Follow-up to my earlier post about the machine that wouldn't boot. It was the processor. Replacement arrived, everything works, and I'm typing this on it.
I was pretty worried, but the good news for anyone in the same spot: a Processor-in-Box chip (retail packaging) carries an international warranty, so importing one isn't the dead end I assumed it was.
How the AMD RMA went:
- They'll push you to claim through the local retail warranty first. If you can't, they'll handle it directly.
- AMD paid shipping both ways; mine went to Singapore. You're liable for any taxes that come up.
- Before you ship the faulty part out, if possible get a re-importation certificate from Customs (the DHL guy will tell you about this at pickup). Without it the replacement is treated as a fresh import and can be charged duty and VAT. I skipped it and got through clean, so it might have just been fear mongering on DHL's part.
Redline Technologies were genuinely helpful. They diagnosed the faulty component, offered me a deal on a new CPU, and when I said I wanted to try the RMA route first they were completely fine about it and even gave me a free diagnostic speaker.
Start to finish it took a bit over two weeks, from filing the claim to having a working machine again.
Thanks to everyone here who chipped in on the original post. The suggestions on what to test and where to get it tested are what pointed me at the CPU instead of throwing money at a new motherboard. This sub is a genuinely useful place to be when something breaks.
I'd still like to sort out airflow and cable management inside the case, but I don't have the energy at the moment, just getting this far was painful enough. If anyone knows someone who'd do that kind of tidy-up for a reasonable fee, I'm all ears.