Should I RMA a RMA'd RMA'd Motherboard?

[dwd]

As the cryptic title suggests, I had a fault on a motherboard (which was still under warrenty) so I RMAed it to SCAN. After a long delay I recieved an identical replacement - even down to being faulty, but this time it would not even stay up for more then a few minutes in MemTest. So I RMAed it again and after another delay recieved yet another identical board. This time the fault it that I can not boot it if there is a disk attached to a specific SATA port.

Having spent >25% the cost of the board on return postage and wasted many days rebuilding my PC and then trying to diagnose the faults, I'm wondering if it is worth RMAing the board yet again. Or would I be better off cutting my losses and buying a new board? (My hesitation is that the existing board has DDR memory and all equivalent new board take DDR II - so it would be quite a bit more expensive as I would need new memory.)

Any thoughts?

[BigBry]

What's the board?
Does google show many others with similar problems?
Scan will probably be prepared to pick the board up from you in the circumstances, you could always ask them.

[dwd]

Does google show many others with similar problems?
Scan will probably be prepared to pick the board up from you in the circumstances, you could always ask them.

So far I have had three boards all with different symptoms. I have tried googling, but there is no obvious pattern.

I have contacted SCAN expressing my disappointment and I am still awaiting a propper reply.

[Philipp]

Please PM me your invoice number and i will look into the issue for you,

Best Regards

[dwd]

Many thanks for the offer, I have sent you a PM with the details.

Alas, it is now getting critical, I need to decide asap whether to RMA the board (for the third time) or abandon hope and just buy a replacement, as the Vista-32 activation grace period has expired on the stand-in PC (what was supposed to be my new Vista-64 desktop with Core2Duo, 4GB memory etc). Does anyone know what happens if you delay activating Vista (it just says it will stop working properly!)?

[this_is_gav]

I think it will stop working essentially. As I remember there'll be a stripped down log-in screen which will only allow you access to Internet Explorer and the activation thingy.

[dwd]

Just to keep you up to date with this, following discussions it has been agreed that I should return the board to SCAN a third time in a month at my expense when they will test it and send be another board to see if it works.

In view of the fact that I now have no confidence that they can deliver a working board and have no "conviction in the SCAN 3XS mindset > Specification - Service - Satisfaction" I have ordered a replacement board from another supplier.

Just to add insult it appears it is my fault, as I should be "keeping in mind the current item in dispute is no longer covered by scans warranty but under manufactures warranty". Now if they had said that in the first place when I asked ... is this board still covered by your warrenty ... I would not have spent the last month messing with the faulty boards they keep sending me.

I'm pleased for the other members of this forum who appear to get a good service from SCAN, but it appears this is not always the case.

[JohnS]

Whiskey Tango Foxtrott...

My post has been deleted because......?

[Philipp]

dwd,

I am sorry that we were unable to come to an amicable resolution, please check your email I have sent details for a collection,

Best Regards

[dwd]

please check your email I have sent details for a collection

Many thanks. I have already replied. My faith in SCAN is now slowly returning