Dead graphics card and the RMA process

Bikewer · 21st July 2008, 07:28 AM

A couple of weeks ago I was mightily annoyed when my graphics card died. I had just bought this computer a year before, actually just a hair over a year. Newegg says very clearly on their site that they do not handle warranty; strictly the manufacturer.

So, I e-mailed ABS (the maker, or at least the putter-together of stock components...) to find I was indeed about a month out of warranty.
I mentally resigned myself to having to buy a new card, doubly annoying since we're a bit short of cash.
The nice fellow said I should check with EVGA, the graphics-card maker.

What's to loose? I had never even heard of "RMA". The folks at EVGA were extremely helpful, assuring me that the card had a two-year warranty, and after I sent them a copy of my NewEgg invoice, they e-mailed me a mailing label and instructions.
My new card is due to arrive today; got the automated phone call from UPS last night.

Dunno what I'm getting....The 7600GT has been phased out. Still, for the price of the UPS fee, I'm getting a new graphics card out of the deal.

MrQhuest · 21st July 2008, 09:17 AM

RMA. Return Merchandise Authorization / Approval
Depending on the company and warranty you may get an identical model, renewed/rebuilt/refurbished, or a new/used equivalent model.
You may want to ask the manufacturer about the warranty(if any) of the replacement product.

Shrug. Good luck

MrQhuest

Don At Work · 21st July 2008, 09:52 AM

I have used EVGA for a very long time. LOVE the company.

Also love my "new" 8800GTS that i just got from them.

Mongrel · 22nd July 2008, 06:14 AM

Originally Posted by MrQhuest

You may want to ask the manufacturer about the warranty(if any) of the replacement product.

Most of the time the replacement part is treated as the 'old' component for warranty purposes. Treating the item as an entirely new purchase makes for a very abusable system

Bikewer · 24th July 2008, 05:38 PM

Just took delivery of a nice new 8600GT card yesterday, and installed it today. Had a minor glitch; seemed there was a conflict with the driver for the old 7-series card which was still on the computer.
Removed that in "safe mode" and all was well. EVGA was very helpful, and the tech guys were not apparently Pakistani...
The new card carries the same two-year warranty.

Gate2501 · 24th July 2008, 06:25 PM

I just got my EVGA 9800 GX2 in the mail a few days ago and much to my dissapointment they are requiring a 6 pin AND 8 pin power connector to juice the new cards.

I made the 8 pin out of a 6 pin and 2 molex grounds (and a lot of solder and electrical tape).

Waiting on that burning cookies smell to come out of my PSU any moment.

EVGA does always make the best cards though, I have never had a fan go bad on one. I say this because I have had a fan go bad on 2 separate XFX cards and an MSI.

four elevener · 24th July 2008, 11:58 PM

I have an EVGA 8800GT (factory-overclocked 640 MB'er)...a big improvement over my two year old 6800 GT. What sucks is that within eight months of getting that card, nVidia came out with not one, but two successors: the 9000 series as well as the brand new GT200 series. Ugh!

Mongrel · 25th July 2008, 03:02 AM

Originally Posted by tripi

I have an EVGA 8800GT (factory-overclocked 640 MB'er)...a big improvement over my two year old 6800 GT. What sucks is that within eight months of getting that card, nVidia came out with not one, but two successors: the 9000 series as well as the brand new GT200 series. Ugh!

Well the 9000 series uses the same G92 chipset that you've got on your 8800GT.

Oh, never play the "If only I'd waited I could have got a....." unless you're splashing out for a new PC every month you'll always be lagging. Learn to accept it

21st July 2008, 07:28 AM	#1
Bikewer Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: St. Louis, Mo. Posts: 9,522	Dead graphics card and the RMA process A couple of weeks ago I was mightily annoyed when my graphics card died. I had just bought this computer a year before, actually just a hair over a year. Newegg says very clearly on their site that they do not handle warranty; strictly the manufacturer. So, I e-mailed ABS (the maker, or at least the putter-together of stock components...) to find I was indeed about a month out of warranty. I mentally resigned myself to having to buy a new card, doubly annoying since we're a bit short of cash. The nice fellow said I should check with EVGA, the graphics-card maker. What's to loose? I had never even heard of "RMA". The folks at EVGA were extremely helpful, assuring me that the card had a two-year warranty, and after I sent them a copy of my NewEgg invoice, they e-mailed me a mailing label and instructions. My new card is due to arrive today; got the automated phone call from UPS last night. Dunno what I'm getting....The 7600GT has been phased out. Still, for the price of the UPS fee, I'm getting a new graphics card out of the deal.

21st July 2008, 09:17 AM	#2
MrQhuest Thinker Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 148	RMA. Return Merchandise Authorization / Approval Depending on the company and warranty you may get an identical model, renewed/rebuilt/refurbished, or a new/used equivalent model. You may want to ask the manufacturer about the warranty(if any) of the replacement product. Shrug. Good luck MrQhuest
MrQhuest Thinker Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 148

21st July 2008, 09:52 AM	#3
Don At Work Scholar Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 117	I have used EVGA for a very long time. LOVE the company. Also love my "new" 8800GTS that i just got from them.
Don At Work Scholar Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 117

22nd July 2008, 06:14 AM	#4
Mongrel Begging for Scraps Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: 20 minutes in the future Posts: 1,640	Originally Posted by MrQhuest You may want to ask the manufacturer about the warranty(if any) of the replacement product. Most of the time the replacement part is treated as the 'old' component for warranty purposes. Treating the item as an entirely new purchase makes for a very abusable system
	__________________ “Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.” - Charles Darwin ...like so many contemporary philosophers he especially enjoyed giving helpful advice to people who were happier than he was. - Tom Lehrer

25th July 2008, 03:02 AM	#8
Mongrel Begging for Scraps Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: 20 minutes in the future Posts: 1,640	Originally Posted by tripi I have an EVGA 8800GT (factory-overclocked 640 MB'er)...a big improvement over my two year old 6800 GT. What sucks is that within eight months of getting that card, nVidia came out with not one, but two successors: the 9000 series as well as the brand new GT200 series. Ugh! Well the 9000 series uses the same G92 chipset that you've got on your 8800GT. Oh, never play the "If only I'd waited I could have got a....." unless you're splashing out for a new PC every month you'll always be lagging. Learn to accept it
	__________________ “Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.” - Charles Darwin ...like so many contemporary philosophers he especially enjoyed giving helpful advice to people who were happier than he was. - Tom Lehrer

24th July 2008, 05:38 PM	#5
Bikewer Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: St. Louis, Mo. Posts: 9,522	Just took delivery of a nice new 8600GT card yesterday, and installed it today. Had a minor glitch; seemed there was a conflict with the driver for the old 7-series card which was still on the computer. Removed that in "safe mode" and all was well. EVGA was very helpful, and the tech guys were not apparently Pakistani... The new card carries the same two-year warranty.

24th July 2008, 06:25 PM	#6
Gate2501 Graduate Poster Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,377	I just got my EVGA 9800 GX2 in the mail a few days ago and much to my dissapointment they are requiring a 6 pin AND 8 pin power connector to juice the new cards. I made the 8 pin out of a 6 pin and 2 molex grounds (and a lot of solder and electrical tape). Waiting on that burning cookies smell to come out of my PSU any moment. EVGA does always make the best cards though, I have never had a fan go bad on one. I say this because I have had a fan go bad on 2 separate XFX cards and an MSI.

24th July 2008, 11:58 PM	#7
four elevener Master Poster Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 2,800	I have an EVGA 8800GT (factory-overclocked 640 MB'er)...a big improvement over my two year old 6800 GT. What sucks is that within eight months of getting that card, nVidia came out with not one, but two successors: the 9000 series as well as the brand new GT200 series. Ugh!