Test failures?

[Jim Barrett]

Say What?

By the way, your logic is flawed in any case. FTDNA is fully responsible for providing sample collection instructions to its customers. You are essentially suggesting that those instructions are insufficient.

Reinforcing a good practice is flawed logic??? You are suggesting that everyone reads and understands all directions and then follows them. Now that is a JOKE.

You are happy thinking FTDNA messed up. I am happy knowing they didn't mess up any of my kits. I'm out of this topic.

[lgmayka]

Frankly, I suspect that in FTDNA's move to new headquarters, a refrigerator was left unpowered too long, and some samples spoiled. There is simply no other explanation for test failures on swab after swab, across so many project members.

As a former computer programmer myself, I have also considered another partial explanation. FTDNA's web site may have been programmed to automatically step through a series of messages, over time, whenever a test is late. The messages automatically progress from "re-test" to "B swab" to "C/D kit", regardless of what might actually be causing the delay. This obviates the need for manual update, but also means that the messages may not be a true reflection of the delay's cause.

So for example, the delay may be due to an ordinary order backlog, in which a strategic decision has been made to give new orders priority over upgrades.

[lgmayka]

I have seen no reason to think the problem has anything to do with FTDNA or the labs.

All of the overdue tests are upgrades, not initial orders. This means that FTDNA successfully extracted DNA before, but is now unable to do so again.

Never before have I seen so many tests so very late. Frankly, I suspect that in FTDNA's move to new headquarters, a refrigerator was left unpowered too long, and some samples spoiled. There is simply no other explanation for test failures on swab after swab, across so many project members.

By the way, your logic is flawed in any case. FTDNA is fully responsible for providing sample collection instructions to its customers. You are essentially suggesting that those instructions are insufficient.

[Jim Barrett]

Good Rubs Help Provide Good Results

I have a total of 10 kits with results pending. None of them are past the current due date. One has gone to swab B and that is for a National Geographic kit.

Every time someone orders a kit I send them a message telling them how important it is to collect a good sample and suggest that they visit http://www.davedorsey.com/dna.html . It seem to me that good samples provide good results. Of course I couldn't do that with the National Geographic kit.

I have seen no reason to think the problem has anything to do with FTDNA or the labs.

[lgmayka]

What, exactly, do you mean by "failures?" Are you talking about the lack of any matches?

No, a test failure means that FTDNA was unable to get any reliable result at all.

Here are my project's current test failures. Mention of a batch means that at least one test in that batch falls into the listed category. As you can imagine, sample exhaustion is the most distressing situation, because it requires additional active participation (and postage!) from the project member.
---------------------------------------------------------

Test failures have exhausted all samples, customer must send new set of samples:
225, 227, 231

Test failures have exhausted first ('A') swab, now running test on B swab:
230, 235

Test failure on first ('A') swab, now re-testing:
230, 236, 238

No test result by due date, no explanation:
238, 239

[GaryR50]

What, exactly, do you mean by "failures?" Are you talking about the lack of any matches? If so, I'm afraid you've been very mislead abut genetic genealogy. There are no guarantees of any matches at all. I am the founder of an FTDNA surname project, myself, and I am still waiting (after six years) for my own match. I don't, however, consider that a "failure." It simply means that no one from my line has joined the project, yet.

Gary

[lgmayka]

Yes, the Polish Project has failed tests from batches 225, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, and 236.

The Polish Project now has notices of "Your B swab is being run now" from batches 225, 230, 231, 232, 233, and 235. FTDNA's documentation explains that it resorts to the B swab after at least 2 failures on the original swab.

Our project also has the regular "Your sample is being rerun now" from batches 230 and 236.

[efgen]

Would you happen to know at all when:
#1. Houston lab moved
#2. Houston office moved

See the News section of the FTDNA homepage:
http://www.familytreedna.com/

#3. Arizona office moved.

The Arizona lab moved a year or so ago.

Elise

[Clochaire]

Actually, the Houston lab did move when the Houston office moved. And I'm relatively certain that the Arizona lab moved to a larger space a while back too.

Would you happen to know at all when:
#1. Houston lab moved
#2. Houston office moved
#3. Arizona office moved.


Go raibh mile maith agat ('Thanks).

Jack

[efgen]

Very few things are impossible, but I don't believe the lab moved. The FTDNA office in Houston moved a short distance, but I don't believe the lab moved.

Actually, the Houston lab did move when the Houston office moved. And I'm relatively certain that the Arizona lab moved to a larger space a while back too. The moves of course may have caused some delays at the time, but those are certainly exceptions to the rule!

Elise

[Jim Barrett]

Very few things are impossible, but I don't believe the lab moved. The FTDNA office in Houston moved a short distance, but I don't believe the lab moved.

[29149]

It is not impossible that FTDNA's computer automatically marks all late tests as "test failed, needs retesting," even if the actual reason for the delay is somewhat different (e.g., move of a lab from one location to another).

That may be true. I noticed for some customers the message about "your sample test failed, it will have to be rerun" (or something like that) was followed in the next day or a few days later by the results.

[lgmayka]

Are you suggesting that they really didn't need to be retested?

It is not impossible that FTDNA's computer automatically marks all late tests as "test failed, needs retesting," even if the actual reason for the delay is somewhat different (e.g., move of a lab from one location to another).

[Jim Barrett]

Samples that allegedly needed retesting.

Are you suggesting that they really didn't need to be retested?

[lgmayka]

What do you mean by "failed tests"? Are you referring to bad results or samples that had to be retested?

Samples that allegedly needed retesting.