How to deal with OcUK on this issue

[Dave Williamson]

Let me start this thread by saying that the OcUK staff have been very good with me so far and I appreciate their efforts to help, but this is the first time that I've had the luxury of having a bit of cash to spend on a computer and all I want is a functioning piece of kit that does what I paid for...

Without going into all of the details of just how many issues I've had over the last 3 weeks, RMA's, swapped components and still a non functioning PC I've now also found that the Mobo that was supposed to allow me to Tri-SLI is actually not really capable of such, not without losing every other slot on the board, having to remove front case connections from the motherboard and throw away my Tuniq Tower that is.. so to say I'm p***ed off is an understatement.

I spent a £160+ on an MSI P7N Diamond mobo because I felt that a nice steady upgrade path would be to drop in extra 8800GTX's as time went by, first SLI and then Tri-SLI.... I would also add whatever was the latest and most powerful socket 775 CPU that there was available at the time, thereby hopefully giving me incremental upgrades in GPU & CPU power..

This seemed like a reasonably good idea to me and I explained this to OcUK sales and the guy seemed to agree, I asked if this mobo was indeed capable of such a thing and was told yes of course, no problem..

I currently own a £900 paper weight (thanks to other as yet undefinable problems, I'm currently awaiting newly purchased RAM) but I now find that once I actually do get the thing to install an OS, that it then isn't even capable of doing that which I bought it for, Tri-SLI... I could have saved a lump of cash and gotten a cheaper SLI board.

GTX8800 in first slot means that I can't use my Tuniq Tower as its fan speed control can't reach the 3rd fixing bracket position, it needs to fit in either one of the first 2 positions taken up by GTX card... I also lose one of the short PCI-E slots

GTX8800 in second slot means that I lose my only PCI slot and cannot use my S/card, this motherboard does not have onboard sound and anyway I want to use separate card, thats another reason why I bought a mobo without onboard sound.

GTX8800 in third slot means that I lose last remaining PCI Express slot but worse than that I have to unplug my front case connection for firewire, and it would appear that I would crush the wires going into JPF1 and JPF2 (HDD Light, Power, Reset Switches etc) I didn't try pushing the card all of the way in for fear of damaging them...

So if I were to try to fit 3 x GTX's in my PC as things stand now, then I would have my CPU fan speed control loose inside the case.. I would not be able to have my souncard fitted as it does not fit the only remaining option on the board which is a 1 x speed short PCI-E slot and even then it would be jammed tight up against the middle GTX card even if it did fit... I would have no connection up front for firewire and maybe even power/resets etc

I'd like to return this board and exchange it for another, it doesn't even have to be cheaper, infact I don't mind paying more if the board that I'm getting is value for money, but what really bothers me, is paying over the odds for a board because I believed (and was told) that it would be capable of doing what I wanted it to do without it effecting all of my other components... It plainly doesn't..........

So... I'd like to know your thoughts and suggestions if you would..

Do you think that I am entitled to be able to exchange it for another board that will actually do what I paid for, I don't actually care now if its Single or SLI, just a good board that does what it says on the tin??

Thanks for any input fella's

Dave.

 

[Dave Williamson]

Thanks for the input guys

I actually did do a lot of research, it's something that I always do but nowhere did I find a review of the board that showed it with 3 x cards in it nor one that mentioned that I would have to remove onboard plugs (Firewire and front case connections)

The reviews extolled the virtues of the board but I don't think that any reviewer actually tried to Tri-SLI or do so with the board actually in a case.

I asked many questions too, even on these boards, my threads are still there for all to see, so I genuinely feel that I did try to get a handle on everything before I spent my hard earned.

In my defence, I've never had hold of a GTX8800 before or any similar card as its about 4-5 years since I last upgraded a PC and all of the new equipment is beyond anything that I've ever dealt with before, I couldn't even envisage that this 8800 bad boy was going to be such a big beast, so understanding just how much they encroach on every other part of the system was something that I've had to learn by experience, I don't really know what more I could have done than ask the experts (OcUK sales) if this board was ok to take another two 8800GTX's

Please remember that my main issue here isn't losing all of the slots, it's the fact that with the best intent in the world it will NOT take 3 x 8800GTX's without losing funtionality.

Even with only one GTX I am already having issues, I can't fit it in the slot closest to the CPU as this means that the big volume control/fixing bracket of the Tuniq Tower is loose inside the case as the wires feeding it from the fan aren't long enough to strech over the GTX and reach the third fixing bracket along.

I can't fit the GTX into the middle slot as that covers over the only PCI slot available so nowhere to fit my s/card.

I can't fit the GTX in the last slot as it means removing the plugs that feed the firewire and front case buttons which of course is not really an option, I can live without firewire but not Power/Reset etc..

Bin Boy, the reason I have a PCI s/card is that the one that came with the motherboard had a manufacturing fault and was returned to OcUK, it was agreed between both parties that rather than break open and destroy a whole motherboard package that they would send a standalone PCI card instead, unfortunately neither of us were aware that installing the GTX in the middle slot would remove the option of the PCI card..

My only option at this moment with only one GTX is to fit the card in the first slot and leave the big fan control/fixing bracket inside my case which is bloody awful, so in reality its already a mess a mess and I haven't even considered buying GTX's 2 and 3..

I think that there are fair arguments for both sides here, but I genuinely feel that I made a concerted effort to make sure that everything would work together and that this board would do as I wished (future upgrading) I can only hope that the guys at OcUK can look at this kindly, as I say they have been great so far, and although i'm incredibly frustrated at trying to find whatever problems are causing me to currently own a non functioning pc for the last 3 weeks I know its not the fault of the resellers and appreciate them trying to help me fix it....

As far as this mobo issues goes though, I was advised that it would indeed to what I described I wanted it to do...

Anyway, fingers crossed as I will be approcahing the guys and explaining my dilemma..

Thanks again
Dave.

Edit: Wow in the time it took to write this there has been numerous posts added and even pics... LOL, thanks lads, glad of your input.

chaparral, that is some set-up dude....

Dave

 

[Dave Williamson]

That's not my rig.....(See tweaktown Link above pictures)

Ah right.... nice link..

Right, the motherboard return discussion may yet be a moot point as tonight I've recieved and fitted my new RAM, I've swapped out 4GB OCZ 800Mhz Reaper HPC for Corsair 4GB DDR2 XMS2 Dominator 1066Mhz and still can't install Vista as the machine reboots or locks repeatedly during installation...

All that is left now that hasn't been swapped out of this whole system is the graphics card and the motherboard..

The machine that I'm now using to type this reply has a 7900GTX in it, so I will try that in my new build later tonight and if it still reboots/locks then it just has to be the motherboard.... doesn't it??

 

[Dave Williamson]

Hi mdjmcnally

I should have said of course , but I have only been using 'single' sticks throughout the whole process over the last 3 weeks as I was indeed aware of the limitation, but thanks anyway fella.

Dave