I recently sold my first PC that I built less than a year ago. Here are the specs: Ryzen 5 5600G CPU, ASUS TUF B450M Pro Gaming 2 motherboard, 16GB T-Force Dark Z RAM at 3600MHz, FSP HV Pro 550W PSU, and a 500GB SSD. I gave the buyer a 7-day warranty, and now, on the seventh day, he's run into a problem. After installing an RX 6600 GPU, the PC initially worked but then froze a couple of times. Now, when he tries to boot it, he gets three beeps and it won't start at all, even with the GPU removed. He suspects that either the RAM, RAM slot, or CPU is damaged. He's tried reseating the RAM, resetting the CMOS, and switching the RAM around, but nothing has helped. He reached out for support, but I'm skeptical—it seems suspicious that the issue arose right after he added new hardware. Could he have broken something, or is this a coincidence?
3 Answers
First off, did the PC work fine before you sold it to him? Adding new hardware usually voids any warranty, so if he messed something up while installing the GPU, that's on him. It's possible he didn't install it correctly or there might be compatibility issues. Just like a car warranty doesn't cover modifications, the same goes for your PC sale. But it's good to have a chat with him and clarify your warranty terms. If it ran perfectly for you, chances are he may have caused the problem after changing parts.
You guaranteed that it worked as originally built, and not once it has been modified. This can go a lot of ways—if he's had power issues or anything like that after tinkering, it could have caused a new issue. Just set clear expectations about what the warranty covers. It's all about communication!
Honestly, adding new parts usually isn't covered under a warranty because it adds variables. If the PC was running smoothly before, it’s likely he did something wrong during installation. You should be clear that any modifications can lead to issues that you won’t be responsible for. Tell him you’re happy to help with guidance but can't take the blame for hardware he added after purchase.
Exactly! If he opened it up and changed things, that’s on him. Keep it friendly, but make sure he understands your position. Good luck with it!
Absolutely, I think you're spot on. You did the right thing by giving a warranty, but that should only cover the system as it was sold, not after he tinkers with it. You can help him troubleshoot, but don't feel obligated to take any blame for potential mistakes on his end.