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So, I'm now looking at having to RMA my videocard and get it replaced. I should mention as well that I ran various other system tests to rule that some other component was at fault. Although, after seeing the posts describing my exact problem and that the video card turned out to be failing, I really didn't have much doubt left that it wasn't the video card that was at fault.

Now that I've come to the RMA I need to provide some information on the card itself and the retailer. The retailer I used was Overclockers UK and card is the OCUK 7900GS. The card is actually the Palit 7900GS and is simply referred to as an "OCUK" brand by the retailer. I assume because Palit is not responsible for any warranty/maintenance. The product is under 1 year warranty which the retailer covers (it might be UK law that they must provide warranty services if the manufacturer doesn't, but I'm not positive). I wasn't really concerned about the warranty coverage because after a year computer parts are generally old tech anyways (graphics cards in particular). I figured a 1 year return for replacement would be fine. However, I didn't really stop to consider how the retailer would cover this warranty. Most of my experiences with faulty goods have been pretty straightforward in that it was a matter of return, confirm fault and then repair or replace. Heh, I won't be likely to make that mistake again.

I go to the retailer's web site and find the RMA procedure. They use a "web note" system which is basically a bunch of predefined text fields for basic information like order number, computer specs, etc. There's also a section for comments. You fill out the form, fire it off and it goes to their "tech support". I fill out my form, describe the issue thoroughly and request a RMA. A reply in email form arrives and tells me a RMA is granted, a RMA number is provided and instructions on how to return the item are sent in a second email. At this point, I'm thinking these guys are pretty much on the ball and I'm feeling fairly confident about the whole process. It takes me a couple of days to get the card sent back and in the meantime I put up a web page with screenshots illustrating the problem and instructions on how to reproduce the problem. I know troubleshooting and testing things can be tedious and/or tricky, so I figure it's best to provide as much clear information as posible. I fire off another web note letting the "tech support" guys know of the page and send the card back. Another email response arrives and says that the page has been seen and that they would be sure to test and stress the card thoroughly. Excellent, no problem then. Well, so it seemed. Another email arrives stating the card has arrived. And then another arrives stating that a replacement card will be shipped when stocks allow under a new order number. One more email arrives stating the replacement has been shipped under the new order number and will arrive next day. Things are looking great at this point: I shipped the card back on the Saturday and the replcement was due to arrive on the following Tuesday -- the whole RMA cycle and back to having a working PC in a few days.

The order arrives on the stated day and I open up the box. This is where things get good -- inside the box is my original video card that I had sent back for RMA. Keep in mind that the last communication I had had was that a replacement had been shipped. Inside the main box is an order slip showing the replacement at no charge under the new order number that had been issued -- but no replacement card itself. Also inside the box was the box I had shipped the original card out in containing the original card. Inside the box along with my video card was a note stating that, "The heatsink/fan is absolutely caked in tar/nicotene and dust which is likely the cause of overheating causing corruptions". Also, "Warranty void". Now, there certainly is some dust build up on the fan/heatsink -- the card had been in a computer case for almost six months. However, the card is far from being "absolutely caked" in anything. I'll let the reader decide if "absolutely caked" is an apt description.

Furthermore, the diagnosis of overheating was something that I had already ruled out myself, so whatever the level of any dust build up it was not causing the card to run at an abnormal temperature. Then I read the sentence again and noted more carefully that the term "likely" had been used to describe the fault. Had this card even been tested at all? I was fully aware of the temperatures the card operates at, so why wasn't "tech support" aware of those temperatures? I decided I had better phone them and find out exactly what was going on...