Part of a motherboard.
MSI produces some of the most trusted motherboards in the industry today. There are, however, many problems that may appear with a new motherboard. These problems range from slight misconfiguration to completely unrepairable hardware failures. All system builders should be aware of such problems so they may better understand their specific computer builds.
BIOS Versions
Motherboards are made in large batches over the course of many weeks or months. Due to this, the motherboard you purchase may advertise a specific compatibility, such as a CPU, and seemingly fail to be compatible with it later. This is because when the specific motherboard you got was boxed it was with an older BIOS revision which doesn't support your hardware. This problem is not permanent and is fixed with a simple BIOS update provided free of charge from MSI.
Dead Components
While companies such as MSI provide excellent quality control and design, they are just as prone to shipping a motherboard with a defective component as anyone. That being said, it is not uncommon to install your new motherboard only to find that it has a dead USB, eSATA, or power port. This situation can only be resolved by contacting MSI and requesting what is called an "RMA," or "Return Merchandise Authorization." They will issue you an RMA number and ask you to ship the device back to them for testing and replacement.
Warped Motherboard
With the growing size of CPU heat sinks, the idea of a motherboard that is not entirely level is of greater concern. There are many reasons why a motherboard would warp, including shipping problems, humidity levels during storage and plain bad manufacturing. A slightly warped motherboard is not a sole reason to RMA a motherboard, unless you are using a high tension heat sink. If you are using this type of heat sink, you should RMA the motherboard to avoid a future hardware failure.
Form Factor Variation
All motherboards are built to a specific form factor. This form factor dictates its size and computer chassis compatibility. There are times, however, when a motherboard is produced that is slightly off from its form factor. That is, the mounting screws do not match up precisely to the mounting holes in your chassis. In this event, you may elect to simply mount the motherboard with a partial amount of screws, however, it is much more reasonable to simply return the motherboard.
Dead On Arrival
A DOA, Dead On Arrival, motherboard is a motherboard that you receive that is not functioning on any level. This problem is actually quite common for any motherboard manufacturer including MSI. There are many reasons why a motherboard arrives DOA and the majority of them are not MSI's fault. MSI tests all of their motherboards prior to boxing and shipping them. The most common culprit for DOA boards is that of shipping or poor handling by third-party sellers who buy direct from MSI. Despite this fact, however, MSI will replace a DOA board at no cost, except shipping it back to them, through the use of a simple RMA form.
Tags: back them, Dead Arrival, form factor, heat sink, many reasons