Serial number sticker missing

[AKA Cooke]

I bought an ex display vega 56 from ebuyer back in November, the card was working at first and then I started getting random blue screen errors "thread stuck in device driver". 

 

I had a look around the Internet and did all the troubleshooting I could like updating all my driversand using DDU ect. None of this worked so I contacted msi directly. 

 

I then went through all the troubleshooting with them and due to the fact I can run an rx 580 perfectly fine it seems there is an issue with my gpu and they told me I had to contact the retailer for RMA. 

 

So I sent it off to ebuyer and after 2 weeks I received an email from them saying the card was damaged and wasn't covered under warranty. Obviously the card isn't damaged so I have called them and they say its actually because it is missing the serial number sticker that is supposed to be on the back of the card and due to this there is nothing they can do. I tried to explain to them that the card is ex display and that must be why it is missing but they said without proof that the card I have is the one that matches the one they have on there system there is nothing they can do. 

 

Is there a way I can find the serial number of my card from having it plugged in to my computer?

 

I have looked online at pictures of the gpu variant I have and there isn't any stickers on the actual gpu itself with the serial number on it. 

[Bombastinator]

Missing serial numbers are bad. A pawn shop won’t even buy something with a missing serial number. I don’t like the concept of putting a serial number on something that is removable or changeable.  Car companies put the automobile VIN in numerous hidden places.  A card manufacturer might do the same thing.  One of them is likely to be electronic.  Maybe check the hardware properties or something.

Edited March 9, 2021 by Bombastinator

[Murasaki]

Did it come in the box? The boxes also have a similar sticker with serial number and all that.

[AKA Cooke]

I have checked on gpuz but I can't find anything that looks like the serial number because the serial number is actually on the box, the problem I have is that it's not physically on the card and that is how I received it, I just didn't think to check because I never thought to

[Bombastinator]

29 minutes ago, AKA Cooke said:

I have checked on gpuz but I can't find anything that looks like the serial number because the serial number is actually on the box, the problem I have is that it's not physically on the card and that is how I received it, I just didn't think to check because I never thought to

It would be reasonable for GPUZ not to include it even if it was there. Perhaps something more standard.  Maybe actually in windows..  I’m not trying to be cryptic I’m just guessing and ignorant.

[AKA Cooke]

1 hour ago, Bombastinator said:

It would be reasonable for GPUZ not to include it even if it was there. Perhaps something more standard.  Maybe actually in windows..  I’m not trying to be cryptic I’m just guessing and ignorant.

I've looked in device manager and I can't find anything. 

 

Searching Google only leads me to a piece of seftware that you have to pay for, this wouldn't be a problem if I could guarantee it worked because it would be worth it but I don't feel like risking it knowing nothing about the software. 

[Murasaki]

Before I replied to this thread I tested a few methods and they did not return a match on my GPU's SN so through Windows and software like GPU-Z this doesn't look to be possible.

[Mark Kaine]

Seems scummy, first they sell u a card without SN,  which then breaks soon after and they be like "no SN, no service lul"...

 

 

Where did you buy it, do you have prove of purchase and did you talk to a lawyer? 

[Bombastinator]

3 hours ago, AKA Cooke said:

I've looked in device manager and I can't find anything. 

 

Searching Google only leads me to a piece of seftware that you have to pay for, this wouldn't be a problem if I could guarantee it worked because it would be worth it but I don't feel like risking it knowing nothing about the software. 

Pay for software to read a serial number?!  Smells fishy.  Implies it’s BS and there’s a way to do it with the included stuff.  Might be some asshat at microsoft decided it was stuff that the average person “didn’t need” and hid it deep somewhere but it was in earlier stuff.  They did that with safe mode for example.  I personally own someone in microsoft a kick in the nuts for that one.

 

What it DOES say though is the serial number IS electronically recorded.  Just have to access it.

 

Maybe try something Linux, or an older version of windows.  If older version of windows make sure there is an air gap.  If antique windows gets a whiff of the internet you could be inundated in malware.

Edited March 9, 2021 by Bombastinator

[AKA Cooke]

On 3/9/2021 at 11:03 PM, Mark Kaine said:

Seems scummy, first they sell u a card without SN,  which then breaks soon after and they be like "no SN, no service lul"...

 

 

Where did you buy it, do you have prove of purchase and did you talk to a lawyer? 

It was bought from ebuyer, I have proof of purchase on their site but because the card itself doesn't have the serial number on it they are saying they have no way of varifying that the card is the one I bought from them and not another one I bought online that is faulty and im trying to claim its the one I got from them. 

 

The shitty thing is I don't really have a leg to stand on because I bet they do have this sort of thing happen to them. 

 

I am genuinely not trying to screw them over, this is actually the card that I bought from them. I just never thought to check if it had a serial number sticker missing as soon as I got it because who even does. why would such a thing even be on a sticker on the back of the card and also be the only way of identifying it, if that one sticker falls off youre fucked

 

The thing is I contacted msi (the manufacturer of the card) first because all the card does is crash and blue screen every few hours. At first it was very infrequent, maybe only happening once a week or so and over time became more and more frequent to the point where you can game on it for 10 minutes or and hour and that's it. It's not like I am claiming the card is totally bricked, I bought the card in November and it wasn't bad enough for me to contact someone about it untill the beginning of February. 

 

I am currently in contact with msi's RMA team about the situation so hopefully they will be able to help me identify the serial number of the card by some other numbers that are on it. Its just not helping that they take about 3-5 days to reply to my emails and I've only just gotten across all the information about the situation with them. I've had to send them pictures of the card twice and explained the blue screen situation and been passed around about 3 different people. 

 

[Mark Kaine]

16 minutes ago, AKA Cooke said:

It was bought from ebuyer, I have proof of purchase on their site but because the card itself doesn't have the serial number on it they are saying they have no way of varifying that the card is the one I bought from them and not another one I bought online that is faulty and im trying to claim its the one I got from them.

Yeah, they're trying to scam you as I said...

 

I mean maybe msi will be able to help you but for that seller it just sounds scummy as hell wouldn't be surprised they removed sticker themselves,  easy way to get around pesky 'warranty claims'

 

Also do you still have the box, should have the SN as well. 

 

16 minutes ago, AKA Cooke said:

. I just never thought to check if it had a serial number sticker

Weird, it's the first thing I check,  sticker on card, sticker on box, has fans, ready to go!

 

 

As obviously if either of those were missing it would imply someone tinkered with the card.

 

Edit: also for future reference, always make a bunch of photos when you send something back to a seller, item, all sides, box, all sides, package with addresses visible and items inside visible,  invoices if applicable, package closed andready to ship,  and *especially* any warranty / SN stickers...

 

 

[AKA Cooke]

Update. I contacted msi directly and they have agreed to RMA the card if I can cover the cost to post it to them. Its only cost me about £23 to post it to them so considering the state of the market at the minute I am definitely happy to cover that cost. 

 

 

[WANLeader]

I am facing a similar predicament with an Asus Strix 3090 that runs great and boy do I love it. Came in wrapper, No serial sticker, not even on the box that was in very new condition. Card still had the peely  stuff on it everywhere. But even system info in photoshop (which I was told would be accurate doesn't register on the asus product registration suite. So. What  do I do now? With all the system tools out there, can any of them extract the serial? The real serial number!