Returning CPU no paste on heatsink!

[Shumbalion]

I ordered some parts to make a new computer, I wanted a powerful computer up and running this week as I have some things that need to be done, my laptop is unable to do. Thus I reluctantly ordered even tho a new chip is coming out at the end of this month. This would have been fine if all went smoothly although id rather the new tech for future upgrades.

However there is a detachable part of the motherboard that is clearly damaged although not required. It is a form of expansion card with a clearly damaged micro-resistor.
I called and asked for a replacement product but was told they would only replace the faulty part, fair enough I guess. However having not had much luck with the rest of it and not to keen on the soldering job all over the main board as well, I wanted the lot replaced hopefully quickly! I was told if I sent it back and the main board worked they would charge me redelivery and a testing fee.
As far as I am aware a ‘product’ is everything in the box, you know what you buy? So this doesn’t sound right or fair to me. Can you clear this up for me?

Moving on
I was told I had to work on it more, updating the bios and such before they would consider taking all of it back as a return. I wasn’t to happy but I gave it another going over .. all night yet I was still unable to make the dam thing work stabile.

I was having issues sometimes detecting the keyboard some times not. Also it was not able to detect my SSD or HDDs or they were detected and reported as faulty! All of them using different cables on different ports with different controllers. A bit of digging it seams that this is a problem that pops up with some SSDs and most people returned the SSD probably due to having the board to start with then an SSD as an upgrade.

So ether way if this works or not it is not worth the hassle, life is to short and if I have to send everything back, I might as well just wait till the end of the month when the new chip comes out!
Joys!

So I phoned up told them I would be returning items and that I would follow up the phone call with an email.
I was told all was fine I’m with in the 7 days my rights give me but they would not take back the CPU for the simple reason it had been used thus there is no longer any usable paste on the bottom of the heatsink! Well do you think they would have taken it back if I had a roasted CPU due to not using the dam thing.. duh!
I find this very unfair, are they with in their rights? All someone needs to do is squirt a little cooling past on the bottom of the heatsink, I even said is give them a tube.
I really can’t afford to keep a CPU I’m never going to use.

Can anyone please help me!
Thanks.

**Edit
My email to them was responded to.
With regards to the CPU heatsink paste they gave me this,
“Unless you have agreed that they can, your customers cannot cancel if the order is for:

goods that, by reason of their nature, cannot be returned, for example, where returning the goods is a physical impossibility or goods that cannot be restored to the same physical state they were supplied in, such as nylon tights that become distorted once worn.”

Surely this is a rather grey area, this is not a set of tights the paste can be replaced for a start! If you reverse there logic, then the faulty motherboard is responsible for the removal of the paste. Thus the motherboard has damaged the CPU product, as apparently that specific spurt of goop is vital to its running.

 

[Witch consumer]

Fortunately I know a tad about computers otherwise I would have wondered what language this was written in

If the motherboard has a faulty onboard component, they have to replace the whole thing, if it was faulty on receipt you are entitled to a full refund under SOGA, thats without your rights under the distance selling regulations, no testing fee, no delivery fee.

The rest is a bit trickier, you do have a right to return it under the DSR, you have the right to open and inspect the goods but the act only says you must take reasonable care of the goods, it does state exclusions but computer bits aren't covered by these exclusions.

 

[Shumbalion]

The rest is a bit trickier, you do have a right to return it under the DSR, you have the right to open and inspect the goods but the act only says you must take reasonable care of the goods, it does state exclusions but computer bits aren't covered by these exclusions.

Thanks

If it is not specified as an ‘exclusion’ under the distance selling regulations then surely they cant say it is now unusable?

Another way of looking at it. I would think I have the right to inspect the goods and it is not possible to inspect a CPU with out plugging it in, and it is not possible to test the supplied cooler with out using it. Am I wrong there? If not then how can they expect it to come back with the original unbroken thermally conductive paste?

What is really bugging me is that a bit of past isn’t going to cost anyone more than a few pennies, yet that is what scan is picking on.

I’m not sure what to say back to them or what action to take.

 

[Witch consumer]

If you had tried it and found it faulty, you could return it under SOGA but I know what you mean, the paste can easily be reapplied, I'm going to gove another mod a nudge on this one.

 

[Shumbalion]

If you had tried it and found it faulty, you could return it under SOGA but I know what you mean, the paste can easily be reapplied, I'm going to gove another mod a nudge on this one.

To clarify.
I’ve not been able to test the CPU fully using all its cores ect so I cant say it is or isn’t up to spec, but it worked in the socket so its certainly not dead. I suspect the CPU is perfectly fine. But until I can test it with something like a benchmark program I can say its fully operational or not sort of thing, how else am I to know how well it will work under a full load? I told them it was ‘untested’ in my email that they didn’t understand to much. Ill explain this to them later once I know what I’m going to say in the rest of the email.

 

[ALewis]

Interesting situation...
If the board is faulty, it makes no odds if the paste is broken - would they not dispose of this anyway?

I'm not fully understanding of the bits and pieces of equipment, however if the whole lot was purchased as part of a package, if one part is faulty, the whole lot goes back.

If I'm catching this right, are they relying on the issue of the paste is now classed as 'used' and therefore not possible to resell? And if this is the case, would they be able to resell the paste anyway?

I suppose you could always ditch the DSR's and opt for SOGA, with your remedy being a full refund due to the breach of condition - as acceptance may not have occured yet - if it's reasonably expected for the board to be subject to tests etc upon purchase.

Also, as they told you to carry out additional tasks with it they cannot state that you can't return due to it being tested. That's idiotic.

Just threaten then with the SCC, they'll soon change their tune... Besides, if they won't budge and if they were to win at court, what's an extra £20 to lose ontop of a useless board? It would certainly be worth a go anyway.

But before SCC etc, just go SOGA route


Edit: was the board package thing made to your specification / made specifically for you - made to order etc?
Because, if so, this may fall under SOGSA too, and you could get your refund due to the quality of soldering, whereby they have not taken 'reasonable care & skill'

Adam

 

[Shumbalion]

Sadly I should think the items are separate things not a package as I picked them out individually myself.

The parts in my order:
CPU with cooler
Motherboard
Memory
Case (that I wish to keep, the fan is faulty but that can be replaced by them no problems)

They all come separate for the buyer to fit together themselves, so long as you have picked compatible items and your able to follow simple instructions its perfectly simple. It’s certainly with in my range of skills. Sometimes firmware needs to be updated, I was told on the phone to update the bios before complaining that the motherboard was faulty for example. Again this is not exactly hard going.

For those not in the know about the part in question.
The CPU sits on the motherboard with the cooler (heatsink) on top. You need the heatsink or the chip will burn up and die! Between the CPU and heatsink you also need a heat conducting paste as tiny air gaps don’t shift heat from the chip to the cooler very well. So the cooler comes with some paste printed on the bottom. If you remove the cooler you need to remove the old paste completely and apply more paste before sitting it back on the CPU. If you don’t you will just trap air again. It is common practise for someone to repast the CPU when reseating the heatsink, its not rocket science its simple.

They have no problem taking the board back as far as I am aware or the memory, the CPU is the issue.

 

[ALewis]

I'm following you now....
But the CPU doesn't work right?

 

[Shumbalion]

The CPU works.

 

[ALewis]

So CPU works, but paste would now be defined as 'used' or whatever they're saying, and therefore according to them, you cant return the CPU...?

Despite them telling you to carry out other tasks which would inevitable mean the paste is 'used' etc?

If they've told you to do certain stuff, and as a result, the paste is affected, its their problem. They told you to do the tasks.
You can return it under DSR's.

 

[Shumbalion]

Yes, tho I was only told via the phone (not recorded) to work with the motherboard more. To work on the motherboard I need a CPU inserted.

So technically I guess the answer is yes but not directly.

 

[ALewis]

It makes no odds whether it was recorded, written or if any evidence exists of the conversation. If you say they said it, they said it - unless they can prove otherwise.

 

[Shumbalion]

It makes no odds whether it was recorded, written or if any evidence exists of the conversation. If you say they said it, they said it - unless they can prove otherwise.

That's a relief!
Thank you very muchly, ill start on my reply to there email and let you know how they react

 

[Shumbalion]

They are denying that on the phone they stated I should test all the items I purchased.

They also questioned that I must have used the CPU and cooler before hand to encounter the problems that made me call them before about the problems.
“This means you must have already installed the CPU into the motherboard along with the supplied cooler in order to identify there was a problem which resulted in your initial call to us?”


I’m wondering if I have any ground to stand on to suggest returning it as an OME chip that’s basically the chip but without the cooler and paste for about £5 less. It’s probably a long shot but it seams a logical and fair trade off on both sides.
Or should I push this deeper?