Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

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Homerr

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I'm stepping up to the 64 bit system soon, and I've decided to go with an Asus K8V deluxe main-board and an AMD 64 3400+ cpu.<br />I'd go to the Opteron, but it's just way out of my price range.<br /><br />Question is... I've noticed some 'refurb' K8V boards available.<br /><br />Has anyone ever used a 'refurb' motherboard?<br />I've always purchased new.<br />The word 'refurb' generally scares me away to begin with, but this new system is going to be spendy just in the motherboard and cpu alone.<br />If I can save a few bucks I will try but, I don't want to sacrifice quality.<br /><br />I've always used Asus main-boards and AMD, and I always will. Just curious on the refurb.<br /><br />H.
 
H

Homerr

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

That's kinda what I'm thinking.<br /><br />The price difference between refurb and new is approx. $35. Chump change for the most part, but I am still curious if anyone has had issues with a refurb.<br /><br />H.
 
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Ralph 123

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

Problem is H, the stuff can fail intermittently and you wind up chasing ghosts for months. I would avoid it if possible.
 
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Matt O

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

Refurb is not always a bad thing. This laptop I am using and have been for the last 2 years is a refurb. It gets used a minimum of 14 hours a day and some days longer. So I am not too sure its a bad thing. Now I have never used hardware when I build my pcs so that I can't tell ya about.<br /><br />Matt
 
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jee70611

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

Homer,<br /><br />I would rather buy a refurbished good over a new one. Think about it like this. The new one goes through the manufacturing process for the most part without human intervention nowadays. That being said, there is a pretty high chance that if there is a problem waiting to happen (like weak solder joints) it will happen when you least expect it. Now granted, it can happen to refurb goods also. The thing I like about refurbished hardware is that an actual person has to sit down and go over it inch by inch to find the problem and fix it. Now if there were problems like weak solder joints that haven't become a problem yet, they will fix them. I do have personal experience with refurbished hardware. I bought a 20gig refurbished Seagate hard drive off of ebay. It had been relabeled, but it was still a Seagate. They used the Seagate Model number, but used their brand name. I know this because I looked it up and even compared a picture the Seagate to the one I had. I've used this hard drive in my computer that I installed in my truck for over two and a half years. It was involved in three accidents(not my fault) without being damaged. It saw temperature extremes from 10 degrees F in the winter to over 150-160 in a closed "greenhouse" so to speak. I used it in all those situations and not once did it ever give me problems. I still have that hard drive now, but just yesterday I upgraded my trucks computer to a 120gig Western Digital drive. Now I have over 5,300 songs, over 90 movies, the entire Stargate Sg-1 series(seasons 1-7), and many other videos at my fingertips. Don't worry, I don't watch tv while I'm driving ;) . It's the closest thing to a drive-in than the real thing :D . Like I said, I prefer refurbished over new because it is gone over with a fine tooth comb to find problems. New ones are just shuffled along with the rest. They have problems just waiting to show their ugly faces. Here is some pictures of my computer in my truck. If you look to the left of the A/C vents, you can see the power and reset buttons, as well as the power and hard disk led's. Computer hardware isn't as fragile as most people think LOL :p :p Just see the pics. Truck Computer Pics <br /><br />James
 
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jee70611

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

Yeah, I forgot to mention the warranty part. A lot of the refurb units carry full warranties just like new units.
 
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Ralph 123

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

Problem is, a lot of refurbish aren't fixed at all. They are items returned and resold when the problem is intermittent and can't be readily found. They also tend to be boards with chips that are out of rev or from a bad run and can't be easily or economically replaced.<br /><br />Nobody at a board mfg spends any real time debugging a cheap mother board. They throw it on an ATM (automatic test machine) and read the report. If no problem is found, in the pile to be sold as a refurb it goes. If the problem is a bad IC they may or may not replace it - depends on the economics.<br /><br />Now, if you can look at the board and see an obvious repair, that is another matter. When boards are made all of the components are soldered simultaneously in a wave solder machine. When a repair is made, to replace a bad IC for example, it is often done by hand and is usually discernible. However, hand repairs are only as good as the skill of the tech making them.<br /><br />The more a board is handled, the greater the risk of ESD damage which can cause purely intermittent problems or catastrophic failure months later.<br /><br />From my experience, both personally and professionally, it is a crap shoot. Trying to save a little can cost you a lot in time and eventually in money when you finally realize the HW is junk.<br /><br />Refurbs rarely carry a full warranty in my experience. Usually you get 30 - 90 days. That is about how long it will take before you realize you have a problem.<br /><br />Now for other items, non computer/electronics it may be a very different matter.
 
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ebbtide176

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

(amended) i've seen several used laptops work fine for some of the road techs i know. but i didn't know what all was done to call them refurbed. but thanx for bringing up the topic, there is alot of good info here.
 
LubeDude

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

Ive had more problems with new than refurbished and thats a fact! Took two new mother boards before I got a good one for this computer! I tried to use an ABIT board, but settled on the Soyo Platinum! I have to admit that I bought it for the looks, But have never regretted it! The first Abit board I bought was bad!
 
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Ralph 123

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

You've been luck/unlucky? I've been in this industry for over 20 years including production and test facilities. I've built and modified 100s of systems and in my experience ultimately 50%- 75% of the time it does not work out. I can give example after example. And, in most cases, the system hangs, etc. and people blame Microsoft.<br /><br />I had a Gateway a few months ago that hung all the time. Despite the owner blaming Microsoft, I knew from my experience that Gateway used cheap memory. I swapped out the memory with good Memory from Crucial and the system has not hung since. This is the problem with computer electronics - they don't often fail catastrophically but intermittently like only when the board heats up or a certain set of events happen.<br /><br />You also need to be very careful of where you buy. Many times you are getting a used/refurb/marginal components sold as new. The aftermarket for computer parts is a dirty business and has been since the first clone was made. Part remarking and repackaging happens all the time. This is especially true with memory and circuit boards.<br /><br />I've had/seen really good luck with refurb systems from Micron and very bad luck with stuff from HP and Compaq. I've had abysmal luck with boards and components from Computer Geeks. I'm less concerned about HDD - the electronics are fairly straight forward and being mostly mechanical, they usually either work or don't. They can hang your system though if the IDE (integrated device electronics) fail to respond back to a command but usually that is very easy to figure out. HDDs also tend to be made by just a handful of companies with good QC. That is nowhere the case for boards. At times I swear everybody in Taiwan is producing boards and memory in their basement :D <br /><br />If I received 2 bad boards from one supplier I would probably never buy from them again. If I then bought the same thing from another supplier and had a problem I would never buy from that mfg again. There is a reason that all the big system mfgs use boards from only 1 or 2 suppliers like Intel.<br /><br />If you want to get a sense of the quality of a mfg, just look at how big the refurb market is for their products. The bigger it is, the greater the chance they make crap.
 
LubeDude

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

It is extremely important to use quality mamory! Also to have LOTS of air curculating around in your computer and in and out! Never put your computer case inside a cabinet enclosure! Thats another reason for error messages and shutdowns that people blame on windows! Honestly, Ive never had a windows crash!! Not that it dosnt happen!!
 
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Ralph 123

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

Good advice Lube - overheating is one of the few things that will catastrophically kill ICs. <br /><br />Your computer can't be cool enough especially with processors running in the Ghz range. Also. keep the back away from walls, etc and periodically check your vents for dust clogs. <br /><br />Every couple of months you can open the case and dust off the components, vents and fans with compressed air.
 
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Homerr

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

Thanks for the info guys...<br /><br />I always buy Crucial ram. No question.<br /><br />I also love Asus motherboards. They may be a bit more expensive, but I have not had one failure.<br /><br />I'm going to buy a new K8V 64 bit board. I've been reading a lot of reviews, and it sounds like Asus has another winner.<br />There was one issue with some kind of capacitors they used, but it sounds like it was an isolated incident. We'll see. I give it a few more months, and we'll see what problems crop up.<br /><br />As far as cooling... You can't have enough!<br />I buy my cases from CDR express. I get their 'Chen-Ming' workstation cases. They look very similar to the Antec cases.<br />They come with 5 fan capacity. One for the HDD, 2 for the case in, and 2 out. Plenty of cooling.<br />And who can argue for $55 ? (less power supply)<br /><br />H.
 
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Ralph 123

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

H,<br /><br />You realize you aren't really going to be able to take advantage of the 64-bit processor unless you use a 64-bit OS right? If you run Windows it is going to be in essence just be a 32 bit processor. Windows with the exception of the port for the DEC (now HP) Alpha , hasn't been ported to 64-bit processing yet... Does Linux have a 64-bit version for the AMD yet?
 
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TPD211

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

I buy most of my PC stuff from www.pricewatch.com or go to Orlando County Fairground where each weekend PC Vendors set up shop. <br />Good luck in your new build, I'm a gamer so I'm always looking for more speed in my PC.
 
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Ralph 123

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

Excellent. I missed it. Are you going to max out your memory at 16 terabytes? :D
 
H

Homerr

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

LOL!!<br /><br />Naa.... I'm starting with 512. I'll grab another sitck of 512 when money is available.<br /><br />No way I would ever use more than that. 512 is probably enough anyway.<br /><br />H.
 
rolmops

rolmops

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Re: Has anyone used refurbished computer hardware?

It is the only thing I use.I build all my own and the stuff is just so much cheaper.Because of that I can upgrade all the time.So what if it is less trust worthy.In six months it is outdated anyway.Just make sure not to use windows so you can stay crash free.Linux is the way to go,specially when you have a son to update it for you all the time.
 
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