Help! Who's at fault?

[ionknight]

I had just installed a new 1.2 Athlon CPU, after turning it on, it refused to boot up or even post after numerous attempts(no I didn't overclock it) so I brought it into the shop. After a few days they called and said that after testing all the components they came to the conclusion the the Mainboard was dead. I said 'OK' because it was still under warranty. I then proceeded to pick out a new one and asked them to install it (I didn't want to wait for the replacement and would just sell it to get my money back).

After a few days they called again and I was expecting them to say it was ready, but they told me something totally unexpected. They said that they installed the MB and tested it by letting it run for a few hours. After, they found out that now the CPU, Motherboard(yes the new one) and the 300w power supply fried and were now Dead. They said the power supply was the culprit. um, but wasn't it working fine when you first tested all the components?. I was freakin' pissed:| The Motherboard they said they would rma it back to the manufacturer and thankfully the 300w power supply was still under warranty. But the CPU I just bought 2 weeks ago and it had a (7) day oem warranty so I was pretty much screwed:| I think that they should replace the cpu at no charge because I gave them the cpu in good working condition but they said NO they would have to charge me.:| I now have to shell out another $159 to replace a pefectly good cpu I did NOT break. for all I know, one of their Newbie technicians could of misinstalled or mishandled some of the parts causing them to get fried. I still haven't picked up my comp from them

So what do you think? Should they be at fault?

 

[steelthorn]

The only thing I can say is that you live and learn. I would get your computer back from them and never go back to that
place again.

 

[Tominator]

My nephew saved and saved..bout an OEM AMD over the net. It had a 30day warranty. He installed it on the 35th day. It was dead and no help from the vendor. Typical AMD chip from what I gather and another reason I've stuck to Intel. He had it installed properly and at first boot it fried.

Any shop would have done the same thing imho....

 

[ThisIsMatt]

<< My nephew saved and saved..bout an OEM AMD over the net. It had a 30day warranty. He installed it on the 35th day. It was dead and no help from the vendor. Typical AMD chip from what I gather and another reason I've stuck to Intel. He had it installed properly and at first boot it fried.

Any shop would have done the same thing imho.... >>

Typical inexperienced user. He probably installed it improperly and fried it first boot. What a waste of a good chip.


ionknight - I think they should give you a new one. The chip isn't going to just run for three hours and crap out.

 

[Shalmanese]

Well, seeing as THEY installed it, any fault should go to them IMHO. Not much you can do about it though, you could alway threaten never to shop there again and never to reccomend your friends there.

 

[John]

<< They said that they installed the MB and tested it by letting it run for a few hours. After, they found out that now the CPU, Motherboard(yes the new one) and the 300w power supply fried and were now Dead. >>



I find that to sound very suspicious.

 

[Gunslinger08]

<< Well, seeing as THEY installed it, any fault should go to them IMHO. Not much you can do about it though, you could alway threaten never to shop there again and never to reccomend your friends there. >>



Tell em you're going to contact the BBB and the local authorities on the matter, if they don't replace it at their expense.. may sound kinda cheesy, but it works.

Josh

 

[Tominator]

ThisIsMatt

That is exactly what I said. However when I inspected his installation it was perfect! The mb settings were spot on. The only thing he might be faulted for was using the thermal pad instead of compound between the chip and sink. That would not have fried an Intel chip! He bought a used chip from a member here and he installed that without a problem. There are just too many AMD chips that I hear this same story about...over and over.

 

[ace31216]

Computer stores are always a little shady

 

[ionknight]

thanks for the responses guys.............i still don't know what I am going to do. I could try the 'contact the BBB and the local authorities' but only as a last resort. has anyone tried that approach? Did it work?

the place does seem kinda shady, and they don't seem to get many customers at all. I only go their because it is like a 4 min drive from my house. I just find it kind of fishy that three main components(cpu,MB,p.supply) can get fried by simply replacing by a Motherboard, installed by a technician no less. I am probably going to end up buying another cpu but definately not from them, and you can bet I definately won't be going back there.

I think the only thing that would make me feel better would be to drive by there late at night and throw a molotov cocktail through their window and watch it BURN