Query on no BIOS support for CPU on new build

Would appreciate some views on this one:

Have built a system for someone and the board specified would not boot with the CPU bought as part of the same order.

Had a spare board myself and spare processor, so tried all the new kit in my spare board and everything booted, so all the new kit's fine. Also tried the new board with spare processor and rest of new kit, plus old kit (memory, HD, optical) and got nothing from the new board. The spare processor was a much lower speed rated model that pre-dated the new motherboard by nearly a year.

When I RMA'd the new board, word came back from the supplier that the board worked fine for them, but just to be safe that they'd flashed the BIOS to the latest version for new processor support. Accordingly, as per their terms, they charged a test fee plus return fee. I've done this kind of thing myself in the past, where a friend bought a 939 3000 single core and we had to use my 939 3800 single core to get his board working, but here I had no chance of this kind of fix.

Now my query is, is it correct that even though I wasn't able to get anything from the new motherboard and it didn't work with anything I tried (new kit, old kit), should I still be charged for the test plus return fee, even though I had no reasonable chance of getting the build working with the motherboard in the state it was in and with the items it was purchased with for intended use?

i take it the proccy that you were trying to use was a 45nm one?

and it is well known for things like this to happen, but alot of manufacturers are sending out boards with flashed bioses ready for the consumer, it's just potluck if the company that you get it from has an older batch from their supliers.

i try to plan ahead by emailing the company to make sure that they flash the BIOS to a usable version before it is sent out if i know that there may be problems (like the rig in 'my system' i emailed komplett to make sure that the BIOS revision supported the 6400+, which it didn't so they flashed it for me for free)

I would say it is fair that you was charged due to the fact the companys tech guys had to spend their time testing and updating the Bios for you. It is up to you to make sure you have the correct hardware before purchasing the goods as long as the company sent you what you asked for.