The Nvidia Defect Forum

Hi all

I purchased a PB laptop (can't remeber model) in early 2007. It failed November 2007 and PC World(tech Guys) took it away under warranty. They were terrible with regards communication and i ended up enforcing the 28 day no repair-get a new laptop policy they provided. I went back to PC World and the only model they could match my previuous computer to was the GP2W limited edition in white. It transpored the fault on the old laptop was a 50p RAM chip that they didnt have in stock!!

Anyway, 18 months of happy computing later and now the GP2W has failed. I get 2 fuzzy screens upon boot up. Having looked at the forum, I see that this is a common symptom of the NVIDIA effect. I took it to a local repair shop and they guys confirmed it was the graphics card and that they could do a reflow for £30 but couldn't guarantee its long term success.

Just wondering if any one here thinks i could go back to PC World (out of 12 month warranty) and get areplacement/money back?

Any help much appreciated

Cheers

Grant

Hello Grant and welcome to our forum.

Sorry to hear of the problems you are experiencing with your laptop.

The 2 fuzzy screens that you are seeing is a manifestation of the defect so it is highly likely that your laptop is inherently defective.



I would most certainly go back to PC World and would pursue them for a refund/replacement.

They may try to fob you off but if you stand your ground and if you ignore all the baloney that they may tell you then you will succeed.

There is a step by step guide to reaching a positive resolution and that is here:- post13.html#p13

If you follow my advice in that guide then you will be successful.

If you have any questions or if you need any advice then please let me know.

Good luck and best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

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Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.

by way of an update...

Phoned PC world on Monday 8th november who told me to take it in for a check over and to get a fee quotation for repair. Told them i didn't want a reapir (and certainly wouldn't be paying for one!) unless they could guarantee that the replacement parts were free from the defect. They dismissed the defect as hearsay and said that the reapir will come with a 3 month guaranatee. Wasn't convinced so i sent off the letter before action giving them 7 working days to respond on Monday 8th by recorded delivery, which was with PC World on Tuesday 9th

So far heard nothing and tbh not expecting to before Friday. So am putting an order in for a engineers report early next week which should allow me to email them before the end of November - should I include anything else in the email proofwise??

If the email doesn't stir a response I will be starting proceedings with the SCC.

Just on the issue of compensation - can anyone confirm my thinking?

Purchse = £650
60 months expecation of working= £10.83/month
21 months working = £227.50
Compensation = £422.50 + cost of engineers report.

Will keep you posted on progress

Cheers

Grant

Hello Grant,



What a load of baloney!

How can they possibly state that the defect is "hearsay" - what absolute nonsense. This is one of the reasons I advise customers to disregard most of what PC World say.



I would not bother emailing them if you have already sent the letter before action. I would hang fire and would then send them a copy of the report along with a final letter before action.

At this stage it is best to keep everything formal as I really do not think that you will get a resolution via email.

Regarding your calculation for compensation, you are spot on for the minimum amount that you should expect to receive.

I hope the above helps.

Any questions please let me know.

Best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

_________________
=======================================================
Calculate the minimum refund that you would be entitled to.
FAQ's
Why you should not accept a repair
Links to evidence
What is the Nvidia Defect?
Step by step help to getting a refund
Do you need an engineers report?
=======================================================

If you like what you see on this forum and would like to help then please post links to this forum in other forums or blogs. The more people we can help the better.


Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.

Ok so get a phone call on Wednesday from PCW to say a complaints manager has been appointed to started discussions about compensation and they will be in touch within 3 bus. days.

She phones on Friday and says she can't do anything until their tech guys see the machine.

So i'm taking it in tom (sunday). any advice on what to say/ask for/refuse, etc??

Hello Grabya,

All I can say is refuse any offer of a repair as they are, in my opinion, totally unreliable. You should insist on a refund or a replacement laptop.

Don't let them fob you off. Stand your ground, be persistent and you will be successful.

If you have any questions then please let me know.

Best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

_________________
=======================================================
Calculate the minimum refund that you would be entitled to.
FAQ's
Why you should not accept a repair
Links to evidence
What is the Nvidia Defect?
Step by step help to getting a refund
Do you need an engineers report?
=======================================================

If you like what you see on this forum and would like to help then please post links to this forum in other forums or blogs. The more people we can help the better.


Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.

aaaaaaaaaaah!!

After getting some positive movement with this (case manager called to say they will start to look at compensation) the trail has gone cold!

As instructed by the case manager, I took the laptop in to the local PC World store and the Tech Guys confirmed its a graphics fault - big surprise! I asked "what now?" and they drew a blank, other than offering me a £50 repair. I refused and got them to call PC World who claim there was no record of any correspondence despite me having the voicemail on my mobile! The wife and I were tempted to stand near the door of the store and slate the place but went home and wrote the letter before action instead!

I gave them until Monday 29th to respond and allowing for the weather chased this up today but was pawned off by two reps. So have ordered the engineer's report and hopefully by the end of next week I will be submitting my claim to the SCC.

Also got the local paper possibly interested in running a story on it, they're looking for one or two others with similar stories and i've directed them here. anyone interested in starting a PCWorld -sucks.com website???

Grant

Hello Grant,

How frustrating for you, it is like one step forward and three steps back.



How scandalous of them to try and charge you for a repair to an inherently defective laptop!

There should be absolutely no cost to you and it is grossly unprofessional of them to even attempt to make a charge.



Well that would be great if the paper did a story. It could enlighten more people in your position. Better still, if the national media picked up on it then it could bring an avalanche of claims against some of these retailers.

I would love to set up a website like that, but think it is better to devote my time to beating them this way.

I have said it before but in my opinion there is only one company that is dealing with this problem in a professional, responsible and laudable manner and that is Staples.

The others are, in my opinion, a shower of shame.

Best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

_________________
=======================================================
Calculate the minimum refund that you would be entitled to.
FAQ's
Why you should not accept a repair
Links to evidence
What is the Nvidia Defect?
Step by step help to getting a refund
Do you need an engineers report?
=======================================================

If you like what you see on this forum and would like to help then please post links to this forum in other forums or blogs. The more people we can help the better.


Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

Finally got phone call today from PC World offering £375 compensation!! Money due in my account by 31st December!!

Ordered Paul's report and issued i to PC World last week with final intent to take to the SCC. They phoned within 4 working days which considering post was pretty good to be fair! They offered £350 in vouchers but managed to get tehm up to £375 in cold hard cash, citing their poor customer service to date. They arranged a BACS transfer there and then

Thank You Paul for all your help with this!! Another victory secured!

PS Does anyone know of a decent laptop in the £300-£400 price range - internet access, office use and occassional photo editing only?

Hello Grabya,

Well done on your sucess

I am really pleased that you reached this positive resolution without the need for litigation.

Just in time for the January sales as well so another bonus

I am sorry I cannot advise on a particular laptop as this is something I tend not to do (one man's wine is another man's poison)

All I can suggest is that Toshiba are the most reliable of the brands so you would not go far wrong with one of them.

Well don again on your success and all the very best for the future.

Best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

_________________
=======================================================
Calculate the minimum refund that you would be entitled to.
FAQ's
Why you should not accept a repair
Links to evidence
What is the Nvidia Defect?
Step by step help to getting a refund
Do you need an engineers report?
=======================================================

If you like what you see on this forum and would like to help then please post links to this forum in other forums or blogs. The more people we can help the better.


Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.