Sapphire Radeon X1650 problem.

I bought a Sapphire Radeon X1650 PRO 512MB AGP graphics card in August 2007.
This year it failed after overheating badly. It was bought in the UK from
CCL and came with a two year warranty. I returned it to them and they
pronounced it dead and said that the second years warranty comes from the
makers and I would have to wait for it to be replaced.
Eventually the new one arrived in a Power Color branded box. I unloaded all
of the ATI drivers from my computer before installing it and also used a
little program called 'atikill' that always seems to get rid of any bits. I
also ran a registry cleaner before fitting the new card and loading the
drivers from the CD that came with the card. My system became intermittingly
unstable with the mouse and keyboard freezing and the picture from my TV
card went fuzzy.I tried updating drivers without any benefit.
I spoke to CCL support who suggested going to omega\drivers.net and getting
more reliable ones from there. That site just has a lot of programs similar
to Uniblue Driver Scanner that I already had that checks your system and
guides you to official update sites.
I took the X1650 out and replaced it with an old ATI Rage Fury Pro and they
system became stable again. I left it like that for six weeks before phoning
CCL again. Once more thy try to wash their hands of it by saying that it is
a Driver problem. If I send it back to them for testing and they find no
problem with it they say that will charge me up to £50 for their time or
that if they send it back to the makers and they find no fault they will be
charged by them.
I ask if they tell me the card is not faulty and I refuse to pay what will
happen. They reply that they will then keep the card:-) I have a RMA number
to send it back with.
Any advice here on what to try next before sending it back. I intend to
speak to our local Trading Standard department on Monday as to whether such
charges are legal or just downright bad customers service.
TIA
Tom

"Tom E" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> "Tom Cotton" <> wrote in message
> news:1k%5m.1043$...
>>I bought a Sapphire Radeon X1650 PRO 512MB AGP graphics card in August
>>2007.
>> This year it failed after overheating badly. It was bought in the UK from
>> CCL and came with a two year warranty. I returned it to them and they
>> pronounced it dead and said that the second years warranty comes from the
>> makers and I would have to wait for it to be replaced.
>> Eventually the new one arrived in a Power Color branded box. I unloaded
>> all
>> of the ATI drivers from my computer before installing it and also used a
>> little program called 'atikill' that always seems to get rid of any bits.
>> I
>> also ran a registry cleaner before fitting the new card and loading the
>> drivers from the CD that came with the card. My system became
>> intermittingly
>> unstable with the mouse and keyboard freezing and the picture from my TV
>> card went fuzzy.I tried updating drivers without any benefit.
>> I spoke to CCL support who suggested going to omega\drivers.net and
>> getting
>> more reliable ones from there. That site just has a lot of programs
>> similar
>> to Uniblue Driver Scanner that I already had that checks your system and
>> guides you to official update sites.
>> I took the X1650 out and replaced it with an old ATI Rage Fury Pro and
>> they
>> system became stable again. I left it like that for six weeks before
>> phoning
>> CCL again. Once more thy try to wash their hands of it by saying that it
>> is
>> a Driver problem. If I send it back to them for testing and they find no
>> problem with it they say that will charge me up to £50 for their time or
>> that if they send it back to the makers and they find no fault they will
>> be
>> charged by them.
>> I ask if they tell me the card is not faulty and I refuse to pay what
>> will
>> happen. They reply that they will then keep the card:-) I have a RMA
>> number
>> to send it back with.
>> Any advice here on what to try next before sending it back. I intend to
>> speak to our local Trading Standard department on Monday as to whether
>> such
>> charges are legal or just downright bad customers service.
>> TIA
>> Tom
>>
>>
>
> there are some retailers that just dont deserve business. I ran my own
> engineering company and would do anything for customers to ensure they
> always came back to me for their work.
>
> You would think that ccl would have an old test machine at the ready to at
> least put a card into to test it out. What does it take, 10 to 15 mins
> work....
>
> what about trying the catalyst driver from here
>
> http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownloa...0&lang=English
>
I'll put the card back in tomorrow and try the catalyst drivers.
I've used CCL before but of course with products that have not given me a
problem.
I had a rather similar problem on another computer years ago with an ATI
Allinwonder. I spent hours on the phone to their support in Ireland at that
time after the supplier gave up on the problem. Eventually ATI replaced the
card themselves and all was well. They told me to return the dud to the
supplier who then gave me a refund:-)
Tom

"Tom Cotton" <> wrote in message
news:1k%5m.1043$...
>I bought a Sapphire Radeon X1650 PRO 512MB AGP graphics card in August
>2007.
<snip>
> Any advice here on what to try next before sending it back.

My advice is to try the card with 7.5's or 7.4's. See if it's functional
with those drivers. If yes, it's likely the newer drivers causing the issue.
I eventually got rid of an X1650 Pro AGP card simply because every other
driver past this point would not function in 3D mode, even after applying
all the hotfixes. I gave up after the 8.6 or so Cats. The X1650 Pro AGP
series seems to have this issue more than others from what I could glean at
the time....X1950 AGPs had very little issues in comparison. No idea why.

"Augustus" <> wrote in message
news:Ggt7m.36554$PH1.18722@edtnps82...
>
> "Tom Cotton" <> wrote in message
> news:1k%5m.1043$...
>>I bought a Sapphire Radeon X1650 PRO 512MB AGP graphics card in August
>>2007.
> <snip>
>> Any advice here on what to try next before sending it back.
>
> My advice is to try the card with 7.5's or 7.4's. See if it's functional
> with those drivers. If yes, it's likely the newer drivers causing the
> issue. I eventually got rid of an X1650 Pro AGP card simply because every
> other driver past this point would not function in 3D mode, even after
> applying all the hotfixes. I gave up after the 8.6 or so Cats. The X1650
> Pro AGP series seems to have this issue more than others from what I could
> glean at the time....X1950 AGPs had very little issues in comparison. No
> idea why.
>
OK, I will try that. It puzzles me why the replacement is problematic and
the original was perfect.
Tom

"Tom Mix" <> wrote in message
news:bmN8m.14935$...
>
> "Augustus" <> wrote in message
> news:Ggt7m.36554$PH1.18722@edtnps82...
>>
>> "Tom Cotton" <> wrote in message
>> news:1k%5m.1043$...
>>>I bought a Sapphire Radeon X1650 PRO 512MB AGP graphics card in August
>>>2007.
>> <snip>
>>> Any advice here on what to try next before sending it back.
>>
>> My advice is to try the card with 7.5's or 7.4's. See if it's functional
>> with those drivers. If yes, it's likely the newer drivers causing the
>> issue. I eventually got rid of an X1650 Pro AGP card simply because every
>> other driver past this point would not function in 3D mode, even after
>> applying all the hotfixes. I gave up after the 8.6 or so Cats. The X1650
>> Pro AGP series seems to have this issue more than others from what I
>> could glean at the time....X1950 AGPs had very little issues in
>> comparison. No idea why.
>>
> OK, I will try that. It puzzles me why the replacement is problematic and
> the original was perfect.
> Tom
I downloaded 7.4 and 7.5. I tried 7.4 and my system was just as unstable a
before. Have gone back to my old Rage Pro 128. The X1650 will go back on
Monday.... it's either that or sell it n E-Bay:-)
Tom

"Tom Cotton" <> wrote in message
news:1k%5m.1043$...
>I bought a Sapphire Radeon X1650 PRO 512MB AGP graphics card in August
>2007.
> This year it failed after overheating badly. It was bought in the UK from
> CCL and came with a two year warranty. I returned it to them and they
> pronounced it dead and said that the second years warranty comes from the
> makers and I would have to wait for it to be replaced.
> Eventually the new one arrived in a Power Color branded box. I unloaded
> all
> of the ATI drivers from my computer before installing it and also used a
> little program called 'atikill' that always seems to get rid of any bits.
> I
> also ran a registry cleaner before fitting the new card and loading the
> drivers from the CD that came with the card. My system became
> intermittingly
> unstable with the mouse and keyboard freezing and the picture from my TV
> card went fuzzy.I tried updating drivers without any benefit.
> I spoke to CCL support who suggested going to omega\drivers.net and
> getting
> more reliable ones from there. That site just has a lot of programs
> similar
> to Uniblue Driver Scanner that I already had that checks your system and
> guides you to official update sites.
> I took the X1650 out and replaced it with an old ATI Rage Fury Pro and
> they
> system became stable again. I left it like that for six weeks before
> phoning
> CCL again. Once more thy try to wash their hands of it by saying that it
> is
> a Driver problem. If I send it back to them for testing and they find no
> problem with it they say that will charge me up to £50 for their time or
> that if they send it back to the makers and they find no fault they will
> be
> charged by them.
> I ask if they tell me the card is not faulty and I refuse to pay what will
> happen. They reply that they will then keep the card:-) I have a RMA
> number
> to send it back with.
> Any advice here on what to try next before sending it back. I intend to
> speak to our local Trading Standard department on Monday as to whether
> such
> charges are legal or just downright bad customers service.
> TIA
> Tom

All worked out well. CCL found it to be faulty and returned it to the makers
for replacement. Problem as always, suppliers give you the runaround for
weeks with try this, try new drivers.
Tom