The Nvidia Defect Forum

Hi there,
I have a Samsung R700 with an nVidia 8600M GS GPU. Last summer it failed, firstly the HDMI stopped working, then the laptop wouldn't boot, and the error sound reported audibly that the GPU was dead. I called the retailer I purchased it from, LaptopsDirect.co.uk, who suggested, no matter how much I argued the case set out on this forum, that it was their responsibility. Eventually, it was agreed that Samsung would take the laptop, check it for problems, and if any costs were incurred, they would be billed to LaptopsDirect. I spoke to Samsung, who asked for proof of purchase via email, and after sending this three times, and they claiming not to have received it, the representative said he'd waiver it as an extended warranty (which I do not have), and began the process of sending my laptop to them. After a week, my laptop was returned to me with a replaced GPU, I never heard from either Samsung or LaptopsDirect, presumably as it was handled under the extended warranty, no costs were incurred, so neither party had anything to settle.
Now, six months on, my GPU is running very hot, causing my fan to run at full speed a lot. This is obviously a nuisance, and sometimes the fan exhaust is too hot to touch. I ran a program called speedfan, and played a physics simulator for an hour to see the effects. The GPU went from 86 degrees Celsius at idle, to 96 degrees Celsius after an hour. Keeping in mind these GPU's are supposed to idle around 45, and max at 70. The soldering can melt above 90, causing the problems which I originally had.
Naturally, I would like this sorted, but I see little point in going through the same process as I did last time to receive yet another faulty GPU.
Has anyone had any dealings with LaptopsDirect before?
How should I make sure that I get a replacement (GPU/Laptop) that isn't going to be faulty?
Any help would be appreciated, I left LaptopsDirect a voicemail today, as their offices are closed after 2pm, and I hope they return my call on Monday.
Thanks

Hello and welcome to our forum.

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

Those temperatures are not good and prolonged use would cause the premature demise of your laptop.

However, overheating by itself does not prove an inherent defect and could be caused by either blocked grilles/fan or dried thermal paste.

Saying that, if Samsung replaced the entire mainboard rather than just the GPU then it is likely that the replacement board was also defective as the the affected GPU's are present in laptops in the field and also in spare parts.

If Samsung simply reballed a GPU onto your old mainboard then this type of repair is prone to failure and is not an acceptable form of repair considering the circumstances.

I would get in contact with Laptops Direct and would tell them that you believe that the mainboard in your laptop is reaching abnormal temperatures and that you believe that the board used to repair your laptop is also inherently defective.

They may tell you that your laptop is out of warranty and that there is nothing that they can do. You should tell them that the warranty status is irrelevant as you have six years from the date of purchase in which to bring an action against a retailer when the goods in question are inherently defective.

They may then tell you to contact Samsung. You should tell them that you purchased from Laptops Direct and not from Samsung so it is entirely Laptops Direct's responsibility to resolve the situation.

See what they say. If they say they will inspect it for a fee you should refuse and say that due to the "reverse burden of proof" then you will provide your own independent engineers report.

There is a step by step guide on this forum that will help you reach a positive resolution and that is here:- post13.html#p13

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

I hope the above helps.

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.