First post, by Artex
- Rank
- l33t
Grab some coffee or an alcoholic beverage of your choosing. It’s gonna be a long one. Mods, feel free to move this wherever!
As some of you know, I recently won a lot (http://www.ebay.com/itm/222749027990) containing the uber-rare Cyrix 5x86 133/4x as well as a bunch of other miscellaneous processors. This one’s been on my ‘want list’ for quite some time and I knew that I would be spending a small fortune on one given its rarity. Long story short, I won the auction for $1,500 USD and my excitement was through the roof… but the excitement was short-lived…
Part 1: The Anticipation
I waited for about two weeks for the item to arrive from France, during which time I contacted the seller to ask some questions about the processor. He was very responsive and indicated he acquired the processor over 10 years ago and that he very rarely used it, again due to its rarity and value to collectors. My excitement grew knowing that this seller must have really taken care of this processor.
Part 2: The Arrival
I grabbed the box from the post office and it was one of the most well-packed large items I’ve ever come across since I started collecting. The tower was double-boxed and thick insulating foam was wrapped tightly around the computer, and then wrapped again with some industrial-grade packing materials and bubble wrap. After about 15 minutes I finally had everything unwrapped and the case was in perfect condition, surviving the trip overseas. I snapped some pictures of the tower and with a nervous breath, started working my way into the case. Once opened, everything was still looking great! The processor was covered with a fan and heatsink which I removed, and then I cleaned off some thermal paste to review the beautiful ceramic top of the processor which was in near pristine condition. Like I do with all of my processors, I decided to remove it to take some pictures to share here on VOGONS… and this is the point where things went terribly wrong.
Part 3: The Excitement -> The Horror -> The Panic
After raising the arm of the ZIF socket, I started to pull straight upward on the processor to lift it out. I immediately noticed that the processor was not coming out after it was released, almost as if it was ‘stuck’ in the socket. I pulled out my glasses-repair flat head and gently pried upward on each side until the processor finally released. Upon turning the processor over, I realized something was terribly wrong and my excitement turned to a feeling of dread. At least 4 pins were missing & presumably stuck in the socket, 2 more pins were so loose and flimsy that they fell off in my hand and many of the remaining pins were bent. There was some visible charring and signs of attempted soldering as well (see pictures).
Part 4: The Battle
His listing (shown here), showed pictures of the processor sitting in the Shuttle HOT 433 motherboard socket nestled within the tower case. The listing never showed the underside (pin side) of the processor. I immediately contacted him through eBay and explained that this processor must have been originally forced into the socket without first straightening the pins. Locking the processor in place surely weakened the already fragile pins. The sellers response (he must have used Google Translate)
“Hello, it's been at least 10 years that the motherboard and this processor are together, I bought in this state there to the old owner with this dark trace of memory, there was no deffectueuse pin, they were all in place, the processor has never been removed from the socket since my first start up to this auction, because it was for me a rare collection piece so to pamper and take care, (I had other pc 486 for games - test for fun) all photos taken are from 8 - 9 December 2017 and the photo his last post bios boot pc (photo 6) before the sale., I did my best to protect parcels, but at the transport vibration level I can not do anything”
Now I know this is complete BS as there is no way this level of damage to a processor could occur during shipment. I told the seller that his listing was dishonest, and a general misrepresentation of the item condition and that I would be filing a dispute. I asked that I be reimbursed for some of the cost – knowing the brunt of the $$$ I paid was for that processor alone (and I wouldn’t have bid on the lot if this processor wasn’t included). I did not get a response so I opened a PayPal dispute selecting the “Item not as described” reason. The seller then contacted me asking if he could reimburse me 500 USD which I felt wasn’t enough and so I declined, telling him I’d accept $700 (shame on me). After providing PayPal with the details, PayPal decided to rule in favor of the seller and closed the dispute:
“After careful consideration, we're unable to decide this claim in your favor at this time. The item is not in the same condition as when you received it.”
I almost spit out my coffee upon receiving this notification. I immediately contacted PayPal again and decided to appeal, providing additional context for how this item was not as described. I went into plenty of detail describing how processors are removed from motherboards all the time, and that anyone who removed this would be in the same situation. I also explained that I removed the item to check for damage, just as any other buyer would check their item for damage upon receiving the item. But even after this appeal, I got the same prepackaged, canned response.
We understand that the item associated with this claim has been altered while in your possession. Because of this, we are unable […]
We understand that the item associated with this claim has been altered while in your possession. Because of this, we are unable to determine whether the item is significantly different than originally described, and we are unable to grant your claim.
If you should need to file a claim on a future transaction, please keep the item in its original condition until a decision in the case has been reached. Proceeding with repairs or alterations before the case is decided will limit our ability to successfully resolve your claim, and may result in the cancellation of your claim.
We regret any inconvenience this may have caused and encourage you to work with the seller toward a mutual resolution.
Please let me know if you need further assistance.
I was beside myself and again contacted PayPal and asked about Buyer protection, etc. but they said there was nothing more they could do. I also tried filing through eBay but since I filed a claim through PayPal, PayPal basically blocked me from filing a claim through eBay. I reached out to the seller again but since the disputer (and now the appeal) was closed, the seller probably saw no reason to respond to me.
Part 5: A Helping Hand
In the meantime I reached out the only person I know with one of these processors, and someone who has been a great help to myself and others on VOGONS due to his extensive contributions to the site and overall wealth of engineering-related knowledge. Of course I’m talking about the one and only - Feipoa. I explained the situation and he immediately recognized that the processor came from a scrap lot that was purchased years ago, which explains the bent pins and crappy soldering work. While I love collecting these relics and have decent (enough) technical knowledge to put these old systems together, I know my limits and I certainly don’t have the steady hands, patience or knowledge to tackle a repair project like the one that was needed for this processor.
So.. I asked the question. If I shipped my Biostar MB-8433UUD Socket 3 motherboard and processor to him, could he attempt a repair to bring this processor back to life and accept payment for the work? Without ANY hesitation, Feipoa replied that he could attempt the work and that no payment would be necessary. He asked that I buy a few PGA168 sockets, provide a donor processor (for the pins) and pay for shipment to him. After receiving everything, he immediately took time out of his busy personal and professional life and dug in 100%, providing multiple updates each day complete with pictures (and videos!) of his progress. He determined that his own PGA sockets were more durable and asked if he could use his instead. He also modded the board to run at the desired 3.7V and provided an EEPROM with a newer BIOS that increases overall performance. He cleaned it, straightened the pins, scanned it, soldered on the pins and ran several stability loops. He literally got this done in 2 days, spending hours meticulously caring for this processor… and I’m beside myself again (this time in a positive way!). He opened up my shipment on 01/26 and on 01/28 I see a VOGONS message titled “Cyrix 5x86-133 works” …. and I sighed with relief. This processor has literally risen from the dead and is now a fully-functioning 5x86 133/4x sitting in a nice & solid socket.
Part 6: What VOGONS is all about
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – this community is what it’s all about and what keeps me returning to VOGONS. Nowhere else could I find someone who would appreciate this processor for what it is, and who would be willing to make time to help out a complete stranger (outside of VOGONS that is) in need – all for no monetary amount whatsoever. This place is absolutely essential for enthusiasts, collectors and basically anyone who is into the retro scene. Not all of us have the same technical skillset, knowledge/education or background, but we all have the same passion about the retro goodies we love, and attach value to – whether it’s purely nostalgic or monetary.
Feipoa, you are one class act I cannot thank you enough for what you’ve done. What a great story this has become!
All My Best,
Artex
My Retro B:\ytes YouTube Channel & Retro Collection
