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Intel CPU Warranty Invalid w/o CPU Fan?

Posted by Cliff on from the a-warning-for-intel-CPU-users dept.

saberint asks: "Recently, I had a good argument with Intel as I had a 3.2G P4 chip die on me within 6 months. I sent the CPU back to Intel only to be told that they will NOT honour the warranty because I did not send the fan back with it. Apparently the fan and the CPU's serial must match or else there is no warranty. This 'policy' is not listed on the warranty card or on their website. So for all you network admin or IT support people out there, keep the fan and the CPU together. Has anyone else experienced this with Intel?"

13 of 100 comments (clear)

  1. Overclockers and their "huge mamma" fans by jpu8086 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This is obviously a scheme to deter overclockers from scamming away at Intel's Expense.

    Holy shit, the 3.2 Ghz Processor blew up when I ran it at 4.0 Ghz. Let me try and get a new one. Oops, I glued on a custom industrial-quality fan to cool the damn thing.

    I mean why would a person NOT use the fan provided by Intel in the retail package? The complete package is warranted, if something happens -- it is Intel's problem. So, don't put monster fans when the retail package will do.

    --
    now supporting:
    cmdrTaco for president '04
    michael for oval office intern summer '05
    1. Re:Overclockers and their "huge mamma" fans by baywulf · · Score: 4, Informative

      Those with a separate fan are probably unboxed and thus considered OEM parts. The warrenty on those are much more limited from my recollection.

    2. Re:Overclockers and their "huge mamma" fans by menscher · · Score: 4, Insightful
      I mean why would a person NOT use the fan provided by Intel in the retail package?

      You obviously haven't heard them. They're loud. Much nicer to replace them with a Vantec stealth fan or somesuch.

    3. Re:Overclockers and their "huge mamma" fans by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful
      You have hit the nail exactly on the head... OEM. OEM means intel says "go complain to who you bought it from, not from us". That's the whole point, and why OEM parts are cheaper than the retail parts.

      All the Intel retail kits come with fans and heatsinks. That's probably the easy way they can tell if you're sending an OEM or Retail part back.

    4. Re:Overclockers and their "huge mamma" fans by Cecil · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I have no experience with Intel parts, as I swore off them long ago (their marketing of the processor ID struck the wrong chord with me), but for AMD:

      The fan that comes with the processor is garbage. It may be warranted, but I'm not worried about getting a replacement fan. I *am* worried about keeping the heat and noise levels of my computer to a minimum, and stability to a maximum. The horrifically noisy and weak AMD fans (and their associated undersized heatsinks) may be 'good enough' for people who are used to Windows crashing every couple of days, but it's not good enough for me.

      No, I don't overclock. I've been known to underclock, though. That probably voids my warranty as well. Oh well.

      But if you think the stock HSF is suitable for everyone (or even most, in my opinion) you're absolutely wrong. Do you void your warranty on your car when you replace the all-season tires with Blizzaks? Why should you need to anyway, those tires that came with your car work fine in all seasons, don't they?

      --
      Random and weird software I've written.
    5. Re:Overclockers and their "huge mamma" fans by k4_pacific · · Score: 3, Informative

      "Do you void your warranty on your car when you replace the all-season tires with Blizzaks?"

      Actually, my brother is a mechanic at a Ford dealer. He says that they will not honor the warranty if a wheel bearing fails prematurely and the car does not have the stock tires on it. Putting wide or offset tires on a car causes the weight of the car to not be supported directly beneath the bearing and can lead to premature bearing failure.

      --
      Unknown host pong.
    6. Re:Overclockers and their "huge mamma" fans by johnfreez · · Score: 3, Informative

      Back when I used to sell these things at a local mom 'n pop shop, as the parent stated, the warranty on the cpus varied as follows:

      Intel Retail (boxed): 3 years direct with Intel
      AMD Retail (boxed): 3 years direct with AMD
      AMD OEM (chip only): 1 year through reseller (us)
      Intel OEM (chip only): dunno, the boss didn't bother buying them because they were almost as expensive as the retail versions

      --
      Disclaimer: I don't know what I'm talking about.
    7. Re:Overclockers and their "huge mamma" fans by obeythefist · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Actually, the reason Intel is asking for the fan is because they will look at the thermal gunk on the bottom of the fan, then tell you that you didn't install the fan correctly, thus voiding your warranty. I reckon if you check the fine print in the warranty documentation, they'll disavow any responsibility if they believe the fan has been installed incorrectly.

      And when I say incorrectly, there really isn't much to it, the fan goes on and it clips on and it's done, but "incorrectly" means a whole different thing in warranty legalese.

      Step 3 for intel: Profit.

      --
      I am government man, come from the government. The government has sent me. -- G.I.R.
  2. Totally legit. by Padrino121 · · Score: 5, Informative

    There are two tracks for Intel processors, OEM and retail.

    If I remember right the OEM have something like a 15 day warranty from Intel, after that you need to take it up with your reseller.

    The retail CPUs have a three year warranty but they come with a fan designed for the processor right from Intel. It comes as a package and you are only supposed to use the Intel fan, any other will void your warranty.

    I imagine getting the fan serves multiple purposes. Did the CPU die because the fan was weak/dead. Did the user swap it out for another unapproved fan, etc.

  3. devil's advocate by TheSHAD0W · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm sure Intel has been getting plenty of returns, both from overclockers, from people who use the wrong fans for whatever reason, or who install fans improperly. Why should Intel have to bear the burden of these returns when it's not their fault?

  4. Re:Make a call to your lawyer. by NanoGator · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "A letter from your attorney could go a long way toward fixing this. "

    Or you'll get a letter back saying "We cannot guarantee processors that use unapproved fans." Not trying to side with Intel here, but they would have a point. If the processor burned because the fan sucked (or didnt suck?) then you'd be approaching the wrong place about warranty.

    --
    "Derp de derp."
  5. AMD seems to have the same policy by madstork2000 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    *NOTE* I did not check AMD's website or the warranty card recently, but when I did I did not notice mention of this policy.

    Anyway, I had an AMD return (using the "home"/retail) support department and they requested that I send the original cooling fan and heatsink.

    Since I had the heatsink, and the CPU was over two years old I did not push the issue, BUT they did seem to have the same policy...

    -MS2k

  6. update on the fan type etc by saberint · · Score: 3, Informative

    The fan was changed to use the thermaltake aqarius2 water cooling system. Not to overclock the computer but so I could leave it on 24/7. The issue more is that I live in Australia, where in summer it hits 40-45 degrees centigrade (approx 103-113), and it can hit just shy of 50 (122) if we r unlucky. If i was too have the computer running at 80% with the standard intel fan then it would crash within 5 minutes. It was either the water cooling or leave the aircon on all the time....and id hate to see that power bill...