My experience with MSI motherboard RMA (not good). I need some advice

[minhtri1002002]

Sorry if this is in the wrong board, but I have a question, and also to share my experience with the RMA report.

So I have posted an original troubleshooting question on the forum regarding a failedMSI Z170A SLI PLUS (original thread:Z170A SLI PLUS, debug light shows CPU not detected after installing GPU.). Basically my CPU does not post, and after several suggestions, I was recommended to RMA the board.

Following their advice, I contacted the support team, first through the online "My support" system. I posted two enquiries, and they haven't been answered until now.

Next, I PM them on their Facebook page. Same thing, no answer whatsoever.

With nothing else to do, I reinspected the board. To my horror, I discovered what look like a bent pin. Worried that it might void my warranty, I compared the socket with a picture that I took when unboxing, it seems the pin was already there. Plus, the board has been working for 1 week albeit with some erratic behaviors such as sudden shut down that I initially blamed the OS for (since I didn't know the CPU pin was bent). It only broke when I installed the GPU, which has nothing to do with the socket (so I can confidently rule out the possibility of bending the pin then).

So I created technical support ticket, detailing my problem and observation, as well as highlighting the bent pin issue. What I received was a stock reply tell me to check if there is any pin on the CPU (?!!) and suggest everything that I have done and explained in the request!

I replied immediately, with more or less the same content, highlighting again that the pin was already there, and providing picture proof. The response, again, a one liner tell me to contact my place of purchase, which I already did and told them previously.

Frustrated, I replied one last time, and was greeted with, again, a one liner tell me to contact another guy in charge of out of warranty service.

Fine, I sent him an email anyway, explaining my problem for the third time. No reply yet.

So, I created another ticket, this time a customer service ticket (CSD). And now,another one sentence offering me to pay 45 dollar to repair a fault that I have zero acountability for, without providing any explanation specific to my problem.

At this point, I give up, send them a last reply asking them to reconsider my case.Received the same stock reply, asked me to contact my point of purchase (for the third time)

I already have an outstanding RMA ticket, but is seriously considering dropping it. 45 dollar, plus international shipping, and I could well buy a budget mobo and skip the hassle.

I posted on the forum, another user says he has similar experience. He also mention the post will be deleted if another brand is mentioned, so he PM me instead. At this time, my trust with MSI is gone.

So my question is: Should I 1) still attempt to send in the board while continue to appeal to MSI (cost less, but is troublesome, plus I don't like to pay for damage I don't cause) or 2) just move on, fork out more dollar and buy another premium mobo (not MSI budget mobo this time for obvious reason)?

Please see attached for my correspondence with MSI, and the unboxing picture of the mobo (to help me check if the pin is really bent in the upper right corner). Thank you.

 

[MrGreg62]

Picture does not have near enough detail to see if there is a bent pin. The only thing I see in the supplied picture is that it looks like a cooler has already been installed judging by the marks around the holes. Did you and the retailer not inspect the socket at the time of purchase or was it bought online?

 

[minhtri1002002]

Picture does not have near enough detail to see if there is a bent pin. The only thing I see in the supplied picture is that it looks like a cooler has already been installed judging by the marks around the holes. Did you and the retailer not inspect the socket at the time of purchase or was it bought online?

Yes, it was brought online. The cooler mark was me installing the cooler support halfway then uninstall it, as I took out the socket cover then suddenly remember to take an unbox picture as proof.

So maybe there is no bent pin after all? There is a slight black spot inside the circle.

Do you think I should just RMA the board and cross my finger in this case?

 

[MrGreg62]

I don't see anything circled however I enlarged the picture and see no evidence of a bent pin. Inspect it closely with a magnifying glass to be sure and continue with the RMA if there isn't one.

 

[cyclone3d]

Since the board was faulty when you got it, send it back to the retailer for a replacement and let them deal with the crap RMA department that most companies have.

 

[minhtri1002002]

I don't see anything circled however I enlarged the picture and see no evidence of a bent pin. Inspect it closely with a magnifying glass to be sure and continue with the RMA if there isn't one.

Sure, I will do that and see how it goes. I also attach a picture if you want to have to look.

Since the board was faulty when you got it, send it back to the retailer for a replacement and let them deal with the crap RMA department that most companies have.

Sadly, I could not do that. I live oversea and purchase through a forwarder, who purchased and shipped the item to me using their US card and address. By the time they have the shipment ready and shipped to me, Newegg return period of 30 days had already passed. So I can only rely on MSI for now.

 

[minhtri1002002]

I don't see anything circled however I enlarged the picture and see no evidence of a bent pin. Inspect it closely with a magnifying glass to be sure and continue with the RMA if there isn't one.

Also, just checking, is there any chance they will just mark my RMA case as out of warranty and they will charge me without inspecting the board, because I gave them a reason to (namely gave them the RMA number and mention the bent pin)?

 

[imre]

completely different feel about it, MSI had been far better than ASUS for me.
Though now coming from AMD Athlon X2 world to the FM2 A88X G43 board with a nice X4 860k CPU, the sound is god dam low, i dont understand why it has no umf, its ridiculously low, i have tried stereo settings also but it is very very low.

so dam sad , really.

 

[Ocellaris]

Looks like a slightly bent pin from dipping the CPU corner into the socket during install.

 

[minhtri1002002]

Looks like a slightly bent pin from dipping the CPU corner into the socket during install.

So there is a bent pin. But it should not be there during installation, since the computer still boot fine for 1 week.

Also, do you think I could repair it myself, since I don't want to pay MSI for damages I didn't do?

 

[i7Baby]

A bent pin can cause problems one time with a CPU install or no problems next time - if it is only partly bent.

Was the mobo in a sealed anti-static bag when you received it?


In the mobo manufacturing process, the last step before packing is a full test - using the cpu socket. If the mobo passes then its shipped as a 100% working unit. If later its claimed that a CPU pin is bent then the manufacturer has enough confidence to deny the claim.

In your case, you bought it from a non authorised outlet (the forwarder). I'm sure MSI will continue to deny the claim. I don't know whether the forwarder will also. The dispute could go on for a long time. I find it 'cheaper' to just pay the price of getting the CPU socket replaced and the mobo re-tested.

Even by paying, especially if you're overseas (eg using a forwarder), you'll have to wait up to say 2 months or more till your board is returned.

 

[lukart]

Since the board was faulty when you got it, send it back to the retailer for a replacement and let them deal with the crap RMA department that most companies have.

Had my time with RMA from MSI and this is a good advice, just send back to the shop and let them deal with them.

 

[thesmokingman]

So there is a bent pin. But it should not be there during installation, since the computer still boot fine for 1 week.

Also, do you think I could repair it myself, since I don't want to pay MSI for damages I didn't do?

You probably should have not mentioned the pin. Since you mentioned it, they stop rma and refer to damage clause in their process. That said, I fix bent pins when I see them. 90% it is easily fixed. Grab a big magnifying glass and a toothpick and gently push/guide the pin back. Gently...