Logistics and security
Do you know what is most often replaced on graphics cards and motherboards during the repair process? Really, try to guess before you begin reading this article. Visiting an Asus repair shop revealed a lot of attractive information you can’t be deprived of. In addition to responding to annoying questions, you’ll learn ways in which hardware failures are routinely detected and fixed.
If you claim an Asus product, it usually ends in Ostrava (a Czech city). Some of you certainly know that there is one of the company’s service centers in a high-rise building on Hrušovská street. The area is relatively large, and repairs are also carried out for customers from other European countries, apart from the Czech and Slovak Republics.
As a part of the excursion, we went through the whole complex, which is divided into several departments according to the type of work. From a three-hour journey through the areas and confessions of individual team leaders, more detailed articles could be published from the transcript of the audio recording. In any case, I will shorten it a bit and in the following text I will focus on the most interesting findings from my point of view.
Anyone who would like to see more in depth can direct their question to the discussion. It is possible that we will find the answer to it from our own notes, and if not, we will be happy to contact competent employees with the question. But now let’s proceed to life cycles of malfunctioning products in the Ostrava service.
I would like to start by noting that the service center does not only deal with other companies (B2B) but also with end customers. Ordering a courier and delivery are free of charge during the warranty period.
After delivery of the package, its content and cosmetic condition are checked in a dedicated area under the surveillance of recording cameras. This is to prevent disputes between customers and the service center.
From time to time, various disagreements occur and customers are convinced that they also sent certain equipment which eventually remained (lost) at home, or that the mechanical damage was not as extensive as they are told. For all this and various other atypical situations, the first contact with the contents of the package is monitored and stored in the form of a video.
Of course, you don’t have to add any accessories to the devices and you don’t have to send them in the original box at all. If you do, it can easily happen that you lose it and the repaired device will be returned to you in a completely different package. This is because the original boxes often do not meet safe shipping conditions. This means that the cushioning material (foam, polystyrene) is not sufficiently dimensioned to prevent unwanted damage in the transport process.
After unpacking at the service, each device is assigned a “travel card” carrying all the important identification data. This means, for example, the RMA number, the product model name, its product and serial numbers, a description of the error provided by the customer and the date of receipt.
Once the product is properly labeled, it then waits in the filing cabinet for delivery to the competent technician. It depends on the type of device. As you will learn in the next chapters, the service center is divided into several specialized workplaces, each of which deals with something a little different.
Do you know what is most often replaced on graphics cards and motherboards during the repair process? Really, try to guess before you begin reading this article. Visiting an Asus repair shop revealed a lot of attractive information you can’t be deprived of. In addition to responding to annoying questions, you’ll learn ways in which hardware failures are routinely detected and fixed.
We will deal with graphics cards first. Every piece that gets to the technician is first subjected to basic testing (unless it is completely dead). This typically takes 7–8 minutes. FurMark is usually used to warm up the card (approx. 3 minutes) and then it undergoes the Unigine Superposition benchmark. In addition to image defects, it is also monitored whether the achieved performance is really as it should be. The measured results are compared with the average reference values of other pieces of the same card.
The most common cause of instability or failure of graphics cards lies in memory. But their diagnosis is more sophisticated. Software directly from chip manufacturers is used here, to which end users do not have access and such service centers do. The memory chips are all tested at once and in case of errors, addresses (for example E33 – E47) that refer to a conflicting module are also reported. This module is then located via “PCB navigator”. Schematics of all Asus hardware printed circuit boards are available in this company database.
Mostly, red numbers were formed by Micron’s GDDR6 used in the first wave of GeForce RTX graphics cards. The reliability of memory of other two memory manufacturers, Hynix and Samsung, had to be debated among technicians. In any case, they are already doing fine and, compared to Micron, they have a fractional failure rate. Reflow or a complete memory replacement is on a daily basis. The old chips are dissected after the PCB heats up, reballed, and a new memory chip (or chips) is/are installed. Infra Quick and Infra Ersa hot air soldering stations are used for such operations.
VRM is not that critical. Replacements of fans, from which users typically broke a blade after a collision with a vacuum cleaner, are also reportedly more frequent. When something changes within the power cascade, they are mainly Vcore MOSFETs. And even if one is damaged, all of them tend to be replaced to reduce the percentage of other repairs. With a sigh, the technician stated that someone from the RD (research and development) would be really welcome, who would have an overview at a lower level of how individual circuits work and why some failures occur.
Soldering is of course performed lead-free, but it is said SN100 alloys (tin, copper, nickel and phosphorus) or tin alloys containing silver and bismuth are used. These should already be qualitatively very close to lead soldering.
We did not forget to discuss the case of too long screws on the RX 5700 (XT) which kept overheating due to insufficient weight on them. We got an explanation for why this happened – they allegedly used exactly the lengths mentioned in AMD documentation. But the question of how it was possible, since the previously released graphics cards from Gigabyte and MSI did not suffer from this problem, remained unanswered. But we do not blame them because the responsibility lies with the developers. This situation probably occurred due to the failure of the human factor, which is natural. It happens.
Important is that a fix is being worked on. If you have the first revision of cards or do not own it yet, but it is somewhere on sale for a favorable price, do not despair. When you send the graphics card to the service, they will replace the screws for you free of charge. And ladies and gentlemen have enough screws and vigor to improve things. 🙂
We also got to warranty claims for graphics cards that were used 24/7 for cryptocurrencies mining. However, there was no interest in elaborating on this topic. But, it appears that if the card does not have a modified BIOS, there is not enough evidence to reject a free claim for improper use. Let me just remind you that gaming graphics cards with a standardly long warranty are not designed for continuous operation at full performance and mining cards have a shortened warranty.
Do you know what is most often replaced on graphics cards and motherboards during the repair process? Really, try to guess before you begin reading this article. Visiting an Asus repair shop revealed a lot of attractive information you can’t be deprived of. In addition to responding to annoying questions, you’ll learn ways in which hardware failures are routinely detected and fixed.
We also picked up the details about motherboards, as we systematically pay attention to them. They are allegedly claimed in about the same ratio (50/50) to graphics cards, although there are more opportunities to mess something up on the motherboards. And some stories are really worth it. But I will already reveal that the fans on the X570 chipsets hold tight. Not a single malfunctioned one has a record in the service statistics and, the daily rates of repaired motherboards are approximately 100 pieces.
The most common errors of motherboards are a damaged socket or broken pins. This applies to all Intel platforms and, in case of HEDT, AMD, too. This is confirmed by the cemetery of sockets in the photo below. However, individual pins are not repaired and sockets are completely replaced with new ones. In some centers, they are said to be repaired at the pin level, but that’s some tough job. Especially when a motherboard is returned several times in a row from the same customer who is obviously wrong when installing a processor.
AMD sockets are more durable and, compared to Intel LGA/AMD TR (X) 4, failures in them are sporadic. Surprisingly, no damage occurs even when the processor is forcibly removed through a closed lock (when the user omits a circular motion while removing the cooler). Opposite cases are much more common, when brute force in the form of attempting the installation without opening the lock again wins over common sense.
Some AMD AM4 sockets have one small anomaly. The sockets are not centered on the pre-drawn frame on the PCB and are slightly offset to one side. For better orientation, therefore, a proper tool is used on which the exact position of the socket with a cut piece for the PCB is.
Before the technician starts the action, the motherboards (and graphics cards) are dehumidified in the “dryer”. The main tool of an electrician – an ordinary multimeter – is used for basic diagnostics. When there is a short circuit, the coils are disassembled and the sections are disconnected so that the technician can find out which part has failed. All paths are drawn in the PCB navigator which has already been discussed. Alternatively, a laboratory power supply and the setting of the corresponding operating voltage for the given branch are used. If there is a short in the circuit, more current will flow through it and the faulty component will start burning.
If you consider damaging or breaking a pin on the PCI Express ×16 slot to be the pinnacle of clumsiness, we will have to set the record straight. Some people don’t even bother pins at all. How much force do you need to use to pull out an expansion card with the slot during disassembly? You can hardly imagine the process, but it happens. Motherboards without PCIe slots are being sent to service centers. However, such repairs are relatively fast. The feet on the slots are tinned en masse in an oven with a spout formatted to measure.
In order to prevent undesired melting of the tin in the surrounding areas during heating, they are insulated with masking tape, which fulfills the role of insulator well, and coagulates the temperature below the melting point. It is noteworthy that when replacing any part, all other seemingly unrelated items are also tested. Namely, whether all SATA, USB ports and fan connectors work simultaneously after the intervention.
What surprised me was that relatively weak processors (Ryzen 5 3200G) are used for testing, even after replacing memory DIMM slots with significantly lower bandwidth than the motherboard owner may use. In short, the testing load definitely does not hit the roof. This is because AMD, Intel or RAM manufacturers do not supply the service center with samples and everything is purchased from their own resources. Nevertheless, the percentage of second repairs is only 5%, so that does not play such a role.
The time of repairs is up to two, max. three days from the date of delivery. In rare cases, when the length of the repair process is longer, the customer receives a temporary offer to provide a replacement product. The service technicians admitted that although they have a 92% success rate for complaints, it is not 100%. The unresolved percentage are rare cases where repair is unprofitable, or a fault rarely occurs that requires detailed X-ray expertise in Taipei or there’s a missing component. The most problematic for accessibility repairs are those around DIMM and PCIe slots.
The price of all post-warranty repairs of components is for now fixed – 30 euros. Cheaper repairs cover more expensive ones and vice versa. In the future, however, a price adjustment is planned, taking into account the financial complexity of repairs. In the meantime, you will fit here even in cases where it is necessary to pre-wire engraved paths between the socket and the power supply (typically when sliding a screwdriver tip over the PCB when mounting a CPU cooler) in combination with replacing burnt voltage regulators (when it’s tested whether it will work again after this predicament).
Post-warranty service is also possible for older motherboards. However, after about seven years, the schematics in the PCB navigator start to disappear and the possibilities of repair are already relatively limited. But, replacing the BIOS should not be a problem on boards that remember C2D either.
Do you know what is most often replaced on graphics cards and motherboards during the repair process? Really, try to guess before you begin reading this article. Visiting an Asus repair shop revealed a lot of attractive information you can’t be deprived of. In addition to responding to annoying questions, you’ll learn ways in which hardware failures are routinely detected and fixed.
Laptops also make up a significant part of Asus’ product portfolio. We got to them at the end of the visit, in a somewhat unfortunate time at the end of the shift. The person we interviewed was already on their way home, but even so, most questions were satisfactorily answered.
Following a redaction agreement, as the most interesting questions we selected the focus on integrated memory and how data is handled in the event of an SSD failure. As for the integrated RAM, the affected component is replaced just like anything else on a motherboard manufactured by Asus. Technicians have wiring diagrams available in the PCB navigator and spare parts in stock.
But it gets worse with SSDs, Asus no longer produces them and has them supplied by third-party manufacturers. This means that they do not have access to their wiring diagrams or spare parts in the service center, and the only thing that is possible in this case is to replace the SSD with a new one. Asus will not be able to help you access the data. However, you can repurchase the old SSDs and deal with the content directly with its manufacturer or with a company that deals with data recovery.
LCD/OLED/AMOLED displays are not repaired here. Asus neither has a technology to repair them, as they do not produce them. At the PCB level, even modules with a keyboard are not dealt with here and new ones are also installed straight ahead. If you dare and you already have a laptop that is no longer under warranty, you can also order and reinstall the keyboard from the service center yourself. If you’re just missing a key on your keyboard, it’s definitely worth trying. You may come off well.
Because access to replaceable components through the bottom cover is trivial on most laptops, I was interested in user options for expanding RAM and SSDs during the warranty period. Whether or not you can interfere with the interior for this purpose should be stated in the manual. If you can’t find it there, you can still consult it with technical support. In any case, it is not always possible to interfere with the notebook in accordance with the warranty. Just because there is no seal over the screws doesn’t mean you’re given the green light.
Asus has its own software for diagnosing batteries and testing whether charging cycles correspond to expected values.
Spare parts are traditionally ordered from China, where the logistics are slowed down by complications related to the unpleasant viral disease COVID-19. However, the standard speed of repairs has not been slowed down yet. There are still plenty of parts of all kinds in stock internally, but concerns have been raised for the future which is still uncertain, even though we believe that everything will continue to go at a fast pace. 1200 – 1500 laptops are repaired monthly and about 300 – 400 smartphones.
By the way, the service of AIO servers and computers is already working for foreign markets, VivoPC barebones are made here even for the whole of Europe and the capacities are constantly expanding. The expansion and service of smartphones from France is on the schedule in upcoming days. Such ambitions are later for laptops as well.
So, we’re keeping our fingers crossed so that everything is going according to plans and thank you for the invitation! 🙂
English translation and edit by Lukáš Terényi