Author Topic: I got ripped off...advise pleez (Read 1582 times)

loser · « **on:** May 19, 2005, 05:13:51 PM »

Well my computer finally gave up on me and would no longer boot.

I had shorted the MB out about 6 months ago and for some reason, with a little patience, I could get it to boot and run fairly stable.

But it just quit on me and would continuously reboot itself on the initial boot screen after the drives posted.

Anyway, took it in to get fixed and suggested to the tech that i figure the board was fried.

It was.

I get the computer back with a new MOBO (ABit VA-20) and it runs just fine.

Oh i also bought a legal copy of XP home after some fairly strong "suggesting" from the tech that i should have a legit version.

So all is well but for S and Gs i take a look at the properties tab under my computer while i was installing my stuff again. ( I guess you have to format your HD when you put in a new MB..who knew.)

My Ath XP 2600+ running at 2.03 GHZ is now an ATH XP 2000+.

My first thought is..no way this guy would be that dumb to try to swap out my CPU. It must be something else.

So i phone him up and he tells me that he had to set the jumpers on the board in such a way to recognize my chip as a 2000+ or it wouldnt boot.

He also tells me that some ATH chips had been mislabeled fro the plant and it might have been a 2000.

I tell him that no, it showed as what it should have been before i took it in.

Anyway I kind of accepted his reason/excuse...until a Squaddie helped me out with a program called CPU-Z that indentifies the processor regardless of jumper position etc.

Yup, it is now a XP 2000= running at 1.66 GHZ.

I still have the bill and retail box from the 2600.

I go to talk to him and was very calm and reasonable.

I told him, without directly accusing him of anything, that I know something is up, and he has ONE chance to make this right.

He immedialty gets ultra-defensive and tries a few more excuses..before telling me to "get the **** out of his store"

He also gives me back my old board and throw my usb cables at me that i had left behind. (not hard enough to be considered assault in my books..but technically ...yeah)

So wtf woudl you suggest i do?

Dont really want to go the small claims route. as it would be a pain in the bellybutton and i would basically have to prove that the 2600+ was in there when i brought it in.. I dont know if my receipt will be enough.

Get the cops involved? is that theft?

anyway.. thoughts and suggestions welcomed.

THX

Sandman · « **Reply #1 on:** May 19, 2005, 05:18:03 PM »

Call the police. It's theft.

Bodhi · « **Reply #2 on:** May 19, 2005, 05:19:20 PM »

call the police, report all that you said, provide proof, then, also file assault charges for him throwing the stuff at you. I assume you have witnesses? Either way, call the police and report the guy, also call the better business bureau they will log your complaint.

Chairboy · « **Reply #3 on:** May 19, 2005, 05:20:12 PM »

Mmm... well, my Athlon ID changes along with certain jumper settings in my CMOS.

Additionally, on Pricewatch, the Athlon XP 2000+ sells for $73. The Athlon XP 2600 333 sells for $72, and the Athlon XP 2600 straight sells for $82.

I think... your motherboard is misconfigured. You guys, there is no reason for the tech to steal the chip, and the Athlons 'true-id' is as reported by the motherboard.

FUNKED1 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 19, 2005, 05:28:51 PM »

Concur with Chairboy.

Torque · « **Reply #5 on:** May 19, 2005, 05:32:16 PM »

i'd do a seach with google first to make sure, type in the cpu and mobo and add "trouble shooting". if there is a prob with that setup there should be a few forums with messages about it.

boxboy28 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 19, 2005, 05:38:31 PM »

He Faa-Qed ya brother ! This type of thing happens alot more than most think, he took your chip.(if im correct that chip had decent over clocking potential)

My dad had a dude rebuild a system i built for him, i used all high end parts, but when i cam to visit my dad the 1 gig of ddr 400 I PUT IN IT WASNT IN THE SYSTEM! tHE DUDE STOLE THE GOOD STUFF! and swapped it out with DDR 333 crapola!

Dudes no longer in business nor around the area by the time i figured this all out! I wonder why? LOL

Bust his arse , hes a shotty computer geek that needs a lesson learned!

PS i had a girl (we had relations 4 months ago) stop by out of the blue monday take 3 credit cards and 2 debit cards........in a matter of 2.5 hours she racked up $940 between 2 cards at 6 different stores. I went to walk my dog while she was on the phone, she went to my room got in my wallet and took the cards then went threw my files and found my PIN! Sneaky Beeotch! only reason i found out is my wallet was left open and as i was cancelling the cards my bank calle me to ask about the spending!

edit : go into the bios and see what iut says! or pull the chip and clean the heat sink goo off and see what the chip label says!

Chairboy · « **Reply #7 on:** May 19, 2005, 05:52:04 PM »

There's no reason at all for the tech to steal the chip, especially not for the price difference involved. Plus, MY Athlon 2200 XP swore up and down it was actually an Athlon XP 1800+ after I switched motherboards until I reset the timing switches correctly.

AKS\/\/ulfe · « **Reply #8 on:** May 19, 2005, 06:01:11 PM »

Check your FSB settings. There are three types of 2600+ chips out there.

I have the Barton core 333Mhz FSB, 512L2 cache.

It read as a 2000+... but that was because the FSB was set to 133. Setting it to 166, it then called it a 2600+.

I'd advise you to go into your motherboard BIOS setup and verify.
-SW

Chairboy · « **Reply #9 on:** May 19, 2005, 06:03:34 PM »

I hope you apologize to the guy if you find out that you weren't ripped off.

If someone came into my store and called me a thief, I don't know if I'd show quite the same aplomb as he did.

boxboy28 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 19, 2005, 06:04:01 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by AKS\/\/ulfe
Check your FSB settings. There are three types of 2600+ chips out there.

I have the Barton core 333Mhz FSB, 512L2 cache.

It read as a 2000+... but that was because the FSB was set to 133. Setting it to 166, it then called it a 2600+.

I'd advise you to go into your motherboard BIOS setup and verify.
-SW

Even if thats the case ild feel ripped off cause the TECH or shop owner ( i think is who he dealt with) is using a sub standard board that wont work at the CPU's potential!

AKS\/\/ulfe · « **Reply #11 on:** May 19, 2005, 06:06:44 PM »

Sometimes auto-detect on some motherboards combined with some Athlon CPUs does not work properly.

My motherboard is far from sub-standard, but without an up-to-date BIOS it could not auto detect this particular model of the 2600+... because there are 3 versions and one of them is a 133Mhz FSB with a higher clock multiplier, so it set the FSB to 133Mhz.
-SW

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 19, 2005, 06:11:37 PM »

CPU-Z should still detect what the chip is, regardless of the motherboard.

AKS\/\/ulfe · « **Reply #13 on:** May 19, 2005, 06:18:05 PM »

Nope. Just tested.

180Mhz FSB = 2600+

133Mhz FSB = 2000+
-SW

Chairboy · « **Reply #14 on:** May 19, 2005, 06:21:28 PM »

Boxbox, you're exposing a deficiency in your computer knowledge. I'd advise you to quit while you're ahead, but we'll have to settle for 'quit before you fall further behind'.

StarOfAfrica, search Usenet, there are plenty of people who's CPU Z reading changes when they adjust the FSB. Nothing magical about it.