Amazon Part Killed My PC!

steveroebuck

HI All

Just after some advice really, I purchsed an item from Amazon.co.uk it would now appear it was a Marketplace item and the seller is a Chinese based company.

The item arrived and seemed perfectly servicable, I installed the item into my PC (as per instructions) and after the installation my PC started to randomly shutdown, I removed the item and the problem persisted, I reinstalled my Operating sytem and still the problem occured, I booted from a Linux USB and the same issue.

I would appear after doing some diagnosis that the item has caused internal damage to my CPU/Motherboard/RAM and Powersupply, I have also had a 3rd Party report comissioned which backs up my findings.
I have contacted Amazon and they are very keen to refund me 21.99 and take the item away (I am lead to believe that if I do this I am accepting the refund as a resolution). Amazon only tell me to contact the Seller who I have on several occasions and there replies are scant and basic, they question the validty of the external report and state they want photos of the damage, there is no physical damage its at PCB level that the damage has occured.
I am currently trying to gain a resolution with for damages and replacement PC equipment which is about £900. I will also mention that it would appear the item has fake/suscpet CE and FCC id branding on the box and is being openly listed on Amazon even as I type.

Any advice, any one been through this? I am quite willing to take them to the small claims courts but with the address being in China I cannot see this working out well.

Thanks in Advance
Steve

Neil_Jones

What was the item?

steveroebuck

It was a PCIe USB3 expansion card.

Neil_Jones

Presume it was this one as the most recent review matches (mostly) your experience you've posted here?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077VRWZPK

Far more likely to have been a power surge and an unfortunate coincidence (or you/computer wasn't grounded properly or unplugged).  Whether you'll be able to prove the card killed the computer is debatable.  If you had access to another computer, you put it in there and that computer never fail, it would probably show that the card wasn't faulty in the first place.  Third party reports unless they're from some highly reputable and recognisable company probably carry little weight on their own and for all the seller knows you could (not saying that you have) knocked it up together in 10 minutes yourself.

steveroebuck

Well I can assure you it was installed correctly as I am by trade an IT Professional/Engineer employed by a major financial organisation. ESD precautions were taken, the case power lead was fully removed etc.

Your suggestion is how I have proved my the GPU is OK (Thankfully in the current climate) but sadly I don't have access to an alternative AM4 motherboard to test the other parts, I have tested the PSU (using a  Power tester) and it fails on the 5v rail.

I am loathed to install what I consider to be faulty device into another computer to potentially also kill that off to. You only stick your fingers in the fire once

Sandtree

steveroebuck said:

 ESD precautions were taken, the case power lead was fully removed etc.

In the UK, where all computer plugs are grounded (unlike the USA), the normal process is to leave the lead plugged in and switched off at the wall which means there is no live circuit but the case is grounded. You yourself can then wear a grounding strap attached to the computer (it will act as a faraday cage and not damage the components inside) or just keep skin to case contact at all time for the same effect.

What does the expert say explicitly? What is the fault with the device? What damage has it done? How did they rule out other causes such as ESD?

steveroebuck

 The damage is now the system is unsable - it will not remain powered on - sometimes it will be 5 mins others it will be several hours it performs a nonegraceful shutdown no BSOD just like its totally lost power. The expert tested the computer as is and stated that some form of short has occured since the introduction on the PCIe card which has caused internal damage to the PSU with the SATA power connectord and  then onto the PCI Bus and devices conntected to it, especially those sensitive to voltage surges, my gpu survived as it a more higher end one and has the tollerance for these higher voltages.

Oh and I wore an ESD wriststrap crocadile clipped to the bare metal of my case (not painted parts).

getmore4less

Was it tested with a working power supply?

Jenni_D

If the order is "Fulfilled by Amazon" (as the linked one is) does that change liability/responsibility for the issue? Normally any rights / charges for consequential losses would be against the seller - as this one is a Chinese seller you'll need to hope for goodwill ... or brush up on your understanding of Chinese consumer law. 😲

Sandtree

steveroebuck said:

Oh and I wore an ESD wriststrap crocadile clipped to the bare metal of my case (not painted parts).

But you said you had taken the lead out and so that was the worst thing you could have done as the case was no longer earthed and so guarantees any static will be discharged into the computer with no easy route to earth.

If the expert has stated it was "some form of short" then I can see why the company has rejected the report... thats a vague speculation its not stating what the problem is. A report should say there was a design flaw and the 12v return was going to pin 64 or a manufacturing fault was bridging pin 49 and 64

interstellaflyer

I've bought and installed 3 of these with no issues
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07FK28BXX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1