BFG RMA question

StevieA · 2 Mar 2010 at 10:56

robin66 said:
I'd run furmark or some other stress test program before downclocking. As you might not need to do so.

MSI afterburner, EVGA Precision and RivaTuner will allow you to downclock the card if there is a need. And downlocking it with one of those programs or any software will not void your warranty. If you flashed the cards bios, then that might be a problem if something went wrong with it afterwards.

Many thanks for this. I did run furmark for about five minutes when I first got the card. Even though the temperature stabilised, it was very high (close to 90 from what I recall) and scared the hell out of me so didn't let it run for longer. No issues though so maybe I'll leave well alone unless I get problems.

robin66 · 2 Mar 2010 at 11:45

90c is normal while running furmark and nothing to worry about.

The card will shut it's self down at a certain temperature before it would melt, about 110c is the shutdown temp.

I run MSI Afterburner on my GTX295 with the fan control settings on. It gets a little loud at times, but keeps my temps in check. And gives me peace of mind.

justin3208 · 2 Mar 2010 at 11:46

justin3208 said:
i just rang them and asked where my card was, told em i'd been in contact a week earlier and they said they wer not able to call back last week hmmm.

anyway i got a call 5mins later to tell me my card is on its way out the door today or tommorow, the website checker just updated aswell only it says they recieved it today when royal mail have a signature from 2 weeks ago lol

anyway ill look forward to unpackaging the replacement sometime next week.

01443816100 that is the phone number if you want to get some info on where your card is. make sure u ask for bfg or you will confuse the **** out of the secretary lol.

so still no card from the call on thrusday to tell me a replacement was being posted out, rang them and just got the call back now to hear that they are waiting on "Stock" from America and i should see some movement later in the week.

coming up to a month since my gpu went to sheep land (no offense you welshy's

) im stuck on my 6 year old intel p4 2.4ghz till further notice.

Ivan Drago · 2 Mar 2010 at 12:17

Which methods have people used to send their cards back? Royal Mail recorded delivery only insures up to £39 (my card would be around £90 new now).

justin3208 · 2 Mar 2010 at 12:27

well i have used Royal mail Recorded both times and both times it has been signed and recieved next day no bother, but if you want that piece of mind i would suggest u get insurance.

£4 from post office, i havent had any bad luck with posting them although i have used lots of insolation in the parcels ie; foam wraps, bubble bags, bubble wraping etc.

analog · 2 Mar 2010 at 12:41

You can arrange them to collect it from you, i assume they will have it insured etc.

I know royal mail next day special delivery insures to a value of at least £150 (cost me £8) if you don't want to sit round all day waiting for fedex to show up and collect it.

Fortyseven · 4 Mar 2010 at 00:09

I used DHL Express from inside W H Smith. Was £12 but the box is free!
The insurance also covered a crazy amount, so I just wrote that it was worth £300.

Andiehuk · 4 Mar 2010 at 08:27

www.parcelforce.co.uk, cost me £12 , insurance £200 or something and they collected. Still haven't got my card back, will chase tomorrow if I don't see the status move today.

caerleon · 4 Mar 2010 at 10:03

Posted my first ever RMA on a Graphics card to BFG. In all my years of building my own systems i have never returned anything so this is a completely new experience for me.

I contacted BFG and despite having some vague data from my side, they were extremely helpful in accepting it for an RMA. I have tried everything to get my 9800GX2 working i have had it for just over a year without issues. I tried to discover if it was infact my setup - tried it on another computer it was the same, anything that requires 3D is jumpy and gives me about 1 frame every 4 seconds. Did all the checks and it looks like a suspect gpu processor. I work in Electronics, so i know a lot about how they are manufactured and mostly work, I was shocked to see defects around the power pins on the inputs.

I posted my card too them on monday and it was signed for by M Alexander Monday morning. I paid £25 quid for 24hr delivery - i think i was robbed on the insurance excess to be honest and have no feedback or they acknowledge that the card has been recieved.

I more concerned that the address on the RMA label does not exist which caused me some concern and i had to enter it manually for booking collection and delivery online with ParcelFarce.

StevieA · 4 Mar 2010 at 12:49

Why all these expensive deliveries? I paid under £6 for Special Delivery at the Post Office - guaranteed next day with up to £500 insurance.

Ziggy4 · 4 Mar 2010 at 14:05

Yep, I paid £8 for special delivery on a 9800 GX2 / GTX 280 with the same £500 cover. This time around BFG arranged for FedEx to collect the card (this morning) so hoping that after almost 3 ******* months I might just get a working replacement this time around. I also got an email from BFG a last week saying they are now testing their replacement cards under load with Far Cry 2 for 1.5 hrs.

Andiehuk · 4 Mar 2010 at 23:21

My card is on it's way from the states now. Delivery end of next week apparently. I hope it works! No idea what card it will be of course. It's taken about 3 weeks so far which included the Wales warehouse move of course.

justin3208 · 5 Mar 2010 at 00:55

i literaly just checked the website and seen it has been collected by fedex in aurora illonois (typo) chicago usa, expected delivery by 6pm March 10th.

they have replaced my 8800ultra with an gtx260 896mb card.

does that seem ok ??

im not too bothered considering my card is almost over 3 years old.

Shakeel · 5 Mar 2010 at 01:41

let us know how it goes

robin66 · 5 Mar 2010 at 11:21

justin3208 said:
i literaly just checked the website and seen it has been collected by fedex in aurora illonois (typo) chicago usa, expected delivery by 6pm March 10th.

they have replaced my 8800ultra with an gtx260 896mb card.

does that seem ok ??

im not too bothered considering my card is almost over 3 years old.

It's a nice upgrade.

Just make sure you test the card, incase it's a duff one.

Ivan Drago · 6 Mar 2010 at 02:23

Just checked my RMA tracker - it says they shipped the day after they received it.

That means they have 'fixed' mine in a day? It will be interesting to see what I get back.

What's a fool-proof way of checking the new card's reliability? 3D Benchmark or similar for x minutes?

justin3208 · 6 Mar 2010 at 02:33

i would seriously doubt they where able to fix ur card on the day it came as they tend to just replace rma's and return faulty 1's to the stats for refurb's

ull likely see the same card or an upgrade like i got.

[TW]Fox · 6 Mar 2010 at 10:43

I think they've just nicked my card if I'm honest. I've heard nothing at all.

DTWD · 6 Mar 2010 at 11:15

I sent my 8800GT OC2 512 to wales on tuesday, they are now shipping me a 9800 GTX OC(E?) 512.

Well I am assuming they are, if you look on your fed ex tracking (does it seem a little excessive to anyone else to ship replacement cards from Chicago?) and look at the invoice number, you can sort of it decode.

Well I say assume because it could well be a coincidence, an amazing one like:

GF98512GTXOCE = 9800 GTX OC(E?) 512mb

DTWD · 6 Mar 2010 at 11:19

Ivan Drago said:
What's a fool-proof way of checking the new card's reliability? 3D Benchmark or similar for x minutes?

Furmark, run it for a bit, but keep it on default options, there is a "burn" option and it apparantly does do that (burn your card), so don't select it.

I would run it for at least 20 minutes, remember this program is maxing your card out constantly, most games won't do that. Keep an eye on the temp, if it gets too high switch it off.

FurMark download - clicky me