I'm through with EPOX.

They really blew this guy off and if that's the way they handle warranty claims henceforth I'll use another board.
http://www.8rda.com/

EDITED on 12/30/03: Happy New Year everyone!
Much to my chagrin I learned EPOX pulled out of the USA along with Soltek so I'm done with both of them and that seals my decision to use another MB from here on out. Been reading many good things about the ABIT NF7-S so will definitely go ABIT next time. Besides, their name is ABIT USA. God Bless America!

I've never bought an Epox board before and now I know I won't. I've always had Asus boards. I did though once buy a Gigabyte board and for two days I was unable to figure out why it wouldn't post. I tried everything, took it back to the retailer I bought it from and got the Asus I have now thats in my sig. Sure it was an extra $30 at the time. But I knew I wouldn't have any problems with the Asus. I've had that board for a year and 8 months now. Man time flys lol. I'm now looking for a new board and after reading all the forums here I'm inclinded to get an Abit next.

I concur.

I have two EPOX and one Soltek that work like a dream but Epox doesn't exactly have a conrner on the motherboard market because there are a LOT of good boards on the market today. I quit with Soltek because they pulled out of the USA.

It just don't make for good customer realtions to blow the guy off like that because Epox's cost on the now antiquated 8RDA is probably twenty - thirty bucks. Heck, the guy was such an avid Epox user he set up a website that didn't cost Epox a darn dime and you would think they'd take that into consideration and give him a new board if nothing but to say thank you.

Thing to do is send Epox an e mail (get their address off the link) and tell them you think that wasn't the right thing to do. I say us geeks and nerds all have to stick together and if one of us gets the shaft then we all get shafted. There's strength in numbers and power to the people!

Was the board overclocked? Even if that strange burn had nothing at all to do with his overclock, all warranties are void as soon as the overclocking begins. We just have to deal with that.

I'd have to imagine it's a failing component somewhere. That would be the only explanation for such a long-term occurrence.

What he doesn't mention on his website, but what is recorded in another forum, is that Epox contacted him through a forum and sent him another board. The damage is done, but Epox did step up and make it right.

Wow!

Torqued him off ! Would make me mad too.

I don't blame him either.

What a shame really.

I have to admit, I really have enjoyed working with Epox in the past as their boards are fantastic, however as a computer reseller I cannot deal with the brushoffs. I have two boards, a 8k3a which was doa however we had it in stock, hadn't tested it, yet is still in its warranty period, and a 8k5a3+ which ran great until the onboard raid controllers ceased to function. I was given the run around constantly. I am still waiting for rma numbers for the two boards, if they follow through I may give them another chance, however I'm not holding my breath. Products are excellent but their customer service is lacking. What erks me is that I'm not a end-user, I am a reseller, I believe the runaround they gave me was totally unacceptable. If I buy it, its under warranty, and I specify that the board is no longer functioning after extensive troubleshooting, I want the damn product replaced!

- ThePCGuy

Yes... epox did give me an RMA number but I have not yet receive the board... that incident is not yet over and... another one of my epox mobo die too...

it is a 8kha+ and also has a strange burn mark... it was used in my younger brother's machine... unfornately... it is out of warranty (purchase before sept 2002)... that board never OCed... I will post pics soon...

check epox warranty page
http://www.epoxusa.com/rma/warranty-policy.asp?lang=1

it mention nothing about if a mobo is overclocked consider void the warranty... only closest thing might be misuse.... however, increase cpu vcore within bios limitation is not misuse. That is still within the motherboard's specification. Yes OCed automatically voids your CPU's warranty I definately agree with you. However, if epox today allow their mobo vcore to be set at 2.2v, then they better support it... just like asus... they set max vcore at 1.85... if you want to use more then 1.85v then you need to MOD it with automatically voids the warranty....

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I actually have 5 epox board.. but one was last due to bad soldering job which I have no one to blame but myself...

After I upgrade to 8rda, I give my old mobo 8KHA+to my younger Brother..... he don't live with me but as soon as I got that board.. I will post pics... I made a rig for my GF... and she is using 8RDA+.... I have anohter mahcine which I used as file server ... it is using 8KHA+ as well....

I loved Epox so much I even created www.8rda.com..... anyway... the damage is definately done... It would be hard for me to be compassionate about epox agian

the mobo (my first 8rda+) that I did the NB voltage mod died due to bad soldering job... I did not raise hell about it nor I ask for RMA ....

Please take note, what really throw me off is epox's support #45, the epox tech at amdmb forum is cool but I am wondering... how many people have legitimate RMA request and being put away like the way support #45 did to me?

And their Tech Support even requires you to enter NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) with epox. That just one big BS don't you think?

Thanks for the update.

The tech support is exactly what turned me off to Epox. I am hoping they somehow turn around and realize that without customer serivce, the products will not sell. I love the products, but they need work with customer service.

- ThePCGuy

Kosmic1 said:

Was the board overclocked? Even if that strange burn had nothing at all to do with his overclock, all warranties are void as soon as the overclocking begins. We just have to deal with that.

Click to expand...

In some cases yes. In some cases no. Today many people are buying chips like Athlon XP 1700's and running them at the speed a normal 3000 or 3200 would run at. Should this person feel bad RMAing a board because they ran it at 10 or 11 * 200 fsb? I think not, since a retail 3200 would put the same stress on the board. Overclocking the chip has nothing to do with the boards durability in this case. This type of OC is the most common today since tight margins usualy keep anyone from getting good OC's on high end processors.

When someone takes out a soldering gun or runs a 200Mhz FSB @ 225 then yeah I agree, the person that tries to RMA in that case is simply stealing from the manufacturer. No question.

right on.... couldnt agree more...

Epox USA can kiss my A$$.

Why?

They advertise all the 8rda+ MoBos, but yet they are discontunued here in the US. Furthermore, they are still undergoing development in the UK and are widely available (now at rev 2.2).

So what gives? WHY take them off the US market and yet show them on the US website?

Plus as far as support, on the average, they suck. They have done right by some, and not by many others.

Poor support, idiotic marketing, absolutely no consistency between websites and whats actually available....need i say more?

I love the 8rda+ rev 1.1 I have, but as much as I want a rev 2.x, I can forget it unless I get one from someone in the UK.

I feel better now that I vented.

I think there is a good reason that Epox 8rda mobo's are no longer in the U.S. In their rush to release Nvdia based mobo's they didn't fully test them,they are not consistant and they are not a mobo for someones first build.I am ok with mine. however they are picky about ram,voltage regulation is substandard and cannot be run at all without modifacation,which of coarse voids the warranty.On most 1.1 versions the northbridge requires active cooling or the onboard sound will not work.That in itself is reason for RMA.
This is surely my last epox.

To shadowR:

Hmmm. . . My 8RDA newegg refurb has been a jewel from day one, set up a breeze and fired off the first time, very stable OC'd 2100 2.0GHz, had it to 2.2GHz but 2.0 fast enough for me.

Get this; I have two different Crucial 2100 256Mb DDR RAM sticks and thought no way they would work in four different boards. However, they work in the ASUS A7N8X, Soltek 75MRN-L, Epox 8RGA+ and 8RDA, but I tried them in all boards and they run fine. The 8RGA+ rigged with a 2500 Barton and hums right along.

Now, the punch line is, I had a store bought P3 1.6GHz on an Intel board and took the Crucial sticks I added out of it and used in my other boards described above, so the memory works with Intel, ASUS or Epox boards! I was flabbergasted to say the least and maybe I just got lucky.

Shadow, there's so many excellent boards out there on the market today that is indeed difficult to make a call on which is best because if I had to choose either of my boards as top dog I'd have to give them all a ten plus, and that includes the store bought Intel rig. Bought a P3 Matrix at Best Buy way back before I wised-up and started building my own and much as I like AMD I must be honest and say that old P3 Willow did me one fine job.

Reason I went AMD was because of the significant savings but I will never knock a Pentium because my experience was ten plus, very satisfactory performance in every respect and ditto AMD.

That's why I never get in rock throwing contest between Intel and AMD afficinados because for me, like the MB's I have, it would be a hard call to make as to which CPU is best. All that understanding I am the typical home user and not into heavy gaming or graphics where, from what I read, the P4 excells.

Gotta' run do some last minute shopping with the wife so ya'll have a Very Merry Christmas and from our house to everyone, Seasons Greetings and may God Bless. OldBird

Its time to try an Abit NF7-S

Brennan posted "What he doesn't mention on his website, but what is recorded in another forum, is that Epox contacted him through a forum and sent him another board. The damage is done, but Epox did step up and make it right."

That makes me feel better but didn't know EPOX pulled out the USA same as Soltek. I like my Soltek board BUT if a company doesn't have tech support here in the USA then I quit with them, so I'll erase Epox off my most favored list just as I did Soltek.

Since I already have four MB's and pleased with all four I'm flush on MB's and won't/shouldn't be in the market for one any time soon. When I'm ready for one I'll buy a newegg refurb and save a bunch of bucks, no more new MB's for me.

Good, informative thread and I appreciate everyone sharing their thoughts and comments. Have a great week end and drive careful.
OldBird

final update.. i received the repaired mobo from epox already...

i mailed it out on 11/23
they received on 12/1
they sent out on 12/12
and I recieve it on 12/19... roughly about 28 days downtime... cant blame them too much ... it is holiday season..

Good to go.

Naw, nothing wrong with that turn around time and glad you got it resolved. Best turn around I ever had was when I RMA'd a 2100 direct to AMD and they had a new one on my door step in nine days. IMHO excellent, superb customer service and sealed my continuing loyalty to AMD.

Had to RMA a few things to newegg, where I shop exclusively, and always excellent, superb turn around and customer service.

I think all any of us ever ask is "Just Do Me Right" and we'll be back . . . Make no mistake about it Sir, with this internet, you start doing people wrong and the word quickly gets around and sooner or later you goin' down. OldBird