u/MythologicalRiddle

I need to return my system because the CPU fans are running way too fast/loud and I can't figure out where the issue is. I know the system shouldn't run like that because I got a 2nd, basically identical system from them at the same time and it runs properly. After lots of troubleshooting, I called in on Friday and was told that they would generate a return shipping label for me since I'd gotten the upgraded support. Since it was the end of the day on Friday, the label wouldn't be generated until Monday morning but would only take an hour or two on Monday. Sigh. Okay.

I called in to check on the status of the label and got a rude tech who said it would be 1 - 3 business days to get the label via email so I could ship the system back in.

Me: "Why is it up to 3 business days to get a label emailed out?"

Tech: "I didn't say up to 3 business days. I said 1 - 3 business days."

Me: "Which means it could take up to 3 business days."

Tech: "That's not what I said. I said 1 - 3 business days."

Me (after giving up on trying to figure out how I'm wrong about 'up to 3 business days'): "But that's not what that last tech said. He said I'd get the label on Monday morning. I'm getting different answers from different techs."

Tech: "That's understandable."

NO IT'S NOT!

Even troubleshooting the fan issue last week, I got very different answers from different techs, everything from "You're right, this isn't normal" to "Well, it doesn't say your system should run quietly ..." to "Well, every chasis case but yours is set up with variable fan speed, but it's procedure to NOT set it up on the one you selected."

There is a head-shaped dent in my desk at this point.

Whew. Until this point, I've been happy with computers I've bought from CyberPowerPC. This last purchase has been "fun".

I bought two PCs, exact same configuration, except one had a video capture card. One boots up and the CPU fans stay maxed at 1800rpm the entire time the PC runs. The other boots up, the fans go to around 1000rpm then spin down as needed (e.g. the computer is idling). The computers are in the same house, so same room temp, humidity, etc.

We do a lot of troubleshooting, check all the BIOS settings, try different settings, check power settings in Windows, etc. and call tech support. The first tech (very polite and knowledgeable) agrees that it shouldn't do that and says it sounds like the CPU fans aren't connected to the motherboard then sends me a video on how to install a fan.

We troubleshoot the wiring as best we can. We find a few differences in the wiring between the two computers but the CPU fans do appear to be hooked up to the motherboard. We can't tell if the differences in wiring matter, especially since it could be due to the video capture card. I call back and talk to another tech (who was rude and kept cutting me off) who said that fans should be running at 1800rpm all the time no matter the temperature, BIOS settings, CPU usage, etc. If I want to RMA it, it'll take about 14-20 business days for them to look at it. Oh, he can see if the company will pay for the RMA postage since I'd had the system for only a few days and obviously there will be no rush in fixing it or shipping it back, so I'll be without the computer for over a month.

I escalate the call because I paid extra to have them rush the original order to me and the computer should not have passed QC because it's incredibly loud. (It literally scares our pets when it runs.) I tell the new tech that the wiring looks right as best I can tell. That tech tells me, among other things, that I should have my husband check the wiring. He doesn't understand why I'm upset at the suggestion that I'm not good to troubleshoot my computer and need a man to check my work. (I've built PCs before, my husband hasn't.) They won't even refund the premium I paid to rush the faulty computer (even though they didn't even get it sent out within the promised 3 day window). The guy is like, "Yeah, you're SoL and that's just how it is." (Not direct quote, but could have been given his attitude.)

Looking at my options, I realize it's far, far faster to return the computer and just order a new one, and about the same price. I call back and get the refund process started. I ask the tech about the fans and he tells me, "Yeah, on that one particular case, and only that one case, the procedure is to wire the fans directly to the power supply instead of the motherboard." Except, both these computers seem to have the fans wired to the motherboard, it's just that one isn't working properly. He tells me that if I buy another system from them, to ask in the notes that they wire it to the motherboard so the BIOS can properly control the fan speed and hopefully they'll do it.

Again, I've never had a problem with them before, but I don't know if I have the confidence to order (re-order) my system from them. I think I had 3 aneurysms by the end of the calls.