BenQ1640 DOA from NewEgg, RMA or Fix?

CD, DVD and (Ultra HD) Blu-ray Writers BenQ / Philips Writer
#1

I used to own a BenQ1620, and purchased the 1640 based on that experience, but when it arrived from NewEgg it caused immediate problems.

Used the 1640 to install Win2000 Pro on a re-built/re-configured machine and it caused chronic, “low-level” problems (system hangs, freezes, crashes, missing system files, etc…).

Took almost a month before I proved it was the 1640 causing the problems by:

First, re-installing the O/S with another (CD-RW) drive and then;
Second, moving the 1640 to another system where it immediately started causing problems (device not found errors, no files listed when media is insterted, etc…).

I have concluded that what the 1640 did was corrupt the O/S data during the install, which was the ultimate cause of all the other (seemingly unrelated) problems. But it took 4 weeks to figure it out.

NewEgg was nice enough to give me an RMA number even though the 30 warranty period had been expired by almost a week. (Thanks NewEgg !)

I COULD just RMA the thing and wait for repair or (hopefully) exchange, but before I do that I would like to know if it is possible that:

Either I may have done (or failed to do something) that might be causing these problems or,

I can do something that might fix them. Such as a firmware upgrade. (The 1640 has the code “BSHB” on the manufacturer’s label, so I assume that is the firmware it has installed.)

But then it seems unlikely that a firmware upgrade will fix what are essentially “basic” problems, and I don’t know if these will cause problems if/when I RMA it.

More likely (and my primary question here) is the possibility that there could be a problem with the driver(s). I didn’t do anything special when I used the BenQ to do the first O/S install on the Win2000 machine, because it immediately recognized the 1640, named it a “BenQ1640” and (seemingly) started working normally.

It was also recognized by the other (WinXP) machine, even though it wouldn’t work properly.

Is it worth the trouble to (physically) re-install the 1640 and install BenQ’s (I assume) unsigned XP drivers and see if that fixes it ?

Is it worth the trouble to update the firmware ?

Thanks in advance,

Billy

#2

Billy

There are no drivers to install.

If you want to try and re flash the firmware it is worth a try but I doubt that will cure your problems if it is not working properly on 2 different systems.

Get the RMA’d drive and move on.

Firmware for the 1640 is at:

http://support.benq.com/front/BenqMain.asp?MenuHead=128&ShowType=program&FileURL=service/driverlist.asp&Dataid=18367&downloadclass=Driver&product=3731&langu=null&ops=null&GenMenu=&RootId=undefined

#3

Well, you are using an OS that is almost 6 yrs. old. I would expect some problems potentially.

#4

SP4 for Win2000 Pro was released on June 26, 2003, and is still being supported by Microsoft. That was the O/S for the first machine. The second machine is running WinXP SP2, and you can’t get much newer than that.

Also, I would expect the “flagship” DVD-RW from BenQ would be able to handle both of these, at least to the point where it would at least be recognized in Windows Explorer (which it is not).

Seems unlikely that a “new, out of the box” DVD-RW from NewEgg would fail to work on two machines with two completely different, yet fully-updated operating systems because the O/S’s on both were “too old”.

This is a serious question and I am asking for serious help, please.

#5

If the drive behaves like a bad boy, slap it gently, it might help…j/k. I’m serious. :smiley:

Let’s forget about windoze for a while. Is the drive seen in bios at boot-up?

BTW, you say drive is DOA (Dead On Arrival) but still you managed to install OS… :confused:

#6

Yes the drive is seen in BIOS. Also in Device Manager>System.

AND, if I naviagte "My Computer>C: (Boot)>Properties> I can see it under the (WinXP) “Hardware” tab. And from there, it has it’s own “properties” tab which also assures me it is “working properly”. Only it’s not.

It doesn’t get it’s own icon under “My Computer”, and media inserted into it is not recognized.

I doubt it’s a windows problem. But maybe. How can I say for sure ?

And yeah, dead. Meaning no function. No reading, no writing & no arithmetic. That non-functional areas of the O/S claim it is there and fully-functional is of no use to me. So yeah. Brand new, right out of the box and not working.

How it installed the O/S on the first machine, I dunno. But that installation was corrupted until I re-installed with another device. (Same disk, etc…) And it hasnt caused a problem since. Move the 1640 to a completely different machine, a completely different O/S and still problems. Different problems, maybe. Which might be interesting if the difference helps to fix the problem. But it still doesn’t work on either machine or on either O/S. And it’s brand-new, right out of the box.

#7

BenQ 1620s have a long history of DOA problems; not so much with the 1640. Those of us who want a working BenQ have come to expect the additional cost for an RMA or two before we get a working burner. I would go to BenQ directly rather than Newegg as they will ship out next day and they really are the ones who should pay. Also they have agreed with me that I should really only pay for 1 RMA and they picked up the tab for the 2nd and 3rd.

#8

If it were me, I would get a new 1640. In fact I RMA’d my 1640 through Newegg after having it for about 3 weeks. It was frustrating because it took me that long to realize that the problems I had were due a defective unit and not because I was using QSuite improperly. What was annoying was that my drive was not completely defective, and that made troubleshooting it even more difficult. For example when I had it in an external enclosure, the drive was disconnect and reconnect on its own every once in a while. It wasn’t until I got my replacement unit that I fully realized that wasn’t supposed to be happening. BTW, the first 1640 Newegg sent me was made in China in May. In my RMA note, I requested either a Malaysian drive or whatever drive they had with the most recent manufacture date. I eventually received a new 1640 that was made in China in August, and I haven’t experienced any of the problems the first drive gave me. In fact, with the exception of my drive taking a long time to mount certain types of media with OverSpeed on (detailed in other threads), my new drive has been pretty good.

#9

Well I am glad to know that I am not alone. I had read so much about how good BenQ’s were, and I liked my 1620 so much that I was concerned that either I had done something wrong or was just very, very unlucky.

Good to know that a defective-from-the-seller 1640 is not unusual.

I had/have two simultaneous RMA requests out to both BenQ and NewEgg, and despite the fact that NewEgg’s warranty was about 5 days expired by the time I identified the 1640 as defective, BenQ is still refusing to respond to my e-mail inquiries.

So I am curious to know how it is that chas0039 was able to get any response from them at all, much less getting them to actually DO anything.

And it IS unfortunate, because I am (still, I suppose) a “loyal” BenQ customer, only because of the many good things that I have read about them and their hardware, most of which was/is posted on this very web-site. Even if my personal experience is in direct contrast to that.

Meaning that I don’t like bad-mouthing a manufacturer that I used to believe was superior. But failing even to generate an automated response to customer service inquiries is inexcusable. The clear message is that they don’t care enough to even put effort into ignoring you.

So I think I will RMA this thing, and see what slides down the pipe next. But if my experience parallels other users (here) and I get another rotten apple, the next RMA will be for refund and not exchange, and I will apply those funds to something else. Maybe a Plextor, I dunno.

I put effort into learning what most other people (seemed to) like, and then I put effort into learning how to use it. Now I am concerned I may have to “re-spend” that effort into something else.

#10

I went right to their 800 number. 866-600-2367

#11

Jeez… I don’t think it’s the BenQ at all. I’d ease up on the memory timings and clean install Win2K.

#12

If your BENQ was OEMed from Newegg, BENQ does not have to give warranty support. Warranty support is reserved for retail customers. BENQ will probably tell you to speak to you OEM.

When I RMAd my 3540 that I bought 6 months ago, Newegg was fabulous. It took about a week and a half to complete the transaction with no issues or glitches whatsoever.

OTOH when I sent an email to NEC asking them for warranty support, they told me to speak to Newegg. However, it took about a day to get back to me.

#13

If your BENQ was OEMed from Newegg, BENQ does not have to give warranty support.

Didn’t know OEM also meant no warranty. Is this true for all computer hardware, or is this a policy specific to BenQ ?

#14

OEM warranties are all over the map and depend on where you puchased it ect.

Newegg is excellent…no worries

#15

Except it says for the BenQ 1640 on the Newegg site (now)

This item may only be returned for a replacement of the same make/model within 30 days only.

So If BenQ do not honor the OEM warranty after 30 days… then the warranty isn’t much good.

#16

BenQ of course honors the warranty, but only through the retailer (not directly). That replacement warranty is Neweggs way of handling it. First 30 days you can get a replacement (or refund?). After that you got to send it in and wait while they process it, send it off to BenQ, wait while they do their thing, BenQ ships a new/repaired/whatever drive back to Newegg and they ship it to you. Or something like that. It’s not like you get only 30 days warranty…

Q.

#17

Nor is it true that BenQ only lets you get warranty coverage through the retailer. I have dealt directly with BenQ on two OEMs.

Maybe it depends on who you talk to at BenQ.

#18

I intended to put “usually” in front of only. :slight_smile:

Q.

#19

I figured that but I didn’t want someone to give up on a warranty repair. With BenQ, you need all the help you can get. Problems with the 1620 were one of the reasons Newegg stops after 30 days. Last Summer when I spoke with them they were getting really sick of BenQ RMAs.

#20

Well I posted a pretty scathing update on another persons thread, cause it hit Google at the top on “bad benq” search.

But it’s not there now, so maybe someone “reviewed” it.

:a

I sent the BenQ back, and today I get an e-mail from NewEgg telling me that they are “out of stock”, and will credit my Visa.

Erm, what about the shipping charges for the defective equipment, both from and then BACK TO NewEgg ? (@ 15.00) And how about the 45 days or so of not having a working DVD-RW ? And the time it took to box the defective thing, and then drive to UPS ?

Sorry, but a “no blood, no foul” doesn’t cut it with me.

Then I think about the guy earlier in this thread that talked about having to send his back-n-forth several times. And what about all those “glowing reviews” you see on NewEgg"

“The equipment was junk, but NewEgg has GREAT SHIPPING ! NewEgg ROCKS!!!”

“A happy wife is a happy life. Thanks, NewEgg.”

I always felt funny when I read those. The same way I always feel when I KNOW someone is lying to me, and I just don’t know what the lie is.

So I ran a search for “bad newegg” on Google and apparantly NewEgg “reviews” the reviews, and censors those it does not deem “constructive”.

NewEgg said the BenQ was out-of-stock, but there that’s not what their web-site says. Maybe they are only out-of-stock for RMA customers.

Maybe they only have the defective ones “in stock” and are recycling them to various customers, hoping maybe they will start working again. Or maybe the customer will fix it themselves.

All I know is they are “in-stock” when I buy one, and are “out-of-stock” when I want an exchange. But if I want to buy another one, well HAY!, they’re in-stock again.

Like magic.

And I dunno for sure if my other post was deleted or not, and I guess if this one is going to get “reviewed” again, at least I would like some sort of explanation. Cause it seems to me that asking questions about how reliable the BenQ’s coming from NewEgg are seems pretty “constructive” to me.

Maybe some people don’t like to believe in “conspiracy theories”; too whacko, the end-result of mental derangement. But then, who woulda thought that Sony would be incorporating “root kits” into their Music CD’s, relaying personal information and exposing honest customers to internet predators.