Gamefreax Fiasco

[gargoyle67]

Hi,

Just Thought I'd Give you the heads up on my qoob return to the germany based company Gamefreax, i bought a chip from them about 2 weeks ago and installed it to find i kept getting "check lid switch wire) message on the bios. After much reading and resoldering still had the same message, so i sent it back to them, now talk about getting the run around, here is the emails so far.(read From Bottom to top)

Hi.

We couldn4t test your QOOB cause we need the thin copper cable.

BG
A. Bennerscheid

Andrew schrieb:

> Hi,
> Please Include The Cable Connector(Qoob To Gamecube Motherboard) When
> You Send Me A Replacment Qoob Chip.
>
> Thank You.
>
> Mr A ,
> England UK.
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tech / Gamefreax" <tech@gamefreax.de>
> To: "Andrew" <>
> Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2005 9:44 AM
> Subject: Re: Qoob Pro
>
>
>> Hello.
>>
>> Please send the chip back . We4ll send you a new one when the other
>> one arrives.
>>
>> MfG
>> A. Bennerscheid
>>
>> Andrew schrieb:
>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I got my qoob pro chip from you the other day, and i can't get it to
>>> boot home brew disc's, just keep getting this message "check lid
>>> switch Wire!".
>>>
>>> I've loop the lid switch wire to the qoob and re checked all the mod
>>> chip connections, I've had an electronics engineer check and re
>>> solder the wires and I've also installed the mod chip into another
>>> game cube.
>>>
>>> I've come to conclusion that the mod chip must be faulty, so can you
>>> give me a RMA number for a return.
>>>
>>> Also Flashed The New Bios From The Qoob Site.
>>> Thank You Mr A


This Is the Mail I Sent Back to Them:
Hi,

You Don't need the copper usb cable to test the qoob as it already has rc5
bios on the chip, so if you test it on a gamecube you will see the lid
switch error.
And are you trying to tell me with all the qoob chips you have in stock you
cannot use one of the copper cables from them ? Whats going on with you at
gamefreax i thought you were a good company. please stop messing me about
and send out a new chip as you said you would in your last email (look at
bottom of page) or refund me back my money.

Thank You. Mr A.

Now I know there german but jesus christ can't test the qoob becuase i didn't include the copper flashing cable, what a lame exscuse, as if thay don't have any test cubes hooked up or couldn't open a new one.

No Reply yet but i'll Keep You Posted on how they treat me.

[cubenoob]

This is really ridiculous and I feel sorry for you. Somewhere in my last posts (must be yesterday) I wrote about the bad customer service they have and I read sometime ago through their forums and there were also ppl who complained about it and they were flamed down by the gamefreakx staff. They dont have a cusomer hotline and seldom answer to emails. If they continue that way they will loose their good reputation. As a final word I still recommend the other german shop called freakware at www.freakware.de. I never heard something negative about them and I ordered my cube from and the customer hotline was very friendly and helped me with everything. And good luck with your RMA.

[Xboxmodder999]

Man, that sucks:mad:

I recieved a bad Viper GC from divineo, and they saiid that I could just send back the chip, no programmer, no flex cable, and no , wire harness. And that as soon as they recieved it, they would send me a new chip as soon as they got the one I sent.

[gargoyle67]

Thanks Guys,
I've Ordered A SX From http://www.eurasia.nu , It Was Only $44.00 Inc shipping I'll Let You Know How Good They Are.

[gargoyle67]

Just as a footnote to be fair to gamefreax thay have replied every email i sent to them, there just very retarded about the whole issue.

[gargoyle67]

Got A Reply , Not Much But something i suppose:

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hi.

Sorry I forgot. I4m gonna test it today.

BG
A. Bennerscheid
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I Think bennerscheid must be german for care in the community. =)


I'll let you know how it pans out.

Thanks

[Gamecube Nick]

I have had a reply from gamefreax as well today.They want me to send the chip back But they also want me to desolider all the cables & send everything back to them But at the same time they are going to send me a replacement cable to replace the damaged one today.Confused so am i but i think what i'll do is try the replacement cable first & go from there i think.

[Hajaz]

its best not to jump to conclusions prematuerly in these kinds of situations.
Ive had to wait on some stuff for months, but eventually it always got sorted

[gargoyle67]

No ones jumping to any conclusions, i'm simply posting the facts.
And having to wait months is just not good enough, one minute i'm being told just send it back and when we get it , we'll send another one out to you. And the next we are testing the chip , oh wait we can't test it you didn't include the gold usb cable, mine must be a special gold usb cable unique to my qoob chip because they can't use one of there hundreds in stock. But wait...Hang on, oh that's right you don't need usb cable to test the chip, just a gamecube with rc5 bios (which my qoob had flashed on it) on it to see the lid switch error ! AHHHHHHH send me a new F...cking CHIP (please =) )

Just bad customer relations plain and simple, and here's a thought if your running a multi Lingual site, maybe and just maybe think about hiring someone who can read and write in proper english !.

[Dreamcazman]

Gargoyle, I feel your pain, but maybe not as bad. I got the run around a while back with two online companies at different times, one local and the other international.

Once I finally got everything sorted, I told them they can kiss my arse as I'm never giving them another red cent!

[gargoyle67]

Yeah lets just say i won't be dealing with this company again, i've orderd a Qoob sx from EurAsia and i recon i'll get it before anything happens at gamefreax. And there a lot cheaper at EurAsia.

And i'm still waiting to hear from gamefreax about testing the chip, they were supposed to do it yesterday 2nd may, how long does it take to test a qoob chip i wonder ?. The chip must have come to life and started
fighting the cable connector ! i hope they can hold the chip down long enough to test it :/

[gargoyle67]

Just thought i would give you an update on the Jackasses at game freaxs, about the faulty qoob chip i sent back to them.
This is there latest mail to me:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hi,

I'm sorry i wasn't in the shop the last 3 days. But one of my guys
tested the chip, but he is not here till 1pm. I'll ask him what was with
the chip when he's here and let you know what he said.

Bg
A. Bennerscheid
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I've told them if I don't get a replacement chip by the end of next week
I'll be reclaiming my money back via paypal.
It's been about 3 weeks and counting, that they given me the run around.
So the saga continues......

[Gamecube Nick]

Hi

I am now having same problem.They sent me a gold cable which the chip still doesnt work .I e-mailed them back 3 days ago & still havent had a responce.I have desolidered all the wires & got it ready but do i need a rma number from them or just send it back?.Thanks

[gargoyle67]

no there not the efficient, and if you bought it using paypal i'd just send the chip back and claim your money back.

[Gamecube Nick]

Ok m8 i dont know how to claim back from paypal .But i think i will send it back on Monday as i did pay with paypal & do that.I ordered a new one from Foundmy last week & waiting for that to come.Must be something with us in the Uk it seems cheers.

[gargoyle67]

Just go onto the paypal webpage and look at the help section.

Thanx.

[Quantumsource]

I abought my Qoob Pro chip from foundmy like a week or so ago, and I gusse they have been busy, casue I hav't even heard from them in like....ever. I wasn't to worried casue on their site they annoiced that they are very busy, but I mean common it been more than a week I should have heard something.
JUst wondering has any one ever had any trouble with FOundmy porducts or services.

[Gamecube Nick]

Well i got a reply today AT LAST.They are now saying that they havent even recived the QOOB chip back or it hasnt arrived yet.I feel the runaround here for some reason.Gargoyle67 how did you send yours back if you dont mind me asking cheers.

[gargoyle67]

First class air mail insured for 60 quid, they got the chip in 3 days , here is the latest mail from them:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hi.

The wanted to write you didn4t he? So I tell what4s the problem. Your
chip is realy damaged and we4ll sent you a new one but the are out of
stock since last week and we4ll get new once on friday. Sorry bout that.
I4ll sent you the chip asap.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

In other words they took so long mucking about that i'v got to wait untill thay are in stock again ! =/ .

On a better note i got my qoob sx today =) from Eurasia, I'll let you know how i get on with it. It took 8 days to come.

[Demon Cleaner]

I first ordered (long time ago) a PS2 with a Sniper chip, it worked, but the tray made scratches on my disks, so damnit, bad PS2. A year later I ordered a PS2 with a DMS3, worked so far, only cheating and stealth mode was impossible. Opened the PS2, cable (Eject point) wrongly soldered. Resoldered it, then it was Ok. Ordered another PS2 for a friend with DMS3, same problem, stealth and cheat do not work, do they even test their outgoing hardware? But I got an XBox with XBit which works (even with the right dashboard, so confidence came back a little).
And now I (yes me idiot) ordered a Cube with Qoob at Gamefreax yesterday, I hope they'll send me a working one.
Otherwise I'll try freakware or perhaps, http://www.chipeinbau.de , I once sent them a PSTwo for modding it with Infinity chip, and I had no problems.
Well, wish me luck.

[Gamecube Nick]

Well i sent my chip back last Tuesday after they asked me to .On friday they said they still havent got it even though i sent it back first class & insured etc.Now its Tuesday & they wont even answer my e-mails or calls to see if they have got it.I dont know what to do now mite be time for a paypal experiance..

[gargoyle67]

Sorry to hear that nick, i think you had your faulty chip about the same time as me, i got my replacment chip yesterday. And all is working ok now =) . Although i got a SX Qoob Last Week From Eurasia and works like a dream so i got 2 gamecubes and two qoob modchips, Rez Evil 4 Rocks !. Gamefreaks never mailed me about sending the new chip , i only new it was coming because i got a email from UPS with the day the chip should arrive and it did !.

[Gamecube Nick]

Cheers Gargoyle67 .


How long did it take you from sending it back to getting a new one ..

[gargoyle67]

They gave me the run around for about 3 weeks after getting the chip,
But they answerd my emails, I did threaten to get my money back via paypal though. Take my advice claim your money back from paypal and order an SX from Eurasia. Only took 8 days to get here to the UK =)

[Gamecube Nick]

Yes i am seriously thinking about it as i feel they have mucked me about from day 1.There is a company in the Uk selling the Qoob now so mite get that.How is the Sx is it much different from the Pro cheers.

[gargoyle67]

Same Really, I'd Say Slightly easier to install, instead of the fiddly 5v wire to small disc solder point of the pro chip the SX has 3 Volt to same point as the other three wires. And you can use a disc or network to flash SX (no USB) , also the SX is a smaller chip.

[Tyrian³]

I ordered from gamefreax a modded GC with qoob sx (the one in limited offer). I sent the order on sunday at 1am GMT+1 and received the automatic order confirmation mail. I sent them at least 10emails in 2 days and finally I got a reply...but they replied only one of my questions, not a word on the others!
So, I replied back, and I hope I'll get an answer tomorrow!
I didn't pay them yet, and I need the console to be shipped soon coz it's a birthday present for a friend of mine!!!
They're very poor with communication, and that makes me upset.
I hope everything will go fine, that I'll get the console and that it will work flawlessly!
Could you tell me how long usually they take to reply to emails?
I received my reply right after telling them I was getting nervous...I hope they understood I want to be answered asap!
EDIT: do you know if usually customs could block or give me trouble if they see there's a modchipped console in my package? I asked gamefreax but as I've just said still no answer. Seen that you order modded console and modchip I ask you if you know something about this, or if you ever had trouble making arrive a console from another country! Please help me, since gamefreax is taking ages to tell me this!

[Gamecube Nick]

Well this morning at 7am i woke up & decided enough was enough & i e-mailed gamefreax with a snotty letter saying i want to know if they have my chip & what they were going to do about it.If not i was going to go to payapl tonight & claim my money back...

GUESS WHAT!!!!

I got an answer in 25 mins saying they just got my chip 10 mins ago & are testing it today so waiting for new chip now .How long that be who know's!!!

[Tyrian³]

Similar thing happened to me...no reply in 2 days, then I forwarded the mail adding at the starting that I wanted them to answer and I was getting nervous, and after like 10mins or so I got a reply!
But of the 3/4 questions I asked them, they answered only one, with few words.
So I'm still waiting for another reply...another 2days gone. Tomorrow morning I'll write again and tell them I had enough of waiting, that should make them answer!
Anyway are they good at modding, aren't they?At least after all the communication probs I hope to get a fully working unit!

[Demon Cleaner]

Seems that they mod their consoles with little enthusiasm. Like I said, I already ordered 4 consoles, and just one worked fine, others were faulty. Hope my qoob is installed properly.

[Tyrian³]

I hope that too...I'm a bit worried!
How can I see if the chip is well installed? Can I see it during a case modding (opening the upper part of the cube, I mean?)
What could I do in case they didn't do the work properly?

[Demon Cleaner]

You should test if it works in normal mode first, if it boots up, and boots originals. Then I will burn some mini DVD-R games to test if chip is installed correctly or not. After that you can test all features of the cube if they work correctly. As I never had a Cube, I don't know how it's working, so I have to test for myself.

[Tyrian³]

Thanks for the suggesions mate, it's exactly what I imagined to do...my cube should be shipped tomorrow, le't hope for the good!
They said they test every console before they ship it, I hope everything will be just fine!
I have to do the case modification before trying it with backups, because I can't go with minidvd (availability=\), is there some tutorial or something?
I know you'll say it's an easy mod...but I'm not good at these kind of things=Plol!

[Gamecube Nick]

I got my replacement chip today & guess what my ither one arrived as well so i sit here with 2.Time to do the kids one i thinks but they didnt tell me what had happened just sent anouther at least its sorted now .