[Kreepy-E]

Hello all, last week I was having some trouble with the fan on my graphics card so I took my computer into Future Shop. My mom was the one who was going to pay for it, so I want into the game section to browse for a bit. They said that they would "order and replace the part", my understanding of which was that they where going to replace the fan on the graphics card.

Today, my mom picked up the computer from Future Shop. But they didn't replace the fan at all, they put in an entirely new graphics card, and it wasn't even the one that I had before. Being a PC gamer I am now quite angry that I ended up with a new (and crappy) graphics card when all I needed was a new fan. But I admit I am not the most computer savvy person in the world (I'm still kind on learning) so I want to know if I was ripped of before I go back there and say anything. I mean I'm assuming they could have just replaced the defective fan, but I could be wrong. So was I ripped off?

[Advertisements]

Welcome to Geeks To Go!

Graphics card fans are not usually a replaceable item, so fitting a new card is normal procedure when the fan becomes faulty. However, they should have replaced it with a new card that has the same amount of video ram and the same capabilities, or they should have advised you first if that was not possible. So you do indeed have grounds to complain, especially if it was not fitted free of charge.

Edited by phillipcorcoran, 21 February 2010 - 05:19 AM.

[phillipcorcoran]

Welcome to Geeks To Go!

Graphics card fans are not usually a replaceable item, so fitting a new card is normal procedure when the fan becomes faulty. However, they should have replaced it with a new card that has the same amount of video ram and the same capabilities, or they should have advised you first if that was not possible. So you do indeed have grounds to complain, especially if it was not fitted free of charge.

Edited by phillipcorcoran, 21 February 2010 - 05:19 AM.

[Ferrari]

But they didn't replace the fan at all, they put in an entirely new graphics card, and it wasn't even the one that I had before.

What make was your old card? And what is the make of the new card?

my understanding of which was that they where going to replace the fan on the graphics card.

Graphics card fans are not usually a replaceable item

I would imagine it depends on the card, a quick google search showed some results for replacing fans on GPU's. I've never done this, or took apart a card to see if I could though, so not 100% clear on this issue.

Being a PC gamer I am now quite angry that I ended up with a new (and crappy) graphics card when all I needed was a new fan

Did they give you your old card back? After all, it's yours, not theirs. I think you definitely have a complaint at the bare minimum if they didn't do that. Because I'm willing to bet they will find a way to fix that fan and sell the card used. I work at a computer shop that works with used computers and sells used computer parts on ebay The very items that many shops say are broken, we fix and sell on ebay. i.e. bad caps on motherboard, broken LCD monitors, bent pins on cpu

My mom was the one who was going to pay for it, so I want into the game section to browse for a bit.

I think this is where some misunderstanding took place. Is your Mom very good with computers? I wasn't there and I don't know what was said, but it sounds like they probably gave her some options on what to do to fix the issue, and what each one of those options cost. She then chose one, probably not even knowing what exactly was going to be done.

Bottom line is you are an unhappy customer, so if you are sure they replaced your card with a "crappy" one, I'd say go back and talk to them about it. You don't have to go in their yelling, just start off by asking some questions to figure out where or how the "misunderstanding" took place.

Let me know the make of each card.

[Kreepy-E]

What make was your old card? And what is the make of the new card?

Just from memory, I think my old card was called NVidia GeForce 5500. The card they put in is called ATI Radeon HD 4550.

I would imagine it depends on the card, a quick google search showed some results for replacing fans on GPU's. I've never done this, or took apart a card to see if I could though, so not 100% clear on this issue.

On my old card, the fan had screws attached and indeed came off, so I assumed that it could be replaced.

Did they give you your old card back? After all, it's yours, not theirs. I think you definitely have a complaint at the bare minimum if they didn't do that.

They did give me the old card back, but it's still broken.

I think this is where some misunderstanding took place. Is your Mom very good with computers? I wasn't there and I don't know what was said, but it sounds like they probably gave her some options on what to do to fix the issue, and what each one of those options cost. She then chose one, probably not even knowing what exactly was going to be done.

I talked to the guy working there who told me that the fan was making the noise after doing a 'diagnostic' (all he did was open the computer and listen to it, which I already did at home, but he did it and charged $40 without any real warning, but I guess that's another problem altogether), and then said he would replace the broken part, which I assumed to be the fan. I really don't see why the fan couldn't have been replaced being easily removable, but then again I don't know too much about computers.

[Ferrari]

I think my old card was called NVidia GeForce 5500. The card they put in is called ATI Radeon HD 4550

The 4550 is a better card than the Nvidia 5500 though... it is newer and should have a faster clock of the core and memory.

I hope you get it figured out, from what I can tell, you didn't get ripped off, but you didn't get what you wanted, and that's more important.