General info about the condition of Vikings Refurbished products
The Vikings Store also provides refurbished products, most notably Thinkpad laptops. We have the required know-how to help ease such technology into a second life cycle. One of our mottos is: reusing is better than recycling is better than disposal.
Our refurbished products come from various sources, such as terminated leasing contracts of companies. They are then anonymized, repaired, cleaned, flashed with coreboot, and the Intel/AMD backdoors are removed/neutralized.
Refurbished? Isn't that just another word for "used"?
All parts are thoroughly tested for function, repaired and non-fixable issues are documented. After, the device is anonymized and cleaned; we meticulously dust and disinfect each device, both from the inside and the outside. Subsequently the device undergoes a stress tested for approximately 24 hours with sysbench, and the RAM is tested using memtest with a minimum of 3 passes. Once this is done, we classify the refurbished product according to the list given below.
Some devices, such as the Thinkpad X200, are 14 years old in 2022 and have been in use for many years, so you're not buying something new and it's likely that there will be blemishes. That being said, devices that do not fulfill our high standards are used for parts only. The time, care and reject due to defects often make this a service to the libre-software community; we're making very little profits, if any. So if you feel that a minor dissatisfaction might prompt you to send your device back for a refund, we request you not to place an order with us at all.
Classification of refurbished products
Refurbished: A
This item is classified Refurbished: A and used. According to the age of the device, minor signs of use are possible, but these do not affect functionality. You will receive a device that is ready for use. This means that it has been technically inspected, cleaned and professionally packaged for sale. A detailed list of features, defects or missing parts can be found in the item description, if applicable. Please read the description carefully to see if this item is suitable for you.
Refurbished: B
This item is classified Refurbished: B and used. According to the age of the device, there might be obvious signs of use, but no serious defects. Functionality is usually unaffected or only minimally affected. The item has been technically inspected, cleaned and professionally packaged for sale. A detailed list of features, defects or missing parts can be found in the item description, if applicable. Please read the description carefully to see if this item is suitable for you.
Refurbished: C
This item is classified Refurbished: C and used. According to the age and condition of the device, there are clear signs of use and/or technical defects. The item has been inspected, cleaned and professionally packaged for sale, but is not ready for immediate use. It is recommended for hobbyists or thrift store enthusiasts who can either live and work with deficiencies or defects, or are able to make further repairs. A detailed list of features, defects or missing parts can be found in the item description, if applicable. Please read the description carefully to see if this item is suitable for you.
Refurbished: D
This item is classified Refurbished: D and defective. The device on offer is defective, and not ready for use. It is recommended for hobbyists or those who are able to make further repairs and/or replace broken parts. A detailed list of features, defects or missing parts can be found in the item description, if applicable. Please read the description carefully to see if this item is suitable for you.