favourite tricks for recognition of case tamperting...

[Deity]

For a while we used the typical warranty stickers, but there were soooo many times that a system came back for something stupid, and WE broke the sticker. After about the 5th sticker broken by us, we wouldn't have given it a second thought even if the customer had been the one to do it.

Although hammer dents were a dead giveaway.

[AlienDyne]

No tricks. I just open the case and see what I have to see.

Some times it is obvious..

[Kymera]

Okay, the guy couldn't spring for a female molex connector? I'd love to hear what you told this guy AD, when he can to pick up his computer. What was it in for anyway?

[Wayward Clam]

I don't want to void the warranty if the customer goes inside, I just want PROOF that he has been in there. We get entirely too many "It was that way when we bought it" stories, and when you go inside the case, things loose, different video card than they were sold, etc.

When the customer LIES to me, THEN I will happily void his warranty and slap him with a $35 diagnostic charge for wasting my time.

[Quiet Thunder]

I've found that often times the user will not admit to the fact that they did much of anything to screw up the cpu up anyways due to fear of being yelled at or attempting to save himself a few bucks. I don't care if they did, but using some kind of sticker would help aid in repairing the cpu. I would use the stickers, but only if the warrenty void was NOT involved in it. Maybe if the sticker was moved, have it say opened. Then inform customer upon buying the cpu that you have NO policy against opening the case, but it helps aid your quest to figure out any future problems. Then inforce a policy that only major mistreatment will not be covered, such as the guy who took a chainsaw to the back of the thing.

[MacGyver]

How about a sticker marked "QA Quality Assurance Seal." Sounds less threatening than "Warranty void if removed" and if somebody asks you why you put that sticker on, you can say it aids in troubleshooting.

[Pyroate]

Originally posted by Mapleleaf:
Hello, I was wondering what some of your favourite tricks are for telling if someone has opened the cover to a computer?

Just talking to them and after awhile if you don't make them feel stupid they normaly admit what happened.

[cyberhh]

I only use Warranty Viod stickers when selling to school systems (protection from teachers and students). However when i was working retail I established a policy that saved all kinds of time - I demo the machine for the customer and when they are confident that the problem i solved - they can take it home. That one extra step saved me many customers going home, futzing it up and then claiming that we did not fix it.

[disturbance]

Thanks to everyone who has posted reasonable suggestions! I appreciate all your help. My main role in the corporation I work for is provide systems support and network administration. Some of these tips will be very helpful in discovering who has been playing with their machines.

Thanks again!

[Outcoded]

MIG Welder?

[HIESLanMan]

Hello, I was wondering what some of your favourite tricks are for telling if someone has opened the cover to a computer?

There's always the Douglas Adams method...Tape a hair across the opening. Of course, then there's always the possibility that the user will also tape a hair across, and then its just a matter of wills...