PC warranty any good?

[GoodOdor]

So, my fairly new gaming pc(about 5 months) is giving me trouble. Windows won't load - when I try to load it without the installation cd, it tells me:
"Status: 0xc000000f. The boot selection failed because a required devise is inaccessible".

When I put in the installation cd and try to reinstall windows, it tells me:
"windows cannot install requested files. The file does not exist. Error code 0x80070002". No devices found.

From what I can tell, it looks like the hard drive got corrupted.

My main question is this - is it worth sending the computer in? I still have the warranty. The brand is IBuyPower.

I just figure that they are gonna try and fuck me over by claiming that it's a software error or mismanagement on my side - and then make me
pay shipping fees without fixing anything.

Is it simply better to send it to a repair shop right away? anyone has any similar experiences?

[leemajors]

If anything you would likely need to contact the hard drive manufacturer unless your warranty states otherwise.

[Useruser666]

So, my fairly new gaming pc(about 5 months) is giving me trouble. Windows won't load - when I try to load it without the installation cd, it tells me:
"Status: 0xc000000f. The boot selection failed because a required devise is inaccessible".

When I put in the installation cd and try to reinstall windows, it tells me:
"windows cannot install requested files. The file does not exist. Error code 0x80070002". No devices found.

From what I can tell, it looks like the hard drive got corrupted.

My main question is this - is it worth sending the computer in? I still have the warranty. The brand is IBuyPower.

I just figure that they are gonna try and fuck me over by claiming that it's a software error or mismanagement on my side - and then make me
pay shipping fees without fixing anything.

Is it simply better to send it to a repair shop right away? anyone has any similar experiences?

I would try and fix it yourself first, or at least thru phone support. If you send it in they will likely not pay shipping to them(depends on warranty). I had the same problem with a computer from Cyberpower Inc. I hate to say this, and am not totally sure, but IBuyPower and CyberPower have been rummored to be the same company. I tell everyone I know that asks about buying computers to STAY AWAY FROM CYBERPOWER! (Therefore, I don't trust IBuyPower either.)

What can happen to you is what happened to me. I got a DOA system, sent it in they paid for first return shipping. Got the system back, and it had one bad ram stick. They sent new ram, then the system wouldn't boot correctly. Now they wanted me to pay for shipping the system back because all of this back and forth had taken longer than their 30 day money back warranty period. I told them it was BS since I had never had a working computer to begin with. I had to dispute the charges on the debit card to get them to issue a refund. They will play that game with you of shipping a non-working PC back and forth, until you get tired of paying shipping and/or the money back period expires.

First , back up your stuff from the hard drive if you can. Then call their phone support or go to their website and find out how to use the hidden boot partion to restore the default windows install. It will take the computer back to how it was when you first bought it. You can also try and replace the hard drive, either thru them or buying one on your own and doing it.

Good luck.

[GoodOdor]

I would try and fix it yourself first, or at least thru phone support. If you send it in they will likely not pay shipping to them(depends on warranty). I had the same problem with a computer from Cyberpower Inc. I hate to say this, and am not totally sure, but IBuyPower and CyberPower have been rummored to be the same company. I tell everyone I know that asks about buying computers to STAY AWAY FROM CYBERPOWER! (Therefore, I don't trust IBuyPower either.)

What can happen to you is what happened to me. I got a DOA system, sent it in they paid for first return shipping. Got the system back, and it had one bad ram stick. They sent new ram, then the system wouldn't boot correctly. Now they wanted me to pay for shipping the system back because all of this back and forth had taken longer than their 30 day money back warranty period. I told them it was BS since I had never had a working computer to begin with. I had to dispute the charges on the debit card to get them to issue a refund. They will play that game with you of shipping a non-working PC back and forth, until you get tired of paying shipping and/or the money back period expires.

First , back up your stuff from the hard drive if you can. Then call their phone support or go to their website and find out how to use the hidden boot partion to restore the default windows install. It will take the computer back to how it was when you first bought it. You can also try and replace the hard drive, either thru them or buying one on your own and doing it.

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice. MY problem is that it seems I can't even get it to boot, and trying to re install windows through the installation
cd I got with the computer does not work either - which seems that the only other option is to start taking the computer apart, and I'm not comfertable doing that.

I'll give them a call today and see what's up.

Thank you,

Ilan.

[ElNono]

You could try to Open the Command Prompt when the Installation DVD Loads (http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/682-command-prompt-startup.html), and try running:

chkdsk /r c:

See if that fixes it. If it doesn't, give them a call and see what they say.

[Heath Ledger]

Ibuypower is a reputable company that has been around for years.

[GoodOdor]

You could try to Open the Command Prompt when the Installation DVD Loads (http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/682-command-prompt-startup.html), and try running:

chkdsk /r c:

See if that fixes it. If it doesn't, give them a call and see what they say.

Thanks, this seems like it's worth a try. I'll try this when I get back home today.

[Useruser666]

Ibuypower is a reputable company that has been around for years.

So has/was Cyberpower. I had even bought several systems over the years from them, but not anymore.

[GoodOdor]

So I just called in, looks like my hard drive failed( as I thought). They told me to send it in and I should get
a replacement in a couple weeks. Seems reasonable tbh.

[leemajors]

couple weeks is a pretty damn long time, newegg can turn stuff around really quick. I would send it in but buy a new drive anyway myself.

[Drachen]

is there anything on it that you need?

[Useruser666]

So I just called in, looks like my hard drive failed( as I thought). They told me to send it in and I should get
a replacement in a couple weeks. Seems reasonable tbh.

Any place worth their salt should send you the drive first, then let you send in the damaged one once you've swapped them out. I would ask for that, or get your own. Either way, unless it's shipped all via ground, it shouldn't take more than a week to ge the drive.

[Drachen]

Most places will void your warranty if you open up the box.

[ElNono]

So I just called in, looks like my hard drive failed( as I thought). They told me to send it in and I should get
a replacement in a couple weeks. Seems reasonable tbh.

If you're happy with that, that's all that matters. Glad they owned up to it and didn't give you the runaround.

[ElNono]

couple weeks is a pretty damn long time, newegg can turn stuff around really quick. I would send it in but buy a new drive anyway myself.

Well, he didn't buy the part, but the whole system. Actually, NewEgg sells IBuyPower systems, IIRC.

[leemajors]

Well, he didn't buy the part, but the whole system. Actually, NewEgg sells IBuyPower systems, IIRC.

Aye, I noticed HDD prices are coming back down again too.

[TDMVPDPOY]

ur time is precious, depends on how long u can hold out for downtime?

when parts are cheap to replace, compared to sending that shit in and waiting for it to get fix

[TDMVPDPOY]

Aye, I noticed HDD prices are coming back down again too.

ssd are dirt cheap, now if those thick 3.5 satas +3tb drop to under 100 a pop, things could get interesting

[DMC]

Check your bios settings to make sure your drive is recognized. If it's not, just replace the drive. They aren't expensive. Upgrade to an SSD and never look back.

[DMC]

ssd are dirt cheap, now if those thick 3.5 satas +3tb drop to under 100 a pop, things could get interesting

Only for backup purposes. Too much to lose in the 3Tb size drive and an extended format would take forever. Just get two or three 1 TB drives and set up RAID 0.

[GoodOdor]

So, I ended bringing it to work so my IT buddy could take a look at it.

Turns out there was a shit load of dust/dog hairs inside - after cleaning it out, the windows installation went through,

and so far, it's been working okay.

[GoodOdor]

Well, back to square one, tbh......

After cleaning all the dog hairs, the PC has been solid up until now. However, when I tried gaming on it again(was only doing excel/surfing on it prior) it crashes. I formatted, and when I was installing the graphics card drivers - it would crash again.

Is it safe to assume it's a defective graphics card? I'm fedexing them it tomorrow so I can get a replacement one in a week or so.

The only other option is a defective hdd, which was my initial thought.....but I'll try that if getting a replacement card doesn't work.

IBuyPower sucks tbh.