Zotac - GTX 460 SLI, up in smoke!

[Idontcare]

Umm...Did you even look at the pictures of melted cards and PCBs
Hardly what one would term "non-functioning"

You are misunderstanding Zap.

He's making the distinction between a "refund" vs. a "replacement under warranty".

I don't think Zap is implying at all that the cards are somehow not non-functioning. He's just saying this isn't a "refund" situation. It is a "warranty replacement" situation.

 

[SickBeast]

Under tort law Zotac should have to make the OP "whole" and put him back into the same position he was in before these GPUs blew up. That includes replacing the motherboard and any other damaged components.

These lawyers can throw all the legal speak in the world at him, but at the end of the day they're bound by tort law and their own negligence, IMO.

I'm actually shocked that Zotac isn't just offering an RMA immediately. It's the least they can do.

 

[happy medium]

Honestly though this really seems like a one in a million kinduv thing

I agree, it sucks to be that ONE in a million but I guess it happends.

 

[happy medium]

Under tort law Zotac should have to make the OP "whole" and put him back into the same position he was in before these GPUs blew up. That includes replacing the motherboard and any other damaged components.

I agree, but I don't think its gonna happen.

BUT
If we keep this at the top of the page, it might get there attention.

 

[nanaki333]

zotac is still a relatively new nvidia partner aren't they? it would be in their best interest to make this right and replace everything.

 

[Starcrosser]

If it isn't due to user error or motherboard malfunction, a one in million thing occurs once in every million cards, a number that nvidia has surpassed.

 

[nanaki333]

If it isn't due to user error or motherboard malfunction, a one in million thing occurs once in every million cards, a number that nvidia has surpassed.

one in two million then

 

[happy medium]

zotac is still a relatively new nvidia partner aren't they? it would be in their best interest to make this right and replace everything.

Not saying he is but the OP could be lying and his cpu cooler could have leaked onto the top card causing a short that melted his card and ruined his motherboard.

The world may never know.

 

[nanaki333]

Not saying he is but the OP could be lying and his cpu cooler could have leaked onto the top card causing a short that melted his card and ruined his motherboard.

The world may never know.

i went back to the OP to look and i'll be damned... it DOES say liquid.... OFF WITH HIS HEAD!

j/k. zotac will be able to tell if it was a water shortage

 

[Idontcare]

Under tort law Zotac should have to make the OP "whole" and put him back into the same position he was in before these GPUs blew up. That includes replacing the motherboard and any other damaged components.

These lawyers can throw all the legal speak in the world at him, but at the end of the day they're bound by tort law and their own negligence, IMO.

I'm actually shocked that Zotac isn't just offering an RMA immediately. It's the least they can do.

The owner would have to prove that the cards died because of something that went wrong with them (specifically) and not because of something that went wrong with something around them (PSU/mobo/user-error in assembly).

He would have to prove that the root-cause was not his mobo, not his PSU, not his power cables, or the possibility that he hooked it up incorrectly (did not fully insert the GPU into the PCIe slot, etc).

He can easily prove he has non-functional GPU's, not so easy to prove that the root-cause of them no longer functioning is solely due to manufacturing defects or flaws.

 

[SickBeast]

From the OP's photos, it's pretty clear to me that the source of the fire was one of the GPUs. There's no way that the chipset on the motherboard caused all that damage to the GPU.

 

[Sind]

Wow, quite the little blaze

 

[3DVagabond]

Looks like the short (can't think of anything else that would cause it) occurred at the pci slot. Either the card or the board shorted out. From the pics I'd say the card is the culprit, but there's no way to be certain just from the pics. Zotac should be able to determine what part failed first. If it turns out to be one of the cards and there's no evidence of abuse, I'd make good on the cards and the mobo, if I were them. You'd likely have to send them your board and cards.

 

[badb0y]

I can see how he missed it that especially if the cards were sandwiched together and he saw no smoke coming out of them.

 

[3DVagabond]

I can see how he missed it that especially if the cards were sandwiched together and he saw no smoke coming out of them.

We have no reason not to take him at his word. Some people just see conspiracy everywhere they look.

 

[OCGuy]

I can see the hesitation from the AIB thinking this was a PSU issue....

Confused?
His expensive NVidia cards caught fire and he'd like a refund.

Understand now?

Maybe they'll offer him a GTX590 as a replacement....oh wait:whiste:

I really don't understand the purpose of your bolding, other than you are trying to troll people who prefer nVidia?

 

[Hauk]

OP, Zotac tech support hasn't responded to your post yet, and you mentioned receiving little resolution with the initial phone call.

Friendly advice, remain calm and allow a professional amount of time to pass. Don't flame post, this is a rare situation that they have to handle carefully. I bet they'll ask for everything, psu, board, and cards. You're gonna have to stick it out.

In any case, avoid these kind of posts for now. Most people don't care; they'll be entertained at your expense. Good luck bud..

 

[yacoub]

^^^^^ well said. Act like an adult and cooperate. If the problem was caused by one of their parts they will need to establish that and they will most likely then replace all your damaged goods. Give them the opportunity to do so.

Under tort law Zotac should have to make the OP "whole" and put him back into the same position he was in before these GPUs blew up. That includes replacing the motherboard and any other damaged components.

These lawyers can throw all the legal speak in the world at him, but at the end of the day they're bound by tort law and their own negligence, IMO.

I'm actually shocked that Zotac isn't just offering an RMA immediately. It's the least they can do.

Spoken like someone who has jumped to conclusions. We don't even know yet for certain the problem started with either GPU. Until the source of the problem is identified, Zotac is not responsible to replace anything. Slow down with the lynch mob. Until all parts and external circumstances like a power surge or lightning are ruled out, they are NOT responsible or bound to replace anything.

That said, the best way for Zotac to keep folks like you ruining their as-yet-not-responsible brand would be to post that they are aware of the situation and willing to work with the guy to identify the source of the problem, and if it is one of their cards, they will replace the damaged parts free of charge.

That's the best way to handle this to avoid negative press and to also negate the conclusion jumpers.

 

[SlowSpyder]

Well, at least when Fermi's fail they don't make you guess and trouble shoot too much.

I hope Zotac makes everything right for you OP, let us know how it goes.


Baiting is irresponsible and problematic. Inflammatory rhetoric is not productive.
Re:

Well, at least when Fermi's fail they don't make you guess and trouble shoot too much.

Thread doesn't need the trolling.
Idontcare
Super Mod

 

[Black96ws6]

I'm surprised no one was asking if he OC'd both his cards. Those cards draw a lot of watts just by themselves.

Then add two of them together and then possibly OC'd past even the stock OC, that is a LOT of strain on a PSU, plus heat.

Could be the PSU did go out and sent a spike to the cards via the PCI power connector which damaged a component on one of the cards.

Then when the new PSU was put in, it was too late, one of the cards was already getting ready to go...

But would Zotac be liable in this case?

 

[dust]

OP, Zotac tech support hasn't responded to your post yet, and you mentioned receiving little resolution with the initial phone call.

Friendly advice, remain calm and allow a professional amount of time to pass. Don't flame post, this is a rare situation that they have to handle carefully. I bet they'll ask for everything, psu, board, and cards. You're gonna have to stick it out.

In any case, avoid these kind of posts for now. Most people don't care; they'll be entertained at your expense. Good luck bud..

+1

 

[rolodomo]

Not sure, if a psu or power-strip should have tripped before the results we see happened. Obviously they didn't.

Same question here, how could a sustained power draw capable of causing that damage occur without immediately tripping the PSU?

I googled "graphics card fire," "melted," "burned," etc. and I keep getting results where people metaphorically describe their card as having "melted," but nothing literal like this!

Please let us know the cause if you find out.

 

[happy medium]

I'm surprised no one was asking if he OC'd both his cards. Those cards draw a lot of watts just by themselves.

I was under the impression that the computer was sitting idle at home and and he came home and the damage was done. I have never in my life heard of a card melting at idle unless mabe it got wet. If the card got hot it would shut down auto matically, even if he was folding, which he never said he was.

I came home from work on Tuesday, 4/19, to find my system shutdown

 

[3DVagabond]

Same question here, how could a sustained power draw capable of causing that damage occur without immediately tripping the PSU?

Murphy's law clearly states that, "The circuit will blow to protect the fuse".

 

[Axon]

That's crazy. I feel bad for you, OP. I doubt you set your own GPU on fire, and I hope Zotac honors their warranty.