OLQ / RMA Query / Help

[sleepyhead]

Hello Scan people.

I submitted on saturday a Technical Query and was pleasantly surprised I had a response back that same day.

The Technical Query was asking for advice before wasting people's time (and money) RMA'ing only "suspect" components.

The OLQ number I believe is <snipped>

Anyhow, the point of the post is that the PC is very unstable now and it's easier for me to get online at work rather than at home now (I battled all weekend to get it to load windows correctly and then it BSOD when trying to playback video media last night).

I believe it is a hardware fault yet I cannot determine which component it is (as I do not have enough compatible spares to test). I believe Michael W is assisting me at the moment through the OLQ.

I have been through 3 sets of Ram and I still have issues whenever running anything remotely memory intensive (crashing to desktop to BSOD), which would lead me to believe it is the motherboard, yet I do not want to route the motherboard back and it being found with no faults thereby wasting everyone's time and money.

Is it feasable to RMA the CPU, Motherboard and both sets of RAM (that I still have) under 1 RMA (even though there are 3 different invoice numbers)? As stated before, I can not individually check each of the core components as I have no compatible spares. Would I have to pay for the testing done on the components that are found with no faults (including shipping)?

Or if I purchase an identical motherboard, and my assumption is right, I can RMA the old board but if my assumption is wrong I can return the board in 7 days?

Thanks in advance for any help given.

I love my PC so when it's down, I miss it and want it back up and running asap.

Extra info:
PC has not been overclocked.
RAM set to Corsair recommendations, tested with looser timings.
Install of winXP on a brand new Samsung HDD failed to copy the setup files. (winXP nstall CD works, tested in another machine.)

[Mark@SCAN]

PM Sent

[sleepyhead]

Thanks Mark. I just sent an updated email back to you guys on the contents being sent and the disposition should any of the components fail test.

If there is any further information required (to replicate errors), I will try my best to provide.

[sleepyhead]

I just tried tracking my RMA through the website (to ensure Citylink definitely collected and delivered the parcel) but I don't seem to be entering the correct invoice number.

On another note, my ordering history only has 3 completed orders I know I bought from you guys more than 3 times. Is there a reason why only a select 3 are showing?

Could someone confirm to me the parcel was delivered safely and if possible provide me with the correct invoice number the RMA was raised against? I will PM the relevant person the RMA number once a member of Scan points me in the right direction.

Thanks.

[DavidM]

On another note, my ordering history only has 3 completed orders I know I bought from you guys more than 3 times. Is there a reason why only a select 3 are showing?

Yes- you only placed 3 orders on the account with the Free carriage.

Quite a few others where created on your second account.

[sleepyhead]

OMG...i made two accounts...

Really sorry fellas

Any chance you can merge the two accounts?

[DavidM]

Sadly not - but if you log with the second accounts details - you'll see the other orders.

[sleepyhead]

Oh no...I don't even know the details to log onto account number two!



How on earth did I even do that...

[EDIT]
Scrub that. Managed to log into account number two.
Jeesh, what an IDIOT I have been.

Oh and thank you LOADS DavidM for your superbly quick PMs. Much appreciated help.
[/EDIT]

[DavidM]

At least you can view them both now

[sleepyhead]

BTW any news on the RMA or who to PM the RMA number to so I can track progress via the website? (The invoice number I thought it was raised under is not being recognised with the RMA number.)

[sleepyhead]

Current status of your RMA: Items Tested, No Fault Found

...

In all seriousness I am confused.

I ran memtest86+ with each RAM Module in each ram slot and it failed test 7 each and everytime. I am surprised at the speed though, as I only shipped the parts yesterday.

Could one of your returns people assist me in letting me know what was tested and how? It'll help me if this is my problem not hardware related.

[EDIT]
Spoke to Mark on the phone. I presume this is the same Mark as Mark@scan here.

Very nice guy; thanks for letting me talk through with you how I arrived at my conclusion of hardware fault and many thanks for putting the parts back in through test. Oh and thanks for sorting out why the web tracking wouldn't work.

I have to applaud at the speed of the RMA process though. Really am pleased at how slick the process is.

Thank you all at Scan so far for the assistance.
[/EDIT]

[sleepyhead]

Sorry to bump this.

As by last edited post says, I asked for a re-test and was happily told it would be.

Does this mean I get a new RMA number? I forgot to ask Mark on the phone if this was the case.

I use the current RMA and Invoice number it is showing as the RMA process being complete.

[Lee H]

No - on a retest a new RMA number is not required and as such you can still trace/track it using the same reference.

[sleepyhead]

Seemed to have hit a slight hic-cup.

Called up to check status on the retest and the person I spoke to (not Mark) couldn't find anything on the notes about a re-test.

Whoever I spoke to sent the request to re-test the parts but it means it won't be tested until early next week.

The intial testing was slick but the follow up has hit a bit of a bump.

Lets hope memtest will sort out finally if it is hardware or user (me) issue.

[sleepyhead]

Checked status and I read...

Customer fault report: Customer requires re-test in Memtest
Scan diagnosis: I have already run Prime95 on the CPU and the RAM in Vista64 after a full install.

So does that mean no memtest86+ performed as Prime95 works? Was there no re-test?

Unfortunately I can only feasibly call after 5pm hence posting here during my work hours and perhaps an answer/explanation before I call later on this afternoon.

Thanks in advance.

[EDIT]
Spoke to Returns and it seems the intial fault was blurred, ie I used the example of failing to install XP as a reason why the memory may or may not be faulty. I'm sure the tester (Lee) hates me by now...after all 3rd request to perform a simple ram test through memtest86+. I did attach url links to screenshots of the RAM failing memtest on test 7 (between 400 and 1200 errors depending on RAM Module and DIMM Slot) on an email yet this failed to surface (again partly my fault as I thought I had to encase the link with url tags which messed up the url line by adding [/url] at the end of the link).
Pleasant enough to deal with via the phone but it does seem difficult to have memtest86+ performed to ease my mind. Am I being too awkward here?

For completeness sake, here are the pictures (links to) of pictures (from my camera phone) of the setup and failure of memtest86+ (that was sent via email).

Bios settings:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2.../BIOSPage1.jpg
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2.../BIOSPage2.jpg

Memtest result with Slot 1 and 3 installed:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2.../Slot1and3.jpg

Memtest result with Stick 1 in Slot 1:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...tick1Dimm1.jpg

Memtest result with Stick 1 in Slot 2: (ignore pass, I was playing with memtest...oh and i deleted the wrong picture by mistake, 1 pass had not yet been completed!!!)
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...tick1Dimm2.jpg

Memtest result with Stick 1 in Slot 3:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...tick1Dimm3.jpg

Memtest result with Stick 1 in Slot 4:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...tick1Dimm4.jpg

Memtest result with Stick 2 in Slot 1:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...tick2Dimm1.jpg

Memtest result with Stick 2 in Slot 2:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...tick2Dimm2.jpg

Memtest result with Stick 2 in Slot 3:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...tick2Dimm3.jpg

Memtest result with Stick 2 in Slot 4:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...tick2Dimm4.jpg
[/EDIT]

[sleepyhead]

Communication works! (Calling and talking through the problem and re-testing requirements)

memtest86+ carried out, failed test 7 so repeatability has finally occured. Motherboard is at fault so replacement on the way.

Thank you guys for listening to my ramblings and re-testing with memtest86+.

I look forward to getting all the parts back for rebuild.