Disappointed in Gigabyte, they refuse basic repair info

[Boby]

Hi there,

Anyone knows what Gigabyte GTX 970 G1 vRam Thermal pads are? like thickness and mw heat dissipation specs are? I need to replace mine and i have contacted Gigabyte support but they refuse to give me this information... i'm deeply disappointed by Gigabyte

Thanks

[Boby]

Just wanted the community to know, i needed a simple thermal paste and thermal pads replaced on my GPU (GTX 970), so instead of experimenting my self with the right pads thickness and mw performance, i decided to ask GIGABYTE, what pads and paste should i replace on my GPU, and this is what they answered:

Quote

 

The component specifications are internal use only. As we mentioned earlier, we are not allowed to comment on component details in this system.

Regards,
GIGABYTE

They also said that they don't sell replacement paste and pads, so basically they say when you are out of warranty, go f....k yourself.

This is just absurd...

[Levent]

tbh I dont know what you expected, that is the world we are living in.

[nox_]

5 minutes ago, Boby said:

Just wanted the community to know, i needed a simple thermal paste and thermal pads replaced on my GPU (GTX 970), so instead of experimenting my self with the right pads thickness and mw performance, i decided to ask GIGABYTE, what pads and paste should i replace on my GPU, and this is what they answered:

They also said that they don't sell replacement paste and pads, so basically they say when you are out of warranty, go f....k yourself.

This is just absurd...

That gpu is about 5+ years old, you still expect for them to manufacture and sell replacement "parts" for it? The component specs being for internal use are not that uncommon.

[DezGalbie]

That's kind of understandable, IMO.

They cover you while under warranty. Any issues and they will help you.

But they don't want to tell you how to service something which is out of warranty because if they tell you the wrong thing then you can probably hold them liable for damages.

Pretty much any thermal paste should be fine though. I would use anything which is not electrically conductive.

[ManosMax13]

8 minutes ago, Boby said:

Just wanted the community to know, i needed a simple thermal paste and thermal pads replaced on my GPU (GTX 970), so instead of experimenting my self with the right pads thickness and mw performance, i decided to ask GIGABYTE, what pads and paste should i replace on my GPU, and this is what they answered:

They also said that they don't sell replacement paste and pads, so basically they say when you are out of warranty, go f....k yourself.

This is just absurd...

No its not if you want to modify the card in anyway, they are not responsible you are wrong in this case. If you break the card trying to replace the thermal pads and paste, they wont fix the card. If you want the information tho it can be easily found online.

[HanZie82]

Still, its a shit way of doing business. And by condoning it you're actually supporting it. We need to fight it!

I don't fucking stand for them manufacturers not giving us the option to repair. IT'S OUTRAGOUS!

[DezGalbie]

2 minutes ago, HanZie82 said:

Still, its a shit way of doing business. And by condoning it you're actually supporting it. We need to fight it!

I don't fucking stand for them manufacturers not giving us the option to repair. IT'S OUTRAGOUS!

Nobody is trying to prevent him from repairing anything. He can go repair it himself and nobody will stop him. Gigabyte are just refusing to help him repair an out of warranty product.

What's wrong with that?

Should Gigabyte be liable to help people repair anything they have sold from the beginning of their company to the end of days?

[GoldenLag]

13 minutes ago, Boby said:

They also said that they don't sell replacement paste and pads, so basically they say when you are out of warranty, go f....k yourself.

This is just absurd...

in other words. they dont have this info on hand....... and cant do the thing for you.......

 

there isnt a lot they can do. all i can allude to is to figure out what thermal pads are usually used.  and any paste is good enough as long as its nonconductive. 

 

and btw. they do have those warranty stickers. 

[HanZie82]

3 minutes ago, DezGalbie said:

Nobody is trying to prevent him from repairing anything. He can go repair it himself and nobody will stop him. Gigabyte are just refusing to help him repair an out of warranty product.

What's wrong with that?

Should Gigabyte be liable to help people repair anything they have sold from the beginning of their company to the end of days?

Well, kinda yes.
It is absurd to think of selling a product to have it just fail after 2 years. That the mass consuming market that is being built for us. We dont have to comply like a bunch of weak sheep.

 

2 minutes ago, GoldenLag said:

in other words. they dont have this info on hand....... and cant do the thing for you.......

 

there isnt a lot they can do. all i can allude to is to figure out what thermal pads are usually used.  and any paste is good enough as long as its nonconductive. 

 

and btw. they do have those warranty stickers. 

First of about all over the world those waranty sticker hold NO VALUE whatsoever. Google it.
And second you cant tell me that they dont have some info or other o their multi million business products.

They do and they can, they just dont want to since it will cost them some money to do so. But they rather pick us consumers bone dry.

[Leanora]

You're asking for proprietary information, what do you expect? 

[FlappyBoobs]

6 minutes ago, HanZie82 said:

It is absurd to think of selling a product to have it just fail after 2 years. That the mass consuming market that is being built for us. We dont have to comply like a bunch of weak sheep.

I guarantee you that the thermal paste and pads has not failed after 2 years with this guys card. Something else was fucked with to get it to be a problem, and it wasn't just normal usage. Either it was a manufacturing defect or OP wants to change the thermal paste because "some guy on the internet said it was a good idea". I am guessing it is the second option.

 

Gigabyte don't have the information available because they could count the number of their customers that want this info on the tip of the CEOs dick. I.E. OP is probably one of the first to ask for the info that wasn't trying to commit corporate espionage. 

[Boby]

You guys don't get it, thermal pads and paste are "consumables" with expiration date, they are meant to be replaced regularly (every 2-4 years), just like the oil in your car, imagine if car manufacturer hides the information of what oil you should use and only change it for you while you are under warranty...

[GoldenLag]

seems like people are estimating around 0.5 mm and 1.5-2 mm thermal pads. 

 

so id grab 0.5 and 1.5 and see how it goes. 

[Boby]

1 minute ago, FlappyBoobs said:

I guarantee you that the thermal paste and pads has not failed after 2 years with this guys card. Something else was fucked with to get it to be a problem, and it wasn't just normal usage. Either it was a manufacturing defect or OP wants to change the thermal paste because "some guy on the internet said it was a good idea". I am guessing it is the second option.

 

Gigabyte don't have the information available because they could count the number of their customers that want this info on the tip of the CEOs dick. I.E. OP is probably one of the first to ask for the info that wasn't trying to commit corporate espionage. 

You are wrong, my card started overheating, i decided its time after 4 years to replace the thermal paste, i open it up, the thermal paste was rock solid, i had hard time removing it and while open the card some of thermal pads were torn as they are old too, so there is nothing fishy goin on.

[GoldenLag]

6 minutes ago, Boby said:

thermal pads and paste are "consumables" with expiration date

depends on the pads and paste. 

 

some depend on being "wet" and can eventually "Dry out". some dont care at all. 

 

but get 0.5mm pads and 1.5mm pads. that should be what you are looking for from what i can gather. 

[DezGalbie]

1 minute ago, Boby said:

You guys don't get it, thermal pads and paste are "consumables" with expiration date, they are meant to be replaced regularly (every 2-4 years), just like the oil in your car, imagine if car manufacturer hides the information of what oil you should use and only change it for you while you are under warranty...

Nah, mate. We get it.

Gigabyte will help you under warranty. If your card is significantly overheating during your warranty period then they will help you. If it happens outwith your warranty period then they won't.

If I buy a 2nd hand 5 year old Ford and decide that it needs some maintenance, can I contact Ford and have them walk me through it? Or will they tell me to take it to a mechanic?

And if you think Ford should help you in this circumstance, where does it end? What if it was a 20 year old Ford? 50 year old Ford?

At some point your warranty ends and the manufacturer's obligations to the product's repair and servicing end with it.

[Boby]

3 minutes ago, DezGalbie said:

Nah, mate. We get it.

Gigabyte will help you under warranty. If your card is significantly overheating during your warranty period then they will help you. If it happens outwith your warranty period then they won't.

If I buy a 2nd hand 5 year old Ford and decide that it needs some maintenance, can I contact Ford and have them walk me through it? Or will they tell me to take it to a mechanic?

And if you think Ford should help you in this circumstance, where does it end? What if it was a 20 year old Ford? 50 year old Ford?

At some point your warranty ends and the manufacturer's obligations to the product's repair and servicing end with it.

I think you still don't gate it first of all, if your car is out of warranty, car manufacturers will still repair it until they make replaceable parts and it is called "serviceable period", which is normally around 20+ years for cars, the difference is, you gonna pay of the repairs when it is out of warranty. In fact VW rebuild my engine on my 14 years old VW golf that was out of warranty, i just had to pay for it. They also sell official repair manuals if you decide to repair it yourself...

Gigabyte not only does not offer service repairs for its out of warranty products, but they uphold basic information on the "consumable" parts, like i give you the example with the oil, which is shady practice.

[DezGalbie]

1 minute ago, Boby said:

I think you still don't gate it first of all, if your car is out of warranty, car manufacturers will still repair it until they make replaceable parts and it is called "serviceable period", which is normally around 20+ years for cars, the difference is, you gonna pay of the repairs when it is out of warranty. In fact VW rebuild my engine on my 14 years old VW golf that was out of warranty, i just had to pay for it. They also sell official repair manuals if you decide to repair it yourself...

Gigabyte not only does not offer service repairs for its out of warranty products, but they uphold basic information on the "consumable" parts, like i give you the example with the oil, which is shady practice.

Quoting examples where some companies are willing to go above and beyond their warranty obligations does not make these extra above and beyond steps the minimum requirement for everyone else.

Sure, some companies may want to get your repair business, but some don't. And there's nothing wrong with that. They don't have to help you repair your out of warranty product.

[Boby]

Well i disagree with you, and in fact many people disagree with you that's why governments are now pushing the "Right to repair" law everywhere, to force manufacturers provide information about repairs - you can see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronics_right_to_repair.  and https://www.wired.com/story/right-to-repair-security-experts-california/ and https://theecologist.org/2019/jan/21/right-repair-enshrined-eu-law

[FlappyBoobs]

8 minutes ago, Boby said:

You are wrong, my card started overheating, i decided its time after 4 years to replace the thermal paste, i open it up, the thermal paste was rock solid, i had hard time removing it and while open the card some of thermal pads were torn as they are old too, so there is nothing fishy goin on.

 

It's not "normal" to replace the thermal paste on your GPU, only the people on these sorts of fourms seem to think so, manufacturers disagree with you, which is why they don't offer it as a service. If it was "like an oil change on a car" there would be a service to do it, small computer shops would offer it as a service but even the expert component repair shops don't advertise that as a service. If you are right in that it is "normal" to replace the paste and pads, then why the hell is no one cashing in on this unsupported area of the market? the answer is that there is no market, because by the time it is a problem for most people the component will have been replaced (and were talking 7+ years of use out of the components without issue).

[Leanora]

7 minutes ago, Boby said:

Well i disagree with you, and in fact many people disagree with you that's why governments are now pushing the "Right to repair" law everywhere, to force manufacturers provide information about repairs - you can see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronics_right_to_repair.  and https://www.wired.com/story/right-to-repair-security-experts-california/ and https://theecologist.org/2019/jan/21/right-repair-enshrined-eu-law

So are those laws in effect already ? 

If not then you are asking for internal/ proprietary information and there is no reason for them to provide you that. 

 

It would be nice if they did, extra customer support, but if they don't well they are not required to do so. 

 

[Boby]

1 minute ago, FlappyBoobs said:

 

It's not "normal" to replace the thermal paste on your GPU, only the people on these sorts of fourms seem to think so, manufacturers disagree with you, which is why they don't offer it as a service. If it was "like an oil change on a car" there would be a service to do it, small computer shops would offer it as a service but even the expert component repair shops don't advertise that as a service. If you are right in that it is "normal" to replace the paste and pads, then why the hell is no one cashing in on this unsupported area of the market? the answer is that there is no market, because by the time it is a problem for most people the component will have been replaced (and were talking 7+ years of use out of the components without issue).

It is well known fact that manufacturers use cheap thermal paste that has around 2 years of life by specification (the warranty period), are you seriously telling me that i should throw out my GPU after two years when warranty expires because of the thermal paste life is over? I said already that the paste was ROCK solid meaning it needed replacement just after 4 years of use. BTW, Microsoft are servicing my 6 years xbox just fine and replace fans and thermal paste just fine.

[Boby]

Just now, Leanora said:

So are those laws in effect already ? 

If not then you are asking for internal/ proprietary information and there is no reason for them to provide you that. 

 

It would be nice if they did, extra customer support, but if they don't well they are not required to do so. 

 

They are laws in US concerning cars from 2018, they recently included consumer electronics and will be enforced in US and EU soon.

[Boby]

1 minute ago, Mr. horse said:

Why not take the card apart and check what size the pads are? And just buy the best pads/tim you can find?

I have already replaced the pads and paste and its working as new, and yes they are not yet required by law to provide this information, but for me this is bad out of warranty support and i'm disappointed in them as manufacturer. I have the right to be disappointed right?