RMA a promotional card?

[Lazzer408]

A friend won a Powercolor RX5700 and it's DOA. Powercolor says contact AMD because they provided it as a promotional item. AMD says contact Powercolor because it's their card. Any advice where to go from here?

 

[Toothless]

Either screenshot and send them both the replies or start causing hell on social media.

 

[ratirt]

Yeah. Let them have a taste of their own medicine bro.

 

[bobbybluz]

Since Powercolor's name is on it they'd appear to be responsible for warrantying it. Of course that wouldn't apply if someplace in the fine print it was stated the GPU didn't come with a warranty.

 

[Jetster]

Lean on Powercolor. Emails phone calls. hopefully you will get someone who cares

 

[ratirt]

Can't you just send it over to powercolor? Don't ask them just send as RMA item and that's it.

 

[bobbybluz]

Lean on Powercolor. Emails phone calls. hopefully you will get someone who cares

From much past experience with RMA's you'll do far better with telephone calls. The key to success is getting them to WANT to help you though.

 

[Lazzer408]

I've read a lot of people are having issues with the RX5700 cards. This one is a no post situation. BIOS hangs at code b2, initializing the GPU's firmware, and hangs there. If I boot off the onboard, the 5700 does show up in device manager. Plugging in a monitor afterwards does nothing. No display detected.

 

[Flyordie]

Dual BIOS? If so flip the switch?

 

[Lazzer408]

Yes dual bios. Neither works.

 

[Toothless]

Can't you just send it over to powercolor? Don't ask them just send as RMA item and that's it.

They'll send it back or toss it.

 

[Vya Domus]

AMD would have nothing to do with this, they don't make the product. Either contact whoever gave him the card or Powercolor. The problem is Powercolor will likely ask for documents to validate the purchase.

I suggest you contact them from another email without telling them anything about how he got the card and see what they say.

 

[ThrashZone]

A friend won a Powercolor RX5700 and it's DOA. Powercolor says contact AMD because they provided it as a promotional item. AMD says contact Powercolor because it's their card. Any advice where to go from here?

Hi,
RMA seems pretty straight forward back to manufacture
Only sticky part is there's no purchase receipt.

 

[qubit]

This is an interesting legal question, because it's effectively a gift, so look at the fine print on the paperwork that came with it and see if that says anything about warranty cover. Who actually gave your friend the card? Which country is he in?

 

[Lazzer408]

Robeytech was the person who did the promotion on Twitch. My friend asked him to help but Robeytech just blocked him and washed his has of the situation. Robeytech was also the one that said it came from AMD so deal with them for RMA.

The card has no serial number. That's the other issue with Powercolor. Well who else made it? No one huh? The fairy f'in godmother made it? lol

 

[Vya Domus]

There is no sticker anywhere on the card ? Really ?

 

[mouacyk]

Who has friends these days?

 

[Vya Domus]

I have to say this is a pretty bizarre situation, without proof of purchase or anything else I can't see any other way to solve this. One thing left to do is smear this Robeytech dude on all social media for not wanting to deal with this issue. I know, sounds awful but it's pretty pathetic to give away something that turned out to be defective and not wanting to help after. Giveaways are meant to drive interest in these channels so it's not like he was just doing a favor, he is using these things to promote himself.

 

[Lazzer408]

There's a model sticker on it. The serial number sticker from what I can tell is normally located just above the PCIe edge but is missing. No indication it was ever there.

 

[AsRock]

This is an interesting legal question, because it's effectively a gift, so look at the fine print on the paperwork that came with it and see if that says anything about warranty cover. Who actually gave your friend the card? Which country is he in?

And as seen it's of his friend there should be no warranty, unless said friend sends it back even if there is one in the first place.

 

[bobbybluz]

This thought just crossed my mind: Was it ever functional to begin with?

 

[Lazzer408]

He built a new PC around this card. He said it worked until he enabled XMP. Saved and exited then got up to use the restroom. When he got back the screen was dead. Never worked again. He even went as far as returning his CPU, mobo, and memory. Still nothing. Hasn't played a single game. I don't know if he even got to the OS install. He's since returned everything since he doesn't have a videocard now. Winning the card was the excuse to build a rig. I offered to have a look at it.

 

[qubit]

Robeytech was the person who did the promotion on Twitch. My friend asked him to help but Robeytech just blocked him and washed his has of the situation. Robeytech was also the one that said it came from AMD so deal with them for RMA.

The card has no serial number. That's the other issue with Powercolor. Well who else made it? No one huh? The fairy f'in godmother made it? lol

I think your friend is SOL. Some dodgy YouTube channel removes the s/n off a card they know is faulty and hands it out to a "winner", for self promotion, that's what happened. I don't think your friend can do anything other than kick up a fuss on social media that this site isn't to be trusted. Unfortunately, that's just likely to drive interest in that site, so not much they can do.

It might be worth them complaining to AMD about this, saying that they're using AMD's good name for dodgy tactics. AMD won't like their reputation damaged like that, so they might just do something. Longshot, but worth a try.