The Nvidia Defect Forum

Started a new thread as the old one concerns someone else's laptop now.

I took the laptop into PC World as requested and they've had it for over a week to 'stress test' it (staff sickness meant they couldn't do it in the two days promised... apparently, although when I chased it up over the phone it sounded like they hadn't even started on it).

The guy called fifteen minutes ago and tried to tell me the screen was broken. I take exceptional care of my laptop so was doubtful and asked if he was sure it wasn't the chip. After a bit of prevaricating he said it was either the screen or the chip but he couldn't be sure with the equipment he had available. Considering my independent shop was able to diagnose it with no problem last time I don't know how this guy, with all of PC World's resources, can't do it this time.

When I asked if, were I to pay £229 for the screen to be replaced, I would get it back only to find it still broken because the problem was the chip he said that the repair centre would take it apart and diagnose it properly and replace the motherboard if necessary. He said that because the graphics chip is integrated he can't diagnose if that's the case but at least I 'know it's one of two options'. I knew it was one of two when I took it in!

What should I do now please? Should I get an independent report? Should they have been able to diagnose it - basically am I being conned?

Any help is greatly appreciated

I would have thought that it would be easy enough to prove if it was the screen by plugging in an external monitor - if it works then it could be the screen, if it doesn't then I would have thought that it was unlikely to be the screen.

It just goes to show how technical the 'Tech Guys' are.

I would personally say that it's time for an independent report.

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Please note: I am not legally qualified and therefore any postings I make are just my own personal opinion based on my experience of working for a number of years at a busy County Court.

Thanks. I thought I wasn't being stupid. I have already plugged it into an external monitor and got nada - it was the first thing the Norwich branch (where I purchased - I live up north now so am using a branch here for diagnosis) suggested.

My boyfriend is a computer technician (unfortunately away when the vaio died) so I'll be taking him with me to pay PC World a little visit this evening He also suggested that just plugging it in would fix the problem if it was the monitor.

The Tech Guys said they had run inconclusive monitor tests. My cynical side suggests they're trying to fob me into paying for a chip repair. That or they're totally rubbish.

Hello Rosie,

Take absolutely no notice of them when they say that your screen is broken as it is highly likely that is not the case.

When you plug the external monitor in are you doing this before switching the laptop on?

Your laptop contains an Nvidia 8400 GPU which is one of the more prolific of the defective GPU's so I would say that it is highly likely that the cause of the failure of your laptop is down to this.



In that case how can they possibly state that the screen is broken?

Sounds like another fob off if you ask me!

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.

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

_________________
=======================================================
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.

Thanks. I visited yesterday and spoke to the manager. To be honest he wasn't that happy with PC World either but he doesn't have any refund powers. I've edited your letter (copy below) and await a response. The manager said he'd heard of the defect but had only had one case in ten years although he admitted that you have to know what you're talking about to get anywhere/figure out what it is - I think my first repair is proof of that! His previous case was an HP and I think the guy got a refund. The manager was great and printed me off their customer service HQ address and some of their internal spec sheets stating that the graphics cards are the same.

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Dear Sir/Madam,

Laptop Make: Sony Vaio
Laptop Model: VGN-NR32S
Store Purchased: Norwich PC World
Date of Purchase: 25.09.2008
Price Paid: £640
Date failed: 01.11.2009
Date repaired: 21.01.2010
Date failed: 12.03.2011

With reference to the above laptop, which has failed for a second time due to what I believe is a defective Nvidea graphics chip. The problem affects thousands of laptops, is well documented on the Internet and is recognized by HP, Dell, Apple and Nvidia. The original problem with the laptop was the Nvidea graphics chip (attached engineer’s report). Had I known these chips were inherently defective I would never have accepted a like-for-like replacement (please see copies of the Tech Guys’ repair sheet and the specifications for both motherboards – the chips are the same).

I currently live in *** so my parents contacted the Norwich store and were advised by *** from the ‘Know How Team’ to visit my local store for them to ascertain the fault and condition of the laptop.

***, from PC World ***, contacted me yesterday. He told me the screen was broken and I could pay for a repair. My first action when the laptop broke was to test the screen upon Norwich’s advice by attaching it to another monitor. Three independent computer technicians have assured me this would diagnose a broken screen. When I questioned *** he admitted the tests had been inconclusive; as the chip is broken your ‘stress test’ software could not run properly. I suggested that a new screen would not fix the chip and I would be out of pocket. He said the repair centre would complete a ‘full’ diagnosis and replace the chip if necessary. I am extremely upset that a technician would advise a customer to pay a substantial amount of money to compensate for his inconclusive diagnosis and to repair an inherent defect. When I went into the store yesterday evening they said it was highly unlikely to be the screen and admitted they knew of the Nvidea defect.

I am not paying to replace a defective graphics chip. As a student I paid a lot of money for this laptop, upon advice from your store that Sony products were durable, expecting it to last longer than thirteen months in both instances. As the laptop has failed due to an inherent defect, it is not of satisfactory quality nor is it durable and so you are in breach of contract under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended).

If I do not receive a satisfactory resolution to this matter then I shall have to take further action. I am formally giving you fourteen days from the date of this letter to either:-
• Replace my laptop free of charge with a machine free of the Nvidea defect
• Refund the purchase price of the laptop

I would appreciate a speedy resolution to this matter because I have coursework and exams, as well as job interviews, which I face without the majority of my recent work – it is all on the laptop.

Yours faithfully

Hello Rose,

Good luck with that letter.

Let's hope that it brings about a positive resolution.

Fingers crossed for you.

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.

PC World have just called and offered me £320... they say the replacement motherboard doesn't restart the clock on the age of the laptop and since it didn't fail within three months it was "successful"

Having run through the calculations on this website I think I should be getting about £380. Am going to call them back tomorrow (once I've worked out what I'd like to replace the Vaio with) and ask for either £420 or the replacement and hopefully bargain them into an acceptable position. The only good news is that they say I can take the laptop apart to get my files off the harddrive. We were worried if we did they'd refuse a refund.

UPDATE: found some different calculations on this website (by lapcure rather than a judge) and revised my estimate to £350. I decided I'd like to replace the Vaio with an ASUS A52F-EX911V and called them. They upped their offer to £360 so I'm thinking about taking it. Will call them back tomorrow to confirm either way. The woman who's dealing with my claim is quite tough!

Hello Rose,

Their offer is now quite fair and there would be very little to gain by pursuing this further.

I would therefore be inclined to accept their offer.



She may well be tough, but at the end of the day she has to comply with the Sale Of Goods Act.

It annoys me that they are treating their customers in such a way when, in my opinion, they should go cap in hand to the customers who were unfortunate enough to have purchased one of these inherently defective laptops.

Instead it appears to me that they like to give the impression they are, quite begrudgingly in some cases, doing their customer a favour.

I hope your replacement laptop is more reliable.

Good luck and 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.

Just returning to say thank you very much for your help - the money is in my account and I'm currently shopping for a replacement!