Do faults like this exist?

[Samtheman1k]

I recently sold a PC to a colleague, and he claimed that it wasn't working (there was no VGA output), so assumed to be a motherboard fault (has on board VGA). However, I receive the PC back, and it's working fine.

I quizzed him on this, and he claims that the motherboard has an intermittent fault, that is somehow rectifying itself during transport.

Does that sound like a fault that could be plausible? My experience of PCs is that it is either working or it is broke, there are no intermittent faults. (All the cables were allegedly checked to be secure, so can't be that).

Do you think that there could be a fault or is he trying to pull a fast one?

 

[Defcon5]

Could definatly be a fault. With my old sktA mobo sometimes one of the ram slots didnt work, sometimes it did

 

[Sp00n]

he trying to pull a fast one?

yes.

I would advise going to this guy's house if you can and make sure he's setting it up properly, it could be an issue with the plug socket or extension cable or numerous other things.

Don't just take his word for it.

 

[nikebee]

*snip*

i think the possibility of something like this is very small, it could happen... but its not very likely.
you said he 'allegedly' checked the cables, so check them yourself to be double sure

yes.

I would advise going to this guy's house if you can and make sure he's setting it up properly, it could be an issue with the plug socket or extension cable or numerous other things.

Don't just take his word for it.

sound advice, best thing to do here is if he is sure it has an intermittent fault then you should go over his house and watch him set it up.
you can see if he's doing anything wrong and correct him.
or just set it up for him and we'll see straight away whats going on.

 

[Sir Random]

I recently sold a PC to a colleague, and he claimed that it wasn't working<snip>

Do you think that there could be a fault or is he trying to pull a fast one?

Sounds like a case of buyer regret. He probably just changed his mind when he got home (or his wife changed it for him), and rather than be honest about it, he's claiming it didn't work.

It is possible that a loose connection caused this, but it's unlikely to have corrected itself on the way back to you.

 

[wizardmaxx]

Did he actually plug it is at the wall

 

[Explicit]

Even if he is telling the truth...no biggie, just stick in a used low-end graphics card into the AGP/PCIe slot. Not sure if you have any lying around from an old build, but you could always look on the bay for a dirt-cheap one.

 

[Corasik]

Mebee he reversed the mouse/keyboard. I've had computers which wont initialise the VGA output with that 'mistake'. All depends on the boot up sequence on the board. Im with Sir Random on this one, probably changed his mind, and is making up excuses.