Does opening the case void the warranty?

[SexyJames]

Hi everyone,

I've been playing on the Elder Scrolls Oblivion lately and my graphics card was getting too hot and showing artifacts. So I took the case off the side of my PC and blasted a fan into it to see what would happen. This helped, and reduced my temperature by 20C or so. But after I had done it, someone said that by doing this I have probably voided my warranty.

This is pretty annoying, I haven't had it for very long. I got it from PC World for Christmas. It didn't have a sticker on saying "Do not remove this or your warranty is void" but my friend said that they can sometime have a switch on them that activates once you take the case off. I can't see any warnings on the tower. I'm not sure where the warranty details are at the moment, so I can't check them.

Does anyone know if I have definitely voided my warranty by doing this? I've turned the graphics settings down and now I have the fan blowing through the case, so I don't have much of a problem with overheating anymore. But it will be annoying if my warranty is void, because if anything goes wrong, I won't know how to fix it and will have to pay for repair.

 

[Alex81388]

Well, I can assure you there is no 'switch' on the computer case. How the **** would it trigger if you dont have the case plugged into the wall for power when you open it up... interesting...

I doubt it will void your warranty though, however you may want to take the fan out if you must bring it in under the warrenty.

But seriously bud, why would you bring it in for repair when you have us?

 

[Jorsoft]

This will void most manufacturer's warranties even though without a sticker there's not way to tell if it has been opened or not. The solution? When you call them for tech support don't tell them you've opened the case. ALso, if service has to be done on the pc, remove all of the parts not originally installed on the pc.

 

[SexyJames]

Thanks for all the help. Well, I didn't change anything whatsoever while I was there so I don't have to worry about that. I think if I took it back under warranty, it would be sorted by PC World which could work to my advantage. Because they will usually send a technician out so they will end up opening the case themself, it happened with another computer I had. Do you think there could be a little fault with my fan or graphics card, because without a fan blasting into it it will idle at around 62C which I'm sure is pretty hot. It's a GeForce 6200 Turbocache 256mb by the way.

 

[Static_11]

idling around 62 degrees? O_O not good...

 

[SexyJames]

With a fan blowing into it with the case still on, it idles at 55C. Playing Oblivion for a few hours makes it go up to just over 65C, so it's not quite as bad. It's improved in general lately, I think having the fan blowing into it constantly has helped keep dust to a minimum.

 

[zmatt]

well you can try to mount a new fan on your vid card. is your computer case in a cabinet? mine is and the air around the pc gets hot, you might want to think about the air your pc is taking in too, blowing hot air on it wont help you any.

 

[SexyJames]

Thanks for the reply. My computer is just under my table and doesn't have any cabinet surrounding it, the only thing near it is the desktop fan . I would like to install a new fan to cool it but firstly I wouldn't feel confident enough to do it, and secondly, I don't want to take a bigger risk at voiding my warranty.

 

[Alex81388]

What kind of processor is it? If it is an intel thats not that surprising. Especially if it is a prescott core.

 

[Harper]

Legally speaking, there is nothing stopping you from taking a side panel off a side of a computer case. Even when there is a VOID IF REMOVED seal.

No Computer Store / Manufacturer can void a warranty just because you took the side panel off.

However if you remove seal from / tamper with computer parts then that can void warranty.

Eg. Opening up your hard drive or power supply will void a warranty on that part.

Eg. Changing your CPU Fan over to another 3rd party fan that has not been approved my the manufacturer will void your warranty on the CPU.
However it should not void the warranty on the rest of the computer.

However watch out as I have seen some computer stores / manufactures try to void entire warranties just because there is a screw missing. They only way that they can do that is if the missing screw was the cause for the hardware failure.

Eg. PC Club's (AUST) Highlander Notebook Computer. Lost count the number of times I have argued with the service staff over there about a missing screw.

SERVICE :- There is a screw missing. This notebook is not covered by warranty anyway.
ME :- Could you please provided me solid evidence that the missing screw is the cause to [INSERT HARDWARE FAILURE HERE]. Otherwise, I will be advising my customer to contact the Dept. Of Fair Trading. And it will be in my best interest that I support them on this case.