YOUR RIGHTS WHEN THINGS GO WRONG
Even the best planned upgrades can go Pete Tong. Have you checked that the BIOS didn’t need flashing? Is the 12V ATX cable secure? Are the case connectors incorrectly wired so the On button doesn’t work? Perhaps you’ve installed a faulty component?
For a single component upgrade, test if the fault reoccurs when the original part is used. Troubleshooting multiple components raises the complexity, but it remains a matter of elimination. If a machine with upgraded RAM and graphics card just beeps instead of boots, remove one of the upgrades and see what happens.
If Windows is unstable, you may need to eradicate existing software. The quickest way is to erase the hard drive (or use a spare for a test install) and reinstall Windows. As I said at the start, remember to do a backup first!
You’ll need to gather evidence such as photos, video clips and screen captures. Contact the vendor, giving as much detail and evidence as possible. If the vendor is unhelpful, you’re probably protected by two pieces of consumer legislation. The first is the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 ( pcpro.link/312rights), which gives you 14 days to return most products purchased online or by telephone. The second, and in addition, is the Consumer Rights Act 2015 ( pcpro.link/312rights2), which states that goods should be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. Remember, your contract is with the vendor and not with the manufacturer.
If you require a second opinion, seek an independent computer trader. Which?
Trusted Traders ( trustedtraders.which.co.uk) will help you find someone reputable nearby and, although it’s unlikely that this service will be free, you’ll discover why the upgrade has failed and have a much better idea of how to resolve the problem.