Did the RMA guys "bake" my GPU?

[Madcatatlas]

And which do you think im refering to? the industry heavy machine used as a repairing tool as one of several steps to ensure the product is good to go, or the pie machine and "no problem with this card, carry on".

 

[Keysplayr]

Baking is only temporary. It's not a permanent repair.

Says who? Certainly not I. I've baked a few cards already going back to 6800 series. I still have and use that card. What is temporary to you?

 

[3DVagabond]

It is quite ethical to bake a card to repair it assuming they told him they repaired it. Again using a real baking machine will reflow solder joints if they are cracked. Assuming that was the actual issue, it would fix the card. You doing it home in your kid's easy bake oven might make it work again for a few weeks, a proper machine may repair the card for years. Honestly, how do you think they get the parts on there on the board in the first place?

Maybe you aren't familiar with the problem with nVidia cards that requires them to be baked. It's not that they weren't properly baked in the first place and needed to be baked again. The problem was substandard solder. Baking the card again, no matter how you do it, isn't going to correct the problem.

 

[3DVagabond]

Says who? Certainly not I. I've baked a few cards already going back to 6800 series. I still have and use that card. What is temporary to you?

Whatever Keys. I'm glad you think it's ethical, if that was in fact what was done. Remind me to never buy anything off of you.

 

[imagoon]

Maybe you aren't familiar with the problem with nVidia cards that requires them to be baked. It's not that they weren't properly baked in the first place and needed to be baked again. The problem was substandard solder. Baking the card again, no matter how you do it, isn't going to correct the problem.

What I knew about that issue was in passing (never experienced it myself) but I referenced it (as a joke) earlier talking about baking an nvidia card in a toaster oven.

Samething has happened to xbox etc. RRoD is the one of the same ideas and is why the "blanket trick" would work sometimes.

 

[Joseph F]

I seriously cannot understand how someone could be so incredibly stupid to bake their entire card. (or Console for that matter) It's like using a nuclear warhead to take out an individual person. Now if what you mean by "baking" is using a reflow station to reflow an individual component that's a different story.

 

[yacoub]

What is unethical about baking a video card?

Well , since you asked, the unethical part in this hypothetical situationwould be to report that there was nothing wrong with it, when in fact they (hypothetically) identified a problem and implemented a resolution (i.e., a solder crack and the requisite bake).

 

[imagoon]

I seriously cannot understand how someone could be so incredibly stupid to bake their entire card. (or Console for that matter) It's like using a nuclear warhead to take out an individual person. Now if what you mean by "baking" is using a reflow station to reflow an individual component that's a different story.

When it is dead you have nothing to lose really. (Assuming no warranty.)

 

[Joseph F]

When it is dead you have nothing to lose really. (Assuming no warranty.)

Well, the thing is that when you bake an entire console/graphics card/motherboard/etc it will generally burn components such as electrolytic capacitors and won't thoroughly fix a crack in the solder/cold solder joint. Now if baking was the only way to attempt to repair a console/GPU then I'd say go for it; but when you can either buy a cheap reflow station or a heatgun and just heat up the affected part the bake method makes absolutely zero sense.

edit: A cheapo reflow station and/or heatgun are still very crude tools for repairing BGA solder joints. A real professional's rework station with an IR heater and X-ray photography will set you back thousands of dollars and is extremely time-consuming to use but will yield professional results. (If done correctly it may be better than brand-new if I'm not mistaken)

 

[imagoon]

Well, the thing is that when you bake an entire console/graphics card/motherboard/etc it will generally burn components such as electrolytic capacitors and won't thoroughly fix a crack in the solder/cold solder joint. Now if baking was the only way to attempt to repair a console/GPU then I'd say go for it; but when you can either buy a cheap reflow station or a heatgun and just heat up the affected part the bake method makes absolutely zero sense.

edit: A cheapo reflow station and/or heatgun are still very crude tools for repairing BGA solder joints. A real professional's rework station with an IR heater and X-ray photography will set you back thousands of dollars and is extremely time-consuming to use but will yield professional results. (If done correctly it may be better than brand-new if I'm not mistaken)

I agree but your last part hits it on the head. A cheap reflow station will not reflow a 985 ball BGA anyway so "who cares." That is why people do it. Also lots of video cards have gone solid caps etc so they can actually take the 500 degrees ok.

 

[thescreensavers]

What is unethical about baking a video card? I would think that is a method of repair. Repairs cracks in solder points.
What is it that you claim as totally unethical business practices?
And by the way, wouldn't an intermittent short most likely be a fractured or cracked solder point in which baking would usually repair?

Really? Its a band-aid repair, eventually and sooner it will fail again.

Baking isnt permanent.

 

[imagoon]

Really? Its a band-aid repair, eventually and sooner it will fail again.

Baking isnt permanent.

Done correctly it can be. Assuming the issue is a solder issue. I mean they baked it to put it together from raw parts and all.

 

[Pneumothorax]

I would furmark that card for a couple of days just to make sure. Even better would be to furmark to max temp, turn off the computer and cycle on/off until the card pops.

 

[Seero]

Maybe you aren't familiar with the problem with nVidia cards that requires them to be baked. It's not that they weren't properly baked in the first place and needed to be baked again. The problem was substandard solder. Baking the card again, no matter how you do it, isn't going to correct the problem.

I believe Slacker has an AMD video card. I have a 8800GTS and i want it to die ever since i brought it so i overclocked to max since day 1. Unfortunately, it is still kicking so I have it folding 24/7 hoping that it will die since last year. Unfortunately, it is still kicking...

 

[Joseph F]

Why would you want your graphics card to die? If you REALLY want it to die send it to me and I'll pump it full of steel shot from 12Ga 3" magnum shells.

 

[Seero]

Why would you want your graphics card to die? If you REALLY want it to die send it to me and I'll pump it full of steel shot from 12Ga 3" magnum shells.

If computer parts don't dies naturally, then I don't have excuses to buy new ones. I was expecting it to die before my next upgrade at the time, which was a GTX 285. By now, it seems it isn't going to die before my pair of 460GTX goes into the scrap box.

Guess what, there are lots of RED cards in the scrap box. All can be used IF you can find the mobo that runs it.

 

[Joseph F]

Planning on selling any of the cards in your scrap box?

 

[Seero]

Planning on selling any of the cards in your scrap box?

Never knew how to play ebay.

 

[Keysplayr]

Whatever Keys. I'm glad you think it's ethical, if that was in fact what was done. Remind me to never buy anything off of you.

Whatever??? I'm glad you're glad but..... You're taking this personally, aren't you..?
I do not appreciate the charectar assassination attempt either. I've never sold anything that I've ever baked. 3 cards total and I still have them. Wrong of you to assume I would attempt to deceive someone like that and wrong of you to assume that I wouldn't tell the person I'm selling to that I had done so to repair the card. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Back to topic,

Exactly "what" is unethical about baking a card to repair solder fractures? How do you know this hasn't been an employed method for years upon years by board makers? Maybe we could ask Zap? Even if it wasn't/isn't, there isn't anything "unethical" about it.
I wonder if you think RMA only means you'll automatically get a replacement instead of a repair.

 

[Keysplayr]

Well , since you asked, the unethical part in this hypothetical situationwould be to report that there was nothing wrong with it, when in fact they (hypothetically) identified a problem and implemented a resolution (i.e., a solder crack and the requisite bake).

You're saying a hypothetical situation is unethical. One that there isn't a hair of proof for. This is what's unethical then?
Well then, it's unethical for you to say so. Hypothetically.

 

[Chiropteran]

You're saying a hypothetical situation is unethical. One that there isn't a hair of proof for. This is what's unethical then?
Well then, it's unethical for you to say so. Hypothetically.

Huh? He is saying, if they did bake it, it would be unethical for them to report "no problem".

The great part about a hypothetical statement is you don't need to offer proof. If there was proof, it wouldn't by hypothetical at all, it would be a proven fact.

 

[Madcatatlas]

 

[pcm81]

1. Baking a card to reflow solder is accepted method in productionsetting.
2. Vendor has the right to bake the card to refurbish it.

3. The question is: Does the warranty statethat the vendor must replace the card with a new unit or does the warranty allow use of refurbished units to function as a replacement. Use of refurbished units is functionally the same as fixing the card. So does the waranty state that vendor will provide new card or does the warranty state that the vendor will fix the damaged unit?

EDIT:
If any form of fixing/refurbishing has occured it is unethical of the vendor to claim that there was nothing wrong with the card.

 

[Soundmanred]

I'd like to hear your reasoning too.

No.

 

[tijag]

You're saying a hypothetical situation is unethical. One that there isn't a hair of proof for. This is what's unethical then?
Well then, it's unethical for you to say so. Hypothetically.

You can't get the RMA'd board and then claim there was nothing wrong with it, if in fact there was something wrong with it, and you fixed it by baking it.

That is what would be shady.