Free Gold Card Replacement?

[Thaddeuss]

Now i swear i remember reading somewhere that mindark would replace our Gold card once per year free of charge ? i cant for the life of me find where it says that now ....

2009-12-13 20:07 You wrote:


Hello,

i have been having some major issues with my gold card the last week or so i think it is dieing .
most of the time it does not work. im not sure if its my card is too scratched up or that my readers is dieing since i have had it for like 2 years.

Can i please have a new reader and card sent to me?

2009-12-13 20:20 Entropia Universe Support:


Hi,
Please order a new reader in the Account section of the website. When you have received the new reader, please return the old one to us and we will give you a refund of the purchase price.
If you return the Gold Card to us we will send you a replacement card free of charge. Our address is:
MindArk PE AB
Support Department
Järntorget 8
SE-41304 Göteborg
SWEDEN
Please mark the letter with this support case number.
If the items are proven to be malfunctioned you will also get a refund of the shipment costs.
Kind regards,
Entropia Universe Support

This is the most retarded crap i have ever heard of!

Please order a new reader in the Account section of the website. When you have received the new reader, please return the old one to us and we will give you a refund of the purchase price.

so now i have to deposit 20 bucks to buy a reader only for you to refund that to me after i return the old one to u? thats a bs way of locking in another $20 bucks from me.

If the items are proven to be malfunctioned you will also get a refund of the shipment costs.

so now if the frikkn reader is not deemed malfunctioning by mindarks standards im screwed out of shipping cost? man the hits just keep coming...

How very disappointing..

Was it always this hard to get a replacement?

 

[Arokh]

Not that I recall. After mine stopped working in 2007, I simply asked support for a new one and they sent it me - no questions asked, nor did they want the dead reader. Maybe the policy has changed?

 

[Thaddeuss]

in the process of ordering a new one i foudn this in the terms of use for the GC

5. Limited Warranty and Terms of Service

After you have accepted this offer you will be entitled to three (3) more Card Readers per year in case that your Card Reader has stopped working due to error. Even your Gold Card can be replaced in case of flaws in the card, which make you unable to use it, though you will be entitled to no more than one (1) Gold Card per year.

PLEASE OBSERVE that in order to be replaced, broken or non-functional items must be returned to MindArk PE AB (see address above). If the item turns out to be functional, you will have to cover your shipment costs. If the item is proven to have malfunctioned MindArk will refund the shipment costs.

Personally i think it should say in here you have to actually buy the replacement then get refunded for it.

 

[mike jones]

nevermind u found it

 

[dj.]

Also, when mine stopped working, i stomped it hard on my desk, then threw it across the room.. works fine now

I dare it to stop working again

 

[Helios]

Just been through this process myself. After all the bullshit of ordering a reader first and refusing to just let me return both and have them replaced, they then sent me a second one with the gold card.

 

[Thaddeuss]

so you had to mail your reader back and then mail your card back seperately and now you have an extra reader ? xp

bet they want you to mail it back at your cost too

all this just bugs me cause i only got the GC in the first place cause it was free ..

 

[Helios]

I sent them both back together and I did get the refund after reminding them in another support case.

 

[aia]

so now i have to deposit 20 bucks to buy a reader only for you to refund that to me after i return the old one to u? thats a bs way of locking in another $20 bucks from me.

Probably a way to get people to a) ensure the address is correct (so the new reader isn't sent out in limbo) and b) ensure the receiver actually returns the old one and don't just keep it out of lazyness.

so now if the frikkn reader is not deemed malfunctioning by mindarks standards im screwed out of shipping cost? man the hits just keep coming...

The normal terms of warranty repairs here where I live, is that if you turn in something back to the shop where you bough it that you think is broken but it turns out to be working, you have to pay the cost for fault searching. So just paying postage is getting away cheap. And a step further: Depending on MA policy, either someone else get a second hand reader with half used-up battery, or MA will be sitting there with a reader that technically works so they can't send it back to the factory for complaints.

so you had to mail your reader back and then mail your card back seperately and now you have an extra reader ? xp

I think it's a good idea to first just order a replacement *reader* (just a new reader without card), hoping it's just the reader that has run out of battery; replacing the card is a bit beaurocratic so I guess that's nothing you want to do unless you're sure it's the card itself that's broken.

A new reader (without card) costs 100 ped I guess, not 200 ped.

 

[Trux]

i wonder if i'm entitled to new reader and card also if i already 'repaired' mine myself after it stopped working.. thing is, neither my card nor the reader can be returned to its original state: i had to hack a new button to the reader (housing modified) and strip the chip part out of the card and attach it permanently too the reader.. to make them 'one thing' that works..

hmmm.. sitting here with my freak-reader, wishing i could get a set of brand new card and reader

 

[xaph]

Also, when mine stopped working, i stomped it hard on my desk, then threw it across the room.. works fine now

I dare it to stop working again

Thats the way, similary a collegues mobile phone stopped ringing the other day and he gave it to me to tweak.
No matter what settings I tweaked still no ring!
I too threw the peice of crap across the office smashing it into the Grand Exalted Poohbahs...(the bosses ) pet cactus plant and whaddya know it now rings
My motto now is If its f#$ed throw it

 

[Sunab Naverith]

i wonder if i'm entitled to new reader and card also if i already 'repaired' mine myself after it stopped working.. thing is, neither my card nor the reader can be returned to its original state: i had to hack a new button to the reader (housing modified) and strip the chip part out of the card and attach it permanently too the reader.. to make them 'one thing' that works..

hmmm.. sitting here with my freak-reader, wishing i could get a set of brand new card and reader

If only they would use the single-unit systems like what WoW has, or Paypal, or any number of other, updated IDENTICAL security systems have now...
This archaic bullshit of "card and reader" just screams of "charge more! charge more!". I honestly expected them to have a keychain thing with a button you push, and viola! No need for card..
Honestly though, still amazed that after almost 2 1/2 years, my ORIGINAL gold card & reader are still intact, never needed replacement, never needed a new battery, nada - just clean the card itself with an eraser once every 3~6 months, and it's good to go!.

 

[Trux]

If only they would use the single-unit systems like what WoW has, or Paypal, or any number of other, updated IDENTICAL security systems have now...
This archaic bullshit of "card and reader" just screams of "charge more! charge more!". I honestly expected them to have a keychain thing with a button you push, and viola! No need for card..
..

.. maybe MA thought it looks cool to sniff away our peds with *golden* cards.. fancy stuff, ya know ^^

 

[aia]

If only they would use the single-unit systems like what WoW has, or Paypal, or any number of other, updated IDENTICAL security systems have now...

Since you have to do "paperwork" only if the card fails but not when the battery in the reader stops working, I guess the current setup is the most user-friendy.

I wonder how common it is that the *card* stops working? (Unless you do something like cutting it to pieces and then glue it permanently onto something or putting it in a microwave owen.)

What I think would be nice is a USB card reader that works automatically (maybe with an "identify" button for security).

 

[aia]

Also, when mine stopped working, i stomped it hard on my desk, then threw it across the room.. works fine now

Ahh *that's* what MA support does with all the faulty readers they get

 

[Thaddeuss]

i wonder if i'm entitled to new reader and card also if i already 'repaired' mine myself after it stopped working.. thing is, neither my card nor the reader can be returned to its original state: i had to hack a new button to the reader (housing modified) and strip the chip part out of the card and attach it permanently too the reader.. to make them 'one thing' that works..

hmmm.. sitting here with my freak-reader, wishing i could get a set of brand new card and reader

id be interested in seeing a picture of that contraption lol


my whole beef here is that i only got the stupid gold card system cause it was free. After all the money i have deposited and with using the same gold card and reader for over 2 years, is it to much to ask for a replacement free of hassle and charge?

 

[dotc0m]

you can do it without the fee.

Return your Reader and wait they ship you a new one...

OH WAIT U WONT BE ABLE TO LOG MEANWHILE

And since MA doesnt ship free stuff to people, they let you order a new one to show you are serious. And Give you the ped after that.

whats wrong with this? To me it seem pretty fair...

these day to get a RMA on a item such as a GFX CARD or computer stuff u actually have to send them and wait weeks/month before they repair it. There is a reason they dont send any replacement in the 1st place, ppl abused the system... so now some rare company let you buy a new card from their website so you dont have to wait for the replacement, and refund you when they receive your old card. Which is the best scenario risk free for both party.

You break it, you serious, you dont want to wait, pay and we pay you back in time.

nothing new for me for these term.

If you cant temporary deposit 20$ for a reader, maybe there is a problem?

 

[aia]

If you cant temporary deposit 20$ for a reader, maybe there is a problem?

According to web page, it's 100 PED for a new reader.
(200 PED is for those who want a gold card set but yet hasn't reached up to the deposit limit.)

 

[Mika]

my bank is the same, reader broken i can send my old one in and get a new one. unless i give them my old one personally or they get it in mail they wont send out a new one..

I wonder why people seem to think the ways MA works and does things is unique to them and them only, none in the WHOLE WORLD does things exactly like they do

my guess is they want to make sure you don't get two free ones, so if you got one free, you pay for the new and have it refunded when the old one is back, if you dont return ut, well then you got the one free as you should and paid for the second

if I where to run an company, every custommer would get 1 free car, i would not give them a new car again without having the old one first. so they would have to pay for the new car, give me the old one and then i'd refund them. seems quite logic doesen't it?

and if they stop working theres lots of things you can do to fix it like cleaning or changing batteries etc.

 

[Sharchon]

My most common "dead reader" fault is a little switch inside the reader that the card is supposed to trigger.
I guess it works like an on/off switch.
I dropped the reader a few times resulting in death.. but the way I am,I always have an urge to check things out inside everything..especialy when things are broken.. and found that tiny brass lever and pulled it a bit and got the thing working again.
Glad I haven't broke off it yet,but now we have Trux solution for it
(are you cheaper that MA? )

 

[Trux]

lol,
no i wouldn't touch anyone elses reader to repair.. my repair was quite a bit trial and error before i found out how to activate it again.. at this point the reader was already stripped from the housing.. i found out that my card didn't activate the switch you referred to, so i cut a piece from the card to move the brass-lever with the finger.. i then found out that i have to push button-2 on the reader front first to get reliable activation.. after that i reassambled the reader with the chip-part of the card in it and another small button that is mechanically attached to the brass-lever.. so now i have the reader with the gold-chip inside that i have to push 2 buttons in correct order to get a code... works very fine for now.. lolz

so that's the instructions, ofc without any warranty for malfunction! i won't touch your reader ever ^^

 

[AlphaGeek]

Just change the batteries and clean & retension the card reader contacts. That fixes most card reader ills.

 

[Steve_saber]

Just change the batteries and clean & retension the card reader contacts. That fixes most card reader ills.

Yeah tried that here...wound up out the 10 bucks for batteries.

A piece of tape on the back, and they now are stuck to my wall...

The card makes a nice ornament for the christmas tree after I cut out the spot where the chip used to be, and painted in christmas colors.

Have'nt firgured out what to use the broken reader for yet. Maybe aiming practice for my hammer.

 

[Mr Trayles]

Was it always this hard to get a replacement?

Usually security equipment is meant to remain secure. Handing out extra equipment for people to experiment on is not being secure. Thus the extra security precautions. Personally, I am glad that they aren't handing out extras to anyone claiming to need a new one.

If you claim to lose it, of course, you can still buy a new one. But it would make hacking them a little costly as you might have to burn through a dozen of them or so first. Again, a security measure. Again, glad for it.

 

[xXSqUaLLXx]

and worse than that, if u got some problem with the card and not the reader, u have to send your card to get a new one.
and disable the protection of your account if u wish to play in between apparently.
iam not thinking something can happen but dont wanna be left with no card either in between.
and it doesnt seem like u can just buy a new kit get it and activate it in the mean time before MA refund u for the kit if i understood right.

 

[Thaddeuss]

If you cant temporary deposit 20$ for a reader, maybe there is a problem?

its not that i cant its the principle of it. i have gone 6 months without a deposit while being able to play quite comfortably, and i didnt ever buy a gold card in the first place cause i thought it was a waste of money. they had the offer for a free one so i took the free reader hell i have deposited that 5000 ped many times over since so is it that much to ask for a new reader?

Just change the batteries and clean & retension the card reader contacts. That fixes most card reader ills.

ive read in other threads like this that finding the correct batterys for it can be difficult if that even works and their 10 bucks on their own might as well just pay for the new reader.

i am now at the point i have to take the read apart and kinda rub the card on the reader prongs well holding down that brass activation prong...

ofcourse ill put it all back together to ship back hope they dont read this thread and deny my shipping charge refund for tampering

i sent some more replyes in the support case bitching and complaining for a another reader to be sent to me free of hassle and the last reply from support was just regurgitating their first reply telling me to buy a new one and they would refund it. so in fear of not being able to get onlien over the holidays i gave in and payed the 100 ped for a new reader..

 

[mrproper]

If the display is not coming on all the time, or it gives errors, you can open the reader, clean the contacts with alcohol solutions (even Windex/Rivex/Whateverex), tap some flux (electronics anti-oxidant cream) and change the batteries.

If you can't change the batteries, warm the reader on a warm surface or your closed hands for 5 minutes and try again.

If the card is obviously used, do the same cleaning process for the contacts.
- do not touch the contacts with your hands or other objects that are not imbibed with cleaning products.
- do not keep your card contacts side up on your desk
- do not keep your card contacts down on surfaces other than paper

I keep the reader on top of the contacts and I have less issues now. It's over 3 years now.

Warning: this is my own advice, it worked for me, and I am not liable if you screw up. Don't call me.

 

[layla54]

Some reader error codes from a secret Todos engineering document I found on a "secret" FTP site:

Error 1 : lag caused by company u-turn about clothes and armor
Error 2 : lag caused by avatar equipping bleached clothes and armor
Error 2.7 : battery voltage low
Error 10 : Fatal Error - projected-play-cost-per-hour
Error 42 : PED card inserted not Gold Card
Error 69 : avatars busy
Error 72 : pubic hair in reader interface
Error 112 : PED card low - insert kidney
Error 366 : ahh - the egg
Error 1664 : user drunk
Error 3000 : UDP lost, several weapons equipped, again