Question Get serial number using software for Gainward GeForce RTX 3060 Ghost 12GB or Palit RTX 3060 Dual-LHR 12GB or for any RTX 3060 / RTX 30 series?

[timeToSleepNow]

Hi there! I'm looking to buy a second hand GPU, an RTX 3060, with a warranty, and the models above are for sale. I'm trying to check if those cards have embedded in themselves the serial number as software, so I can check it with the serial number on the label, to make sure they match each other. I can then check if they match the serial number on the invoice. If they don't match then it means something is shady with the GPU and I won't buy it.

I know the label can be faked, that's why I'm looking to get to see the serial number as software. Actually, I suppose the serial number as software can be faked as well, but I think there are low chances for someone to be that skilled.

I know the invoice and the warranty can be faked as well, but I think I'm close to coming up with an idea that will eliminate the risk of those two being faked.

So far I tried to get the SN for GeForce 9500 GT and GeForce GTX 1660, under Windows 10 x64, by using this command in the command prompt:

nvidia-smi.exe --format=csv --query-gpu=name,serial

I had to locate nvidia-smi.exe, to do that very easily I used Everything.

Getting these results:

name, serial
GeForce 9500 GT, [Not Supported]

name, serial
GeForce GTX 1660, [Not Supported]

I read this article, but the SN I got wouldn't match.

I know some cards offer this info, one of them is GeForce GTX 1080, as seen here. But this was done under Linux, so I don't know if it would work with Windows.
On Linux darkseid4nk used this command to get the serial number:

nvarr=($(nvidia-smi -L | awk ' {gsub(/:/, ""); print $2}')); for i in "${nvarr[@]}"; do nvidia-smi -i $i -q | grep -E 'Minor Number|Product Name|Product Brand|Serial'; done

Getting a result as such:

    Product Name                    : GeForce GTX 1080
    Product Brand                   : GeForce
    Serial Number                   : 0413xxxxxxxxx
    Minor Number                    : 1

royce came with an alternative code in the same thread:

#!/bin/bash

nvarr=($(nvidia-smi -L | awk ' {gsub(/:/, ""); print $2}'))

for i in "${nvarr[@]}"; do
    echo " $i: -----------------------------------------------"
    nvidia-smi -i $i -q | grep -E 'Product Name|Serial|Bus Id|UUID|  Power Limit|Default Power Limit|GPU Part|Image Version|Link Width|(Max|Current).*:.*[0-9]x$|PCIe Generation|  (Max|Current)  .*: [0-9]$'
done
echo "-----------------------------------------------"

Can someone please help me check the serial number using the methods above, either using Windows or Linux (I didn't find how to do it for MacOS), and also check if that serial number matches the one on the label attached to the GPU?

If you used different methods to get it, please let me know.

Thank you!

 

[Aeacus]

If they don't match then it means something is shady with the GPU and I won't buy it.

Something shady is this:

a second hand GPU, an RTX 3060, with a warranty

Manufacturer warranty with 2nd hand GPU? Doesn't happen.

None of the GPU manufacturers in the whole wide world, offer transferable warranty. Meaning if you buy used, you will not get a warranty, regardless what the seller says.

Also, RTX 30-series launched when there was cryptocurrency mining craze and essentially entire RTX 30-series was instantly sold out. Either to cryptominers or scalpers. Now, the cryptomining craze is over and 2nd hand market is flooded with old, abused mining cards, that are almost dead or die soon after.

So, your call. I, personally, would not buy used GPU, especially RTX 30-series. Better to get brand new GPU, which comes with warranty and is as legit as it can get.

 

[USAFRet]

None of the GPU manufacturers in the whole wide world, offer transferable warranty. Meaning if you buy used, you will not get a warranty, regardless what the seller says.

EVGA did.

https://forums.evga.com/Transfer-warranty-m3018698.aspx

 

[Aeacus]

EVGA did.
https://forums.evga.com/Transfer-warranty-m3018698.aspx

Yes, and Gigabyte did it as well. Still, fact is, that at current date (which is relevant), none are doing it.

 

[timeToSleepNow]

@Aeacus

Ah, I see. I double-checked what you said by visiting the Gainward and Palit warranty and RMA pages, but they seem to not mention anything about it. As I understand from the internet Gainward belongs to Palit, I assume that's why both pages look alike when it comes to warranty and RMA.

If none of the manufacturers offer warranty for second hand GPUs, what about the retailers, could they still offer any warranty?

With the info you provided, I'm also starting to consider getting a GTX 1660 Super brand new.

@USAFRet

Ah. I see.

 

[timeToSleepNow]

I am from Romania, if that helps in any way. I also have to say that both GPUs mentioned in the title, in my country, get 3 years warranty as new, at least for the 2 most popular shops over here.

 

[USAFRet]

If none of the manufacturers offer warranty for second hand GPUs, what about the retailers, could they still offer any warranty?

Retailers could do a lot of things.
But they won't do this.

 

[timeToSleepNow]

Ah, I see.

 

[Aeacus]

but they seem to not mention anything about it

Sure they do. Not explicitly, but following is stated on both:

Warranty Process
Product warranty is managed by authorized distributors. Please check the return procedure with the local authorized distributors, or the original store you purchased the product from.

2nd hand seller on Ebay or Craigslist is not the local authorized distributor and/or the original store. Thus, no warranty.

If none of the manufacturers offer warranty for second hand GPUs, what about the retailers, could they still offer any warranty?

No retailer is taking this obligation on themselves with 2nd hand hardware. Since that would mean people can return already used products to the store, where store has to pay out of pocket, to either repair or replace the defective GPU.

Just think a little.
Lets say you buy a new GPU. Use it and at some point, decide to sell it. Would you give any buyer a guarantee that, whatever happens to your sold GPU at their hands, within e.g 1 year period; they can return the GPU to you, whereby you either repair the GPU for them or replace the GPU with 2nd, working one (usually brand new). If not, then why not?
And if you can answer that, then you have an idea why there is no warranty on 2nd hand hardware.

in my country, get 3 years warranty as new, at least for the 2 most popular shops over here.

3 year warranty is actually pretty good. Since by EU laws, warranty has to be at least 2 years.

 

[timeToSleepNow]

Hi! I'm sorry for the late reply, but I was really busy.

Thank you for all the info you put out!

I have also researched if stores in Romania offer warranty and how the warranty refund takes place when it comes down to second-hand buyers. By looking at the page for Gainward, for etailers in Romania, I found out that there are 2 stores (emag and pcgarage). Where it seems emag is more lax on the rules (by reading different posts, so I'm not sure of how much of this is indeed true for every SH buyer), and they offer not only warranty to the second hand buyer, but also return the money to the bank account of SH buyer in case of warranty refund.

Emag also owns pcgarage, but pcgarage is more strict. I actually found a post on the forum of pcgarage, called mygarage where a store representative presented the requirements for an SH buyer to be able to benefit from warranty refund. Here's the translation of it by using google translate and some minor adjustments to make it more clear:

The right of the person mentioned in the invoice (first buyer) can be substituted ONLY if there is an additional document to the contract (a notarial document, if the seller is a natural person; or an annex to the invoice with the signature of the legal representative of the company, if the seller is a juridical person) such that the product was alienated, respectively the fact that the good was passed into your (second hand buyer) possession through sale.

In the absence of the previously mentioned document, the balance can be transferred to another person (second hand buyer) only with the consent of the original owner (by right; first buyer). And all this should be mentioned in writing.

To be able to apply for a warranty, an SH buyer would only have to present his ID card when bringing in/shipping the broken GPU. I can't find right now where this was stated on that forum by a user.

 

[Aeacus]

How it is on emag, i can't tell since site/store doesn't have English language option. And i don't speak Romanian.

But for PcGarage, rules are like everywhere else, where when you buy from that store, and then sell it forward (as 2nd hand), PcGarage will not uphold the warranty. They only do that when there is notarial document proving the sale of the hardware (e.g GPU), between original buyer and another person, confirming the 2nd hand selling/purchase.

Overall, not worth to buy 2nd hand, unless you have more money to replace the hardware once it dies. Better to go with brand new hardware off the bat, so that you can also get warranty.

 

[timeToSleepNow]

I didn't find any other info about emag aside from the info I found in a post (unfortunately I didn't bookmark it), where a second-hand buyer said that the money for the warranty claim was returned to his bank account, without having the need of a notarial document proving the sale of the hardware. He said he only presented his ID card, phone number, and his bank account when he sent in his GPU. I'm not sure if this happened for all the other second-hand buyers.

I will stick with brand new in this case.

Thank you for your time and the help you offered, to both of you!

Have a nice day!