I recently built a system for my dad and shipped it to him via UPS. I've built and shipped several computers for friends/family, I've worked in the shipping business before, I know how to pack things so they don't break. My dad got the system Monday and called me up, he asks me "umm, is there supposed to be something rattling around in the case?". I don't know what UPS did to it, but the mounting screws were ripped right out of the hard drive. I walked him through reconnecting the HD and the system wouldn't power on. After having him check a few basic things it turns out that the front panel connecters just came unplugged and it fired up. I'm pretty surprised the HD still works and nothing else was damaged from it rattling around loose inside the case. I don't think I'll be using UPS the next time I ship a computer.
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UPS broke my computer...
- Thread starter A-Dub
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2004
- Location
- Rockingham, NC
Did you have insurance? It sucks at any rate but with any of the shipping companies you are basically playing Russian roulette when you ship a PC.
- Thread Starter
- #3
Yeah, it was insured for the full retail value, but I'm glad I didn't have to file a claim after reading some horror stories of people trying to get UPS to pay for broken shipments. It seems like their catch all is "insufficient packing material", even when the item was packed by a UPS store.
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2009
- Location
- Illinois
I have seen similar instances before. What brand was the hard drive? I got an Seagate and the holes for mounting were almost as if they were stripped when I got it. Even using the stock mounting hardware it was a bit loose so I moved up to over sized screws, but still an inconvenience.
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2007
- Location
- antioch ca
ive had this prob in the past as well with dif builds
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2008
- Location
- Cumbria (UK)
Your lucky, sort of. I remember reading a post on a home cinema forum where UPS lost some guys 50" plasma TV. Luckily the manafacturer sent him another as the item had tracking so UPS had to admit it never got delivered. How the hell can anyone loss a 50" TV??
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- Thread Starter
- #9
Hmm, it was a spare 40gb hard drive I hadn't used in a long time...I think it might have been a seagate.
I hear of more stories about UPS damaging stuff, but that might just be because they are the largest shipping company out there...more shipments = more possibility for damage.
I hear of more stories about UPS damaging stuff, but that might just be because they are the largest shipping company out there...more shipments = more possibility for damage.
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2004
- Location
- Rockingham, NC
It wasn't lost, it is sitting in a UPS employees living room somewhere.
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2008
- Location
- Cumbria (UK)
haha, thats exactly what I thought when I read it.
- Joined
- May 25, 2003
- Location
- Irving, Tx
When you ship or transport a PC take the HD out and wrap it up good in bubble wrap in a static bag.
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2009
- Location
- Illinois
That would be best, but I think he was trying to have the computer 100% finished for his dad.
- Thread Starter
- #14
Yeah, the bubble wrap is a good idea but I wanted him to be able to just plug it in and turn it on.
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2009
- Location
- Illinois
Mhm... I think maybe next time use some card board type filling (not styrofoam to avoid static) to fill the spaces in the case so stuff like this doesn't happen.
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2007
United Parcel Smashers
I boycott that company.
Give me EMS any day of the week. More expensive, but no damage, no brokerage charges and quick service.
I boycott that company.
Give me EMS any day of the week. More expensive, but no damage, no brokerage charges and quick service.
I've had UPS damage quite a few computers. They will arrange a pickup or send someone out to take pictures and file a claim. Basically if your box isn't visably damaged and beat up they don't think theres any problem. I will never buy UPS insurance again. In fact, I typically avoid UPS now when its possible. Not saying Fedex is any better, but I know for sure UPS is pure "fail" when it comes to insurance claims.
Yep just yesterday I get partial build friend sent me to finish off. All hard drives were out of bays undone, cpu cooler fan was totally off and hanging down near the bottom of the case. Lucky for me there seems to be no actual damage done but man they don't transport so well.
I haven't really had any problems with UPS. Sometimes they get it right, sometimes not. I ordered a sound card a few years back and they filled the box completely full of packing peanuts >.> kind of overkill, but I'm glad they took the extra precaution. 
- Joined
- May 1, 2004
- Location
- Bronx,newyork
UPS guy has a new TV
except the soda is a brand new tv =PDid you get in contact with UPS store?
i honestly think it goes by area and local service, i know for me my ups driver is great no smashed packages, my boss uses them as well, great service. on the other hand fedex not so great in my area, lazy
but then i again i have heard the opposite from other people sooo i think its all about the driver you get
