P/// and RMA

[Mr B]

Ok, I know the answer, and I shouldn't, but I'm gonna ask anyways...:(

I just bought a P/// 850E thru e-BAY. I got it cheap, as it said right in the listing that it hangs in the BIOS. I knew full well going in that it might be a dud.

I was hoping it might have been something other than the cpu itself, but it arrived yesterday, and it does indeed hang in the BIOS.

On these boards;

A-Trend mobo, it gets into the BIOS, and I could spend all day there, changing settings, but as soon as I try to load the OS, it restarts the PC. The WinME splash screen comes up, goes black, and reboots. Every time.

Soyo 6BA+III, posts, but doesn't even get into the BIOS at all.

Asus P3C2000, won't even boot.

Now, first off, how do I figure out from the numbers is this is a retail or OEM chip?? The numbers are:

850/256/100/1.65v S1
00300494-0134 Costa Rica
'00 SL43F

Second, I didn't get this with the OEM HSF, it came with some cheezy CompUSA looking HSF (and looking at the contact point of the sink, it almost looks like the guy didn't put any thermal paste on before mounting the P/// to it.)

I've got the HSF from my old 600E, which would be identical to the one that came with the 850E. There are numbers on the fan itself.

Plus, I've lapped the intel HSF (when I mounted it on my PII 233).

So, if I tried to RMA it to intel, with a lapped P///600E HSF without the intel "thermal pad" still in place, how quickly would it get tossed in the bin, and something sent to me saying, "Are you on glue?!?!? You really think we're gonna replace that?!?!?"

Think there's any chance of me RMA'ing this bugger??

(Somehow, I know the answer's gonna be no....just thought I'd pose the question though.... :( )

I went to intel's website looking for RMA info, and they mention needing a "box" number. I don't have the box that it came in. Has anyone RMA'ed a chip with intel without having this info??

TIA!

Mr B

[JaY_III]

sorry MR B but without the box i dont think you have any chance to RMA that chip as the sspec is also an OEM sspec.
So you have no proof it is boxed....
and we all know OEM only has a 30 day warenty.

But if you dont mind losing that heatsink, might be worth a shot...
or you could always buy a OEM intel heatsink for like $5 and try to send it back like that.

But you are right, odds dont look to good.
And what did you pay for that keychain? um err 850

And have you tried to boot to good old dos yet?

[Mr B]

Nope, haven't tried DOS yet...lol I was thinking that, oddly enough.... that and Win3.11 (I've got that somewhere's about on floppy.. )

$72.00, shipped for the price of this "keychain" =( I really was hoping the seller missed something in the BIOS setting it up, or had some kind of hardware conflict, or his board didn't support the chip... Not the case though.

UGH. Anyone wanna buy a duck? lol :(

I'm still trying to figure out how it hangs in the BIOS, and causes the machine to reboot. I always thought a CPU either worked, or it did not work, not this weird "Purgatory" this chip now inhabits.

*sigh* Live and learn.

Mr B

[Super]

Knock 3 times on it, and see what it does :)

but seriously, I know my celley hanged like that when it didn't have proper voltage (I had too little, more CV fixed the problem)

You might want to take a look at it so no bridges or anything look fried or something.

and try selling it through e-bay too... someone might want it the same way you did. :)

[JaY_III]

Do you have a PORT 80 card?
rthat may be able to help you bit.
and have you tried (gods of overclocking please have mercy on me for what i am about to say) underclocking it?

[Jon]

My 1GHz was a retail chip but I got my RMA without the box...the place that sold it to me just gave me the innards (weird eh?). Everything was still packaged but it's like they just kept the box...possibly for display purposes (was a real rinky dinky shop).

I say try it. Only information they got from me was what I got from the chip itself and they took it no problem.

As far as them being able to tell whether it's OEM or not...well, I don't know but it's worth a try. If they don't accept it they will tell you over the phone. If they do accept it, they can't get it in and then reject it because it's a done deal. They also Next Day Air it out to you via UPS.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

[Mr B]

Jon...thanks for the info. It's really nothing ventured, nothing gained at this point.

I didn't try underclocking it, but also the only board I could even get INTO the BIOS on didn't have any provision for vcore adjustment. If I can get it to boot on that board again, I just might try that (again, nothing ventured.....).

Hmmmm..a P/// 566 not even an "E"?!?! Might be interesting.

:eek:

**I'll also bear in mind what your "sig" says, Jon. =) **

[Propilot]

Mr. B..............What luck you have.
Ebay has burned you three times! First the two Be6's and now that processor. Will it ever end? :)

But seriously I hope you get it fixed.