buy a harddrive, use it temporarily for saving some data, and then return it. Dunno if that goes for software too, and shops wouldn't be happy if you did it often I guess

On top of that, there's a 1-year (or was it changed to 2-year?) warranty against the "I didn't do anything but it stopped working" flaws. Which of course doesn't cover spilling coffee into a laptop, but it does cover a motherboard that suddenly stops working. Might require filling a RMA and waiting a bit, though.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #21 on:** February 17, 2007, 02:40 PM »

Hi f0dder,

Quote

there's a 14-day no-questions-asked full return warranty

Actually this is true throughout the EU as it is part of EU consumer law. However the minimum time allowed throughout the EU is 7 days (but I suppose some countries may increase that minimum) and lot's of sellers extend this to 28 or 30 days (though they don't have to). After the 'free return' period you are deemed to have accepted the goods and then any warranty is between you and the manufacturer - not the supplier unless the supplier is used to manage the warranty.

It covers any product at all that you buy mail order. In the UK they are called the "Distance Selling Regulations". See http://www.oft.gov.uk/Business/Legal/DSR/default.htm for full details of what is and is not covered - interestingly even gift voucher purchases are covered.

There is an exception however for software, CDs and DVDs ... you can only return them if the seals/packaging is unopened - so you can't 'try before you buy' with these items or copy them.

By the way I am now back up and running .... new mobo bought from DABs - even including next day/saturday delivery the total was less than overclockers.co.uk before VAT and basic shipping! Presumably over the next few weeks the warranty replacement will arrive - but at least I have proved it wasn't other components in my system that caused a problem!

nudone · « **Reply #22 on:** February 17, 2007, 05:34 PM »

good to hear you are up and running with the machine.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #23 on:** February 21, 2007, 12:58 AM »

Spoke too soon ... I am really cross with someone (not sure who though).

My original mobo arrived back today with a note saying they can't find any fault with it. It cost me over £18 (~$35) to post it back under warranty but they claim when they tested it everything was fine. Not only that they are charging me a £10 inspection fee plus return shipping plus tax for the privilege.

Anyone any ideas how to proceed now? I seem to have a mobo that was definitely dead when I posted it to them (I had spent a day and a half fiddling with every possible combo of components, even those from another system and it wouldn't POST no matter what I did - in fact there was no video output or even a beep when it was switched on). The new mobo is using all the same components and works fine.

Trouble is if it is an intermittent fault I could end up stuck with a lemon that plays up at home but tests in the workshop and I am really stuck as to what to do next.

What I have done is written a really snotty email complaining that they didn't follow their own procedure (which was to contact me before returning an item that wasn't found defective) and so I am not prepared to pay anything since the problem is effectively unresolved and now can't be without me spending another $35 to return it to them. Basically I have told them if they make a charge on my credit card I will report them to my card company as I have not authorised any transaction and didn't supply credit card details for the purpose - they only have my card details as it is stored in my account for website purchases. Should I approach my credit card company for a refund on the original purchase on the grounds that the item is 'not fit for purpose' ?

mouser · « **Reply #24 on:** February 21, 2007, 06:43 AM »

Quote

Trouble is if it is an intermittent fault I could end up stuck with a lemon that plays up at home but tests in the workshop and I am really stuck as to what to do next.

Many of us have suffered from this situation - can be truly painful. We had a vcr like this back in the day when vcrs were expensive. each time we brought it in it seemed to work for them.. Eventually, and i'm not recommending this, we took an electrical cord and just burnt out some of the components on the board. It was the only way we could figure out to get them to repair this broken device..