ASUS A8N32-SLI, I paid for new, received USED!!!

ASUS A8N32-SLI, I paid for new, received USED!!! (resolved)

I just got my shipment in from New Egg. There appeared to be no tampering with the shipment. HOWEVER, inside the box was my long-awaited A8N32-SLI motherboard, UNSEALED, and with scratches on the chipset heat pipe thingy.

I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED.

I know that distribution centers don't hire geniouses with Phd's to run their warehouse pick lanes, but someone shouldhave noticed that my Asus Mobo was not sealed in cellophane.

Now, the darn thing is back on Auto-Notify. I've got an RMA number, and they are waving the 15% restocking fee, and issuing a small credit for shipping. They're doing the right thing now, but I wish they had done the right thing in the first place and shipped a new motherboard to me for my $235 bux.

Worse still, my plans to put together my system on my birthday are in grave jeapardy.

So, friends, I need some advice.

My processor is on its way. I only have 30 days NewEgg warranty, and after that it would have to be warrantied through AMD. I don't think I want to wait in line again for this thing to come available, nor can I stay home all day clicking on "refresh" so I can be the lucky ones to "win" one of these.

Should I just go with DFI or perhaps the A8N-SLI premy?

MoreGooder said:

I know that distribution centers don't hire geniouses with Phd's to run their warehouse pick lanes, but someone shouldhave noticed that my Asus Mobo was not sealed in cellophane.

Click to expand...

I've never received a mobo sealed in cellophane. It's usually just the mobo box and inside the mobo is in an anti-static bag with a piece of tape closing it up.

About those scratches, I'm not sure what to think.

You're right, that board is jumping from 'add to cart' to 'auto-notify' right and left.

Hummmm.... maybe you're right. Perhaps I am imagining receiving previous Asus mobo's sealed in cello. Perhaps they only do that for retail brick and morter shops.

And, perhaps the chipset cooler is just scratched because it was dropped during manufacture or something.

However, I do remember someone posting an image showing pictures of some protective stickers covering slots and such. I'll see if I can find it.

Ok, here's the deal.

I've seen pictures showing this board arriving with marketing type stickers or inserts over the PCI slots, and some without.

The scratches are on the plastic coating that's on the chipset cooling block, but it peals off entirely. Perhaps I"m making a big deal out of nothing.

The anti-static bag wasn't sealed though at all.

It WAS very neatly packed though.

Perhaps I'm being a bit paranoid. Problem is, I have a $450 processor on the way.

Rev. 1.01 is printed on the mobo between the DDR slots and the CPU socket.

Another theory!!

It appears that the heat pipe has been adjusted a bit. It has minor scratches on it that would happen if you pressed downward on it, such as you might do to make sure it clears a long video card installed in the first PCI-E X16 slot. And, just perhaps, during the proces, the plastic cellophone that covers the chipset heatsink block got scratched.

BUT, would Asus do this at the factory, or would some end user do this during an installation attempt with a 7800 series (aka very long) video card?

MoreGooder said:

Another theory!!

It appears that the heat pipe has been adjusted a bit. It has minor scratches on it that would happen if you pressed downward on it, such as you might do to make sure it clears a long video card installed in the first PCI-E X16 slot. And, just perhaps, during the proces, the plastic cellophone that covers the chipset heatsink block got scratched.

BUT, would Asus do this at the factory, or would some end user do this during an installation attempt with a 7800 series (aka very long) video card?

Click to expand...

Could be. Do you have a decent digi-cam by chance - maybe post some close-up's?

Yeah do Asus motherboard boxes come sealed in plastic because I ordered a A8N-Sli Premium and wanted to know if this is something to be worried about.

It's been so long since I bought a mobo at a local store I can't remember how they package them there. Cellophane does sound logical, though. Don't want people whipping them out and toying with them in the store. All I know is that every board I've bought online has come to me in the way I described above.

Oh, one more detail. All of the accessories (Sata cables, IDE cables etc) are still sealed in their bag. This, in my opinion, eliminates an possibility of it being a mobo package that was re-shipped from some other NewEgg shopper. So, to NewEgg, I appologize.

However, this does not eliminate the possibility that the board was re-shipped as a new one back to NewEgg. It could very well be a factory refurb, but I have no way to prove it.

I'm just really undecided. I SOOOOO want to just try this thing out an hope for the best.

Okagi,

Digi-cam pics are possible. I'll see if I can post them later tonight if it still works. Haven't used it in eons.

Post pictures.

My A8N-32 that I got from Newegg a week ago is fine. There were these clear plastic stickers on top of the end chipset heatpipe thing. The chipset heatsink thing is very easy to scratch, at least I already see a scratch and don't remember if I did it or it was already there, lol.

Your board is not used at all. The antistack bag is not sealed, not even with tape. The only thing that is sealed are the sata cables/power cables etc. And those scratches on the heat pipe are on all the boards. It was on the demo one at fry's and the 2 I have opened brand new in box. Let me guess, they are right at the beggining of the heat pipe where it is kinda pinched and start to bend right? That's how it's manufactured. Don't RMA the board because of that.

*edit* And the boxe itself isn't sealed in celophane, it's just closed with that slip on cover over it. Mine had those packing ties holding the slip on cover on it, but that was done by fry's i think.

Biznatch,

YOU RULE!!!!!!

Thank you.

I will try to post some pictures before I install this thing for prosperity sake.

I have everything on order now for this build, and should have it running by Jan 8

It's a great fealing, I just finished my rig with the watercooling finally If you have any problems with the board, let me know. I have gone through most of them probably and have talked to tech support a few times. Mainly to get raid working, finally had to use nlite and slipstream SP2 on windows and add the raid/network drivers to get windows to install.

Yeah, I'm definitely interested in nlite and slipstreaming.

Let me guess. You slipstreamed SP2 onto Win XP, and somehow added the nvraid controller stuff with nlite?

Folks,

Since I've decided to keep this mobo, I would consider this topic to be completed. I will snap a photo of the scratches I mentioned before installation however.

Please refer to the other thread I have regarding the installation for my A8N32-Deluxe. I'm trying to use it to log my process for help others.

Here

Congrats on the discovery. I can't wait to get mine.

Biznatch said:

It's a great fealing, I just finished my rig with the watercooling finally If you have any problems with the board, let me know. I have gone through most of them probably and have talked to tech support a few times. Mainly to get raid working, finally had to use nlite and slipstream SP2 on windows and add the raid/network drivers to get windows to install.

Click to expand...

Biznatch,

I noticed that you have nearly the exact same stepping as I do, Mines a 175 opty though:

CCBWE 0543MPMW.

Happy with it thus far? Mine's not in my rig yet. I'm impatient to know if this things gonna sing.

Not really, this 9 multi is killing me Wish I had gotten the 170 with the same stepping because this thing is a beast. I can't seem to post with HTT over 306 yet with my motherboard. With a 10 multi I really think 2.8-2.9 would be optainable with like 1.55vcore or so. But hey it's running at 2.75 for 280$ so I can't complain.

biznatch just to let you know about the gateway product~~ i work in a local computer store~~ it wasnt a big store but i did come across a few gateway monitor for rmas~~ but there is always warranty for it~~ check to see if they have a local service center or not~~ so if anything goes wrong you wouldnt have to ship and wait for a long time ~~