Topic: Creative Labs trade-in deal for broken JB3s

[spyder9]

I sent in my JB3 (20g) to be repaired by Creative Labs.  Optical-in was broke and screen had a line through it.  They offered me a refurbished one for $40.00 shipped.  It arrived today and booted up flawlessly.  Has the previous firmware, (1.32), but no biggie since I'll upgrade this over the weekend.

Great deal.  Better than pitching the old one and paying $180 for a used one off of eBay

[1st set only]

could tou post some more info?
my JB3 is dead and id like to get it fixed for a backup to the microtracker


what is the shipping addy that you used? contact info?

[spyder9]

I contacted them through their support page:

http://us.creative.com/support/custsup/services.asp


I think I emailed them w/ a complete description on what was wrong.  They emailed back within a couple of days asking for info on the product and me.  I promptly replied.  They then emailed an RMA# and instructions to send it in.  Within a couple of weeks, they contacted me by phone and email with the offer.  I jumped on it, and it arrived with in a week.  3 weeks turn around time.

[Ray76]

I sent in my JB3 (20g) to be repaired by Creative Labs.  Optical-in was broke and screen had a line through it.  They offered me a refurbished one for $40.00 shipped.  It arrived today and booted up flawlessly.  Has the previous firmware, (1.32), but no biggie since I'll upgrade this over the weekend.

Great deal.  Better than pitching the old one and paying $180 for a used one off of eBay

Damn Dan! Nice find man!+T..i hope someone grabs em. they have to be runin out of those things...dont you think?

[spyder9]

I sent in my JB3 (20g) to be repaired by Creative Labs.  Optical-in was broke and screen had a line through it.  They offered me a refurbished one for $40.00 shipped.  It arrived today and booted up flawlessly.  Has the previous firmware, (1.32), but no biggie since I'll upgrade this over the weekend.

Great deal.  Better than pitching the old one and paying $180 for a used one off of eBay

Damn Dan! Nice find man!+T..i hope someone grabs em. they have to be runin out of those things...dont you think?

They said while supplies last, they will be doing this deal.  Hop on it if you have a bad JB3.  Once, they run low, I imagine they'll dump the rest of the refurbs on eBay on be done with them.

[plucks]

i'll give it a whirl!

[John R]

i wrote them about needing my FW jack replaced, we'll see what happens

[Karl]

Is this only if you have a jb3 under warranty?  I have a jb3 with a bad optical in that's not under warranty, would I have a shot?

[spyder9]

Try it.  I bought mine used on eBay over a year ago.  I had no receipt, purchase date,  Nada.  And they did the exchange anyway.

[John R]

Is this only if you have a jb3 under warranty?  I have a jb3 with a bad optical in that's not under warranty, would I have a shot?

this is what i got back from creative within 12 hours:

Dear John,

Thanks for supporting Creative Customer Support
With regards to the issue you are having,


The problem you described indicates your unit may require repair or
replacement.
An RMA will need to be arranged to have your product tested for
repair/replacement.

If the product has exceeded its three month labor warranty period, a US
$24.95 diagnostics and handling fee will be required.  The fee is
applied toward the complete cost of repair/replacement.  If the cost of
the repair/replacement exceeds the initial diagnostic fee, the RMA
department will contact you to obtain your authorization for finance of
the remaining fee.  If the product is still within the 1 year hardware
warranty, as long as there is no physical damage, all hardware component
replacement costs will be covered by the hardware warranty. If the
product is not outside its thee month labor warranty, no diagnostic fee
is required.

Please note that the contents of the hard drive will have to be erased
due to the testing process.  Please back up all files from the drive, if
possible, before shipping in for an RMA.

Please submit the following required information to us in a reply to
this message so the RMA can be issued:

First/Last Name:

Address (No P.O. Boxes please):

City:

State/Province:

ZIP/Postal Code:

Contact Telephone Number(s):

Email address where you would prefer to be reached:

Product Model Number :

Original Color:
Alternate Color if original color is not available(Applies only for Zen
Micro,N200 and Zen Nano):

Size of the hard drive or amount of onboard memory:

Product Serial Number (often listed inside the battery cover):

Exact/Approximate Date of Purchase:

Brief Description of Problem:

Once this information is applied to the RMA database, we will reply to
you with an RMA reference number and shipping instructions.

[Kindguy]

I dropped my JB3. The hard drive clicks real bad. & it will only go to rescue mode. Guess I'll give this a shot....

Or should I just change the HD? Any Idea what a HD costs?

[Ray76]

I dropped my JB3. The hard drive clicks real bad. & it will only go to rescue mode. Guess I'll give this a shot....

Or should I just change the HD? Any Idea what a HD costs?

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1186572,00.asp heres a guide..

the 100gig ones that a lot of kids are using Fujitsu MHU2100AT 100g drives or Toshiba MK1031GAS 100g drives...fujitsu mht2030at (30g) Hitachi 60GB 4200rpm (Model: IC25N060ATMR04-0(60g)
60GB Toshiba MK6021GAS (60g)
100GB Seagate Momentus 2.5" 5400rpm

All these are proven by users. the 30g one is 70.30. the 100gig ones go up to 170.00

the link is a guide that shows how to do it.

Teddy

[spyder9]

Is this only if you have a jb3 under warranty?  I have a jb3 with a bad optical in that's not under warranty, would I have a shot?

this is what i got back from creative within 12 hours:

Dear John,

Thanks for supporting Creative Customer Support
With regards to the issue you are having,


The problem you described indicates your unit may require repair or
replacement.
An RMA will need to be arranged to have your product tested for
repair/replacement.

If the product has exceeded its three month labor warranty period, a US
$24.95 diagnostics and handling fee will be required.  The fee is
applied toward the complete cost of repair/replacement.  If the cost of
the repair/replacement exceeds the initial diagnostic fee, the RMA
department will contact you to obtain your authorization for finance of
the remaining fee.  If the product is still within the 1 year hardware
warranty, as long as there is no physical damage, all hardware component
replacement costs will be covered by the hardware warranty. If the
product is not outside its thee month labor warranty, no diagnostic fee
is required.

Please note that the contents of the hard drive will have to be erased
due to the testing process.  Please back up all files from the drive, if
possible, before shipping in for an RMA.

Please submit the following required information to us in a reply to
this message so the RMA can be issued:

First/Last Name:

Address (No P.O. Boxes please):

City:

State/Province:

ZIP/Postal Code:

Contact Telephone Number(s):

Email address where you would prefer to be reached:

Product Model Number :

Original Color:
Alternate Color if original color is not available(Applies only for Zen
Micro,N200 and Zen Nano):

Size of the hard drive or amount of onboard memory:

Product Serial Number (often listed inside the battery cover):

Exact/Approximate Date of Purchase:

Brief Description of Problem:

Once this information is applied to the RMA database, we will reply to
you with an RMA reference number and shipping instructions.

John,

That's the exact same message I got.  Fill it out and send it in.  They never charged me the $24.95 for the diagnostiocs test.  They just gave the new refurb for $40.00

[spyder9]

Anybody hear back from Creative yet?

I upgraded the firmware on my new refurb that I received a few weeks ago.  Works flawlessly.   

I just sent in my other JB3 on Monday for the same problem: bad optical in.

I figure this thread needs a bump for others.

[hitch]

Nice! Thanks for the info guys.
I just picked up a unit that needs servicing. I sent in the email last night, and I got the $24.95 initial diagnostic fee+++ email this morning (that was fast!).

I think the hard drive needs reformatting/replacing, and I was thinking of doing it myself rather than sending it in.
I guess I'm just worried that the final Creative 'charge' will be substantially more than $40.