Computer Repair Shop Broke my CPU, Now What?

[sterfri99]

Sorry in advance if this is the wrong place to submit.

Upgraded my little bro's pre-built PC for him for Chriistmas with a GIGABYTE GA-AB350-Gaming mobo and Ryzen 1300x CPU. First issue was a faulty mobo which I replaced through Amazon, no problem. Went on a trip for a few days and the new board was ready when I got back. I * around a bit to get it going and I was just having software issues when I gave up. I had some unexpected stuff come up that needed to be dealt with immediately, so I ended up bringing the PC to the computer repair shop in town, after I disconnected everything and had the mobo and CPU in their boxes.

I get a call a few hours later from the guy saying that he tried to get it to work and noticed I had bent pins on my CPU. I know for a fact that they weren't broken when I brought it in. Now what? I'm gonna go in tomorrow and pick up the PC. He's adamant that it was broken when I brought it in. Does a manufacturer's warranty cover damage by a repair shop? I bought a SquareTrade warranty when I bought it on Amazon, will they cover this? Or can I just claim that it arrived broken, and I didn't notice until now?

<Language, please>

 

[The Paladin]

well bent pins are not covered by warranty no.

 

[mazboy]

The fact that you weren't able to get the computer working doesn't bode well for you blaming the shop on the bent pins.

On a different note, bent pints can be straightened: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWAvwpANZ7c (and there are many more like it)

 

[sterfri99]

well bent pins are not covered by warranty no.

So should I try to replace it through amazon and just claim it arrived like that?

 

[sterfri99]

The fact that you weren't able to get the computer working doesn't bode well for you blaming the shop on the bent pins.

On a different note, bent pints can be straightened: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWAvwpANZ7c (and there are many more like it)

I understand your apprehension that it may be my fault. I'm no expert, but I've worked on a couple computers. I know AMD has the pins on the CPU and so I made sure to be extra careful whenever handling it. The guy said it looks like one of the pins is snapped off completely, which pretty much makes the CPU unusable though, right?

 

[jr9]

If you've lost a pin on an AM4 chip then that is not fixable and AMD and Amazon aren't going to help you. As far as they are concerned you bought it an broke it unless it arrived with damage before you installed it. You can fix bent pins on a chip or in an Intel socket but that is different.

Did you inspect the CPU before installation or after removing it? If not you don't really can't prove the shop is responsible or even at what point the CPU was damaged. You aren't going to get anywhere with the shop. If you brought everything to the shop in the boxes and had them do the build it would be different

You may want to contact SquareTrade and ask them if this can be covered. I know motherboard/CPU makers don't cover pins but you may have luck with the extended warranty. Say a pin is broken off and if this is covered. If no luck with SquareTrade, I would order another processor and maybe have a shop perform the installation.

 

[tristerin]

1.) You broke that pin I bet and hoped the shop would be the cause, cant help myself saying this as your story sounds about as unlegit as it gets. Up to removing thermal paste and putting everything back in its boxes when it was just software issues (that a computer business could very easily fix for you if this was a software issue.
2.) You didn't mention RAM, Ryzen are only compatible with DDR4 and if its a real upgrade Id assume they were running DDR3 prior. Maybe you weren't having mobo issues?

Sucks a pin got broken but these things don't just fall off in my experience (Ive only built around 10 computers in my lifetime from the ground up and have yet to bend a pin) from getting a PC working with software issues to removing it etc taking to an expert and claiming they broke it.

 

[sterfri99]

If you've lost a pin on an AM4 chip then that is not fixable and AMD and Amazon aren't going to help you. As far as they are concerned you bought it an broke it unless it arrived with damage before you installed it. You can fix bent pins on a chip or in an Intel socket but that is different.

Did you inspect the CPU before installation or after removing it? If not you don't really can't prove the shop is responsible or even at what point the CPU was damaged. You aren't going to get anywhere with the shop. If you brought everything to the shop in the boxes and had them do the build it would be different

You may want to contact SquareTrade and ask them if this can be covered. I know motherboard/CPU makers don't cover pins but you may have luck with the extended warranty. Say a pin is broken off and if this is covered. If no luck with SquareTrade, I would order another processor and maybe have a shop perform the installation.

I inspected everything prior to bringing it in to the shop. It's looking like SquareTrade might be my best bet, but if that doesn't work out, I guess I'll just contact Amaqzon support and cross my fingers. Thanks, mate

 

[sterfri99]

1.) You broke that pin I bet and hoped the shop would be the cause, cant help myself saying this as your story sounds about as unlegit as it gets. Up to removing thermal paste and putting everything back in its boxes when it was just software issues (that a computer business could very easily fix for you if this was a software issue.
2.) You didn't mention RAM, Ryzen are only compatible with DDR4 and if its a real upgrade Id assume they were running DDR3 prior. Maybe you weren't having mobo issues?

Sucks a pin got broken but these things don't just fall off in my experience (Ive only built around 10 computers in my lifetime from the ground up and have yet to bend a pin) from getting a PC working with software issues to removing it etc taking to an expert and claiming they broke it.

1) There's no way for me to convince you otherwise.
2) I also bought DDR4 RAM that I checked would be compatible with the motherboard.