Guest nomail1983@hotmail.com Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 I am having a couple problems with Windows and common application (Adobe Flash), and I have exhausted my ability to troubleshoot and remedy them. I need an "expert". But I am leery. By "expert", I mean someone who knows enough about Windows XP (Pro 2002 SP2) to truly problem-solve, not someone who simply walks down a troubleshooting tree that has "reload Windows" on the 2nd or 3rd branch -- and not a "hacker" who tries random changes in the hope of stumbling upon a solution. Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them?
Guest Og Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? <nomail1983@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:1183782669.544227.81590@e16g2000pri.googlegroups.com... >I am having a couple problems with Windows and common application > (Adobe Flash), and I have exhausted my ability to troubleshoot and > remedy them. I need an "expert". But I am leery. By "expert", I > mean someone who knows enough about Windows XP (Pro 2002 SP2) to truly > problem-solve, not someone who simply walks down a troubleshooting > tree that has "reload Windows" on the 2nd or 3rd branch -- and not a > "hacker" who tries random changes in the hope of stumbling upon a > solution. > > Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? > Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them? > Based upon the experience of a few of my friends and relatives, and based upon my experience with speaking to several members of "the Geek Squad", I believe a room filled with monkeys would have a better chance of resolving any computer problem you may have. Steve
Guest Ron Badour Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? Even if I had an opinion, I would not comment on a "trust" issue in a public forum and take the chance of a law suit. I have found that if a problem is solvable, you generally can find an answer by using these forums and/or Google.com. Sometimes there is no good answer but to format and start over but that should always be the last option. -- Regards Ron Badour MS MVP 1997 - 2007 <nomail1983@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:1183782669.544227.81590@e16g2000pri.googlegroups.com... >I am having a couple problems with Windows and common application > (Adobe Flash), and I have exhausted my ability to troubleshoot and > remedy them. I need an "expert". But I am leery. By "expert", I > mean someone who knows enough about Windows XP (Pro 2002 SP2) to truly > problem-solve, not someone who simply walks down a troubleshooting > tree that has "reload Windows" on the 2nd or 3rd branch -- and not a > "hacker" who tries random changes in the hope of stumbling upon a > solution. > > Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? > Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them? >
Guest Peter Foldes Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? What problems are you having. Can you post them here in detail and maybe we can help you solve it. As far as geek squad goes , I personally think you are throwing out your money. -- Peter Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged. <nomail1983@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:1183782669.544227.81590@e16g2000pri.googlegroups.com... >I am having a couple problems with Windows and common application > (Adobe Flash), and I have exhausted my ability to troubleshoot and > remedy them. I need an "expert". But I am leery. By "expert", I > mean someone who knows enough about Windows XP (Pro 2002 SP2) to truly > problem-solve, not someone who simply walks down a troubleshooting > tree that has "reload Windows" on the 2nd or 3rd branch -- and not a > "hacker" who tries random changes in the hope of stumbling upon a > solution. > > Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? > Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them? >
Guest Plato Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? nomail1983@hotmail.com wrote: > > Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? > Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them? Yes, if they dont fix your problem, then dont pay them. -- http://www.bootdisk.com/
Guest Harry Ohrn Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? Ask if you can speak with a few of their customers. If they have nothing to hide they should be able to set that up for you. -- Harry Ohrn MS MVP [shell\User] http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp <nomail1983@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:1183782669.544227.81590@e16g2000pri.googlegroups.com... >I am having a couple problems with Windows and common application > (Adobe Flash), and I have exhausted my ability to troubleshoot and > remedy them. I need an "expert". But I am leery. By "expert", I > mean someone who knows enough about Windows XP (Pro 2002 SP2) to truly > problem-solve, not someone who simply walks down a troubleshooting > tree that has "reload Windows" on the 2nd or 3rd branch -- and not a > "hacker" who tries random changes in the hope of stumbling upon a > solution. > > Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? > Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them? >
Guest nomail1983@hotmail.com Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? On Jul 6, 9:31 pm, "nomail1...@hotmail.com" <nomail1...@hotmail.com> wrote: > Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? > Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them? Thanks for the feedback. As for a description of the problems, I am covering them in other threads. But my expectation is that the problem is with my environment (configuration). Probably too difficult to troubleshoot at arm's distance. Nonetheless, I am willing to give it another try. Thanks again.
Guest Vanguard Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? "Harry Ohrn" wrote in message news:%23cTXfxFwHHA.4516@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... > Ask if you can speak with a few of their customers. If they have > nothing to hide they should be able to set that up for you. Not a workable solution for ANY company. After all, would you want to be annoyed and waste time answering the phone for inquisitive potential customers of every product your purchased or of every company you've dealt with. Maybe you like being slammed with tons of phone calls from someone asking if you like the television that you bought from some retail store, or if that non-dealer car repair shop you use repeatedly is a good shop, or whatever product or service you've used or bought before was okay. A company is not going to divulge their customer list to other potential customers. If you suddenly got spammed or slammed because someone you dealt with released your personal information to anyone that asked, would you really continue business with that irresponsible provider? Sure, a company may post letters of gleaming reviews by customers on their walls. Have you ever seen them also post negative letters? They don't have to post any of those letters so obviously they get to pick which ones they do post, if any, and just as obvious is that they will only post those which positively affect their business.
Guest Vanguard Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? nomail1983 wrote in message news:1183782669.544227.81590@e16g2000pri.googlegroups.com... > I am having a couple problems with Windows and common application > (Adobe Flash), and I have exhausted my ability to troubleshoot and > remedy them. I need an "expert". But I am leery. By "expert", I > mean someone who knows enough about Windows XP (Pro 2002 SP2) to truly > problem-solve, not someone who simply walks down a troubleshooting > tree that has "reload Windows" on the 2nd or 3rd branch -- and not a > "hacker" who tries random changes in the hope of stumbling upon a > solution. > > Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? > Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust > them? Since you didn't bother to actually describe here what is your problem, no one can provide help on it. Have you tried uninstalling Flash and then reinstalling it? As for the geek squad, the process you mention of reading through a database of prior problems solved or perusing a FAQ can only be performed when you call a tech rep. When someone comes to your house, have you ever seen them open a book that is a copy of their knowledge database? I'm not saying that they have expertise beyond that but they don't have the luxury of hiding from you to do the lookups. Did you bother to ask what they will charge whether they fix the problem or not (i.e., their base or minimal charge) and if they won't charge a extra or repair fee if they don't fix the problem? Do they guarantee (and provide actual terms for that guarantee, like remuneration) that they can leave the computer in the exact state it was in when they arrived so that it isn't any worse after they starting poking around and changing things?
Guest Telstar Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? <nomail1983@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:1183782669.544227.81590@e16g2000pri.googlegroups.com... >I am having a couple problems with Windows and common application > (Adobe Flash), and I have exhausted my ability to troubleshoot and > remedy them. I need an "expert". But I am leery. By "expert", I > mean someone who knows enough about Windows XP (Pro 2002 SP2) to truly > problem-solve, not someone who simply walks down a troubleshooting > tree that has "reload Windows" on the 2nd or 3rd branch -- and not a > "hacker" who tries random changes in the hope of stumbling upon a > solution. > > Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? > Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them? > As I understand it, this service is about general issues that the inexperienced might encounter, and not specific software related to hardware. I think that alone says enough.
Guest Gary Walker Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? I had a Geek Squad experience that I'll share. It wasn't like your description, but I'll just relate the details, and you can be the judge. I purchased a new Gateway desktop from Best Buy, and 7-8 months later it failed to boot. Well, I didn't know what was wrong with it, but I could tell the HDD was not spinning up. So, I boxed it up, and returned it to BB. I don't know how this retailer operates, but somehow the desktop was routed to the GS desk. The technician tried the boot, and confirmed the box as failing. Then, they told me the box would have to be sent off to somewhere in Georgia for repair. I was livid that BB or Gateway would just not fix it there, or provide another. They tried to charge for the repair, until I pointed out that the system was only 8 months old. But, they insisted that the warranty work would require this send off. Additionally, the memory stick reader had never worked, so I included that in the work ticket. I was told in my many BB management conversations that the only systems fixed locally/onsite are the ones that need only the most elementary attention. All other get shipped off to one of these service centers around the country. In about a week, the box arrived at my home, from the Georgia repair facility. I didn't even open the shipment. I took it immediately to BB/GS to have them open it and check out the repair. The system was checked, and everything was now work- ing fine. We looked at the accompanying work ticket, and the clowns in Georgia had replied that they'd found no problems, and had done nothing for repair. <yeah right> The reason I was so livid was that the system contained hordes of personal information, and I was very worried about shipping that information across the country. As it was, I had to change accounts/passwords, close some accounts, and fraud alert other records. Although they verbally assured me that my information would be safe, they would offer no such written assurance. They basic- ally said if I wanted it fixed on a new system warranty, it's goin' to Georgia. If not, I can fix it myself. But, BB/GS did as they said, I guess. I mean, they ship- ped off the system, fixed it(even though they say they didn't), and sent it back. Although it was supposed to be shipped back to BB/GS, rather than to me. So, I guess they can be trusted, even though they lied about finding nothing wrong. But, that doesn't speak well for the diagnostic tactics that you mention. I can't offer any information on their diagnostic techniques. Gary "Harry Ohrn" <harry---@webtree.ca> wrote in message news:%23cTXfxFwHHA.4516@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... > Ask if you can speak with a few of their customers. If they have nothing > to hide they should be able to set that up for you. > > -- > > > Harry Ohrn MS MVP [shell\User] > http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp > > > <nomail1983@hotmail.com> wrote in message > news:1183782669.544227.81590@e16g2000pri.googlegroups.com... >>I am having a couple problems with Windows and common application >> (Adobe Flash), and I have exhausted my ability to troubleshoot and >> remedy them. I need an "expert". But I am leery. By "expert", I >> mean someone who knows enough about Windows XP (Pro 2002 SP2) to truly >> problem-solve, not someone who simply walks down a troubleshooting >> tree that has "reload Windows" on the 2nd or 3rd branch -- and not a >> "hacker" who tries random changes in the hope of stumbling upon a >> solution. >> >> Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? >> Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them? >> > >
Guest Telstar Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? Note well: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1854470,00.asp "Telstar" <none@none> wrote in message news:OiKa0yGwHHA.3720@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... > > <nomail1983@hotmail.com> wrote in message > news:1183782669.544227.81590@e16g2000pri.googlegroups.com... >>I am having a couple problems with Windows and common application >> (Adobe Flash), and I have exhausted my ability to troubleshoot and >> remedy them. I need an "expert". But I am leery. By "expert", I >> mean someone who knows enough about Windows XP (Pro 2002 SP2) to truly >> problem-solve, not someone who simply walks down a troubleshooting >> tree that has "reload Windows" on the 2nd or 3rd branch -- and not a >> "hacker" who tries random changes in the hope of stumbling upon a >> solution. >> >> Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? >> Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them? >> > > As I understand it, this service is about general issues that the > inexperienced might encounter, and not specific software related to > hardware. I think that alone says enough. > > >
Guest Not Me Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? I know a couple of guys that work for the local Geek Squad. I wouldn't let them work on my computer. But, I didn't hire them for my IT dept either...LOL <nomail1983@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:1183782669.544227.81590@e16g2000pri.googlegroups.com... >I am having a couple problems with Windows and common application > (Adobe Flash), and I have exhausted my ability to troubleshoot and > remedy them. I need an "expert". But I am leery. By "expert", I > mean someone who knows enough about Windows XP (Pro 2002 SP2) to truly > problem-solve, not someone who simply walks down a troubleshooting > tree that has "reload Windows" on the 2nd or 3rd branch -- and not a > "hacker" who tries random changes in the hope of stumbling upon a > solution. > > Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? > Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them? >
Guest Malke Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? nomail1983@hotmail.com wrote: > I am having a couple problems with Windows and common application > (Adobe Flash), and I have exhausted my ability to troubleshoot and > remedy them. I need an "expert". But I am leery. By "expert", I > mean someone who knows enough about Windows XP (Pro 2002 SP2) to truly > problem-solve, not someone who simply walks down a troubleshooting > tree that has "reload Windows" on the 2nd or 3rd branch -- and not a > "hacker" who tries random changes in the hope of stumbling upon a > solution. > > Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? > Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them? > Go to http://www.theconsumerist.com and put "Geek Squad" in the search box. This will say it all. Malke -- Elephant Boy Computers http://www.elephantboycomputers.com "Don't Panic!" MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest R. McCarty Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? Good point, I read the 10-page long commentary by a former Geek Squad employee on the site. Very telling, good insight into what goes on behind the scenes at Best Buy. "Malke" <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote in message news:OvdD3AJwHHA.3508@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... > nomail1983@hotmail.com wrote: >> I am having a couple problems with Windows and common application >> (Adobe Flash), and I have exhausted my ability to troubleshoot and >> remedy them. I need an "expert". But I am leery. By "expert", I >> mean someone who knows enough about Windows XP (Pro 2002 SP2) to truly >> problem-solve, not someone who simply walks down a troubleshooting >> tree that has "reload Windows" on the 2nd or 3rd branch -- and not a >> "hacker" who tries random changes in the hope of stumbling upon a >> solution. >> >> Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? >> Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them? >> > > Go to http://www.theconsumerist.com and put "Geek Squad" in the search box. This > will say it all. > > > Malke > -- > Elephant Boy Computers > http://www.elephantboycomputers.com > "Don't Panic!" > MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest Joe At Work Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? http://consumerist.com/consumer/the-rollercoaster-ride-of-pride%2C-shame%2C-and-morality/the-10-page-geek-squad-confession-+-stealing-customers-nudie-pics-was-an-easter-egg-hunt-257108.php "R. McCarty" <PcEngWork-NoSpam_@mindspring.com> wrote in message news:Ox1l$GJwHHA.312@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > Good point, I read the 10-page long commentary by a former Geek > Squad employee on the site. Very telling, good insight into what goes > on behind the scenes at Best Buy. >
Guest John John Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? Makes a bit more sense now, Malke's link leads to a spam portal! Something she surely wouldn't normally post ;-) The difference being consumerist.com as opposed to *the*consumerist.com John Joe At Work wrote: > http://consumerist.com/consumer/the-rollercoaster-ride-of-pride%2C-shame%2C-and-morality/the-10-page-geek-squad-confession-+-stealing-customers-nudie-pics-was-an-easter-egg-hunt-257108.php > > "R. McCarty" <PcEngWork-NoSpam_@mindspring.com> wrote in message > news:Ox1l$GJwHHA.312@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > >>Good point, I read the 10-page long commentary by a former Geek >>Squad employee on the site. Very telling, good insight into what goes >>on behind the scenes at Best Buy. >> > > >
Guest Bogey Man Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? <nomail1983@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:1183782669.544227.81590@e16g2000pri.googlegroups.com... >I am having a couple problems with Windows and common application > (Adobe Flash), and I have exhausted my ability to troubleshoot and > remedy them. I need an "expert". But I am leery. By "expert", I > mean someone who knows enough about Windows XP (Pro 2002 SP2) to truly > problem-solve, not someone who simply walks down a troubleshooting > tree that has "reload Windows" on the 2nd or 3rd branch -- and not a > "hacker" who tries random changes in the hope of stumbling upon a > solution. > > Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? > Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them? I don't know anything about Geek Squad but I did find Adobe very helpful in solving a problem that I was having with a different product of theirs.
Guest Bruce Chambers Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? nomail1983@hotmail.com wrote: > I am having a couple problems with Windows and common application > (Adobe Flash), and I have exhausted my ability to troubleshoot and > remedy them. I need an "expert". But I am leery. By "expert", I > mean someone who knows enough about Windows XP (Pro 2002 SP2) to truly > problem-solve, not someone who simply walks down a troubleshooting > tree that has "reload Windows" on the 2nd or 3rd branch -- and not a > "hacker" who tries random changes in the hope of stumbling upon a > solution. > > Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? > Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them? > Let's just say that Best Buy's Geek Squad is probably the very last people on the planet whom I would let touch one of my computers. They also have had several documented instances of Geek Squad "techs" stealing data (mostly pictures and videos) from clients computers. Consult you local Yellow Pages for a reputable (Better Business Bureau or Chamber of Commerce seals) local computer repair shop. -- Bruce Chambers Help us help you: http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell
Guest Kelly Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? Flash and WinXP - SP2 http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=tn_19542&sliceId=1 -- All the Best, Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP) Taskbar Repair Tool Plus! http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm <nomail1983@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:1183782669.544227.81590@e16g2000pri.googlegroups.com... >I am having a couple problems with Windows and common application > (Adobe Flash), and I have exhausted my ability to troubleshoot and > remedy them. I need an "expert". But I am leery. By "expert", I > mean someone who knows enough about Windows XP (Pro 2002 SP2) to truly > problem-solve, not someone who simply walks down a troubleshooting > tree that has "reload Windows" on the 2nd or 3rd branch -- and not a > "hacker" who tries random changes in the hope of stumbling upon a > solution. > > Does anyone have first-hand experience with the Geek Squad? > Preferably someone who is not an employee of GS ;-). Can I trust them? >
Guest nomail1983@hotmail.com Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? On Jul 7, 1:01 am, "Telstar" <none@none> wrote: > Note well: > http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1854470,00.asp Thanks. Very illuminating. Exactly the kind of experience I was worried about.
Guest nomail1983@hotmail.com Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? On Jul 7, 12:29 am, "Vanguard" <n...@mail.invalid> wrote: > Since you didn't bother to actually describe here what is your problem, > no one can provide help on it. Have you tried uninstalling Flash and > then reinstalling it? Because this thread is not about the Flash (or XP update) problem. It is about the Geek Squad. And yes, I tried uninstallling and reinstalling Flash, restarting the system, etc, etc, etc. > As for the geek squad, the process you mention of reading through a > database of prior problems solved or perusing a FAQ can only be > performed when you call a tech rep. [....] I'm not saying that they have > expertise beyond that but they don't have the luxury of hiding from you > to do the lookups. I cannot tell where you sarcasm (if any) ends and your constructive comments believe. But just to put my inquiry into the proper context .... I have no problem with an expert looking things up while troubleshooting a problem. It is the nature of how things are down in the PC industry. I had to do that all the time in my profession. But I know the difference between problem solving techniques and blindly following a troubleshooting tree. Here is a prime example. I was having a problem with Flash and a particular web-based application -- no audio. When I called the application tech support (not "customer service"), the tech first suggested uninstalling/ reinstalling Flash. When that did not work, his next(!) step was to update Windows. (That stopped me cold because I discovered I can no longer do Windows Update. Surprise! But that's another story....) As it turns out, I stumbled onto the __real__ solution myself. I discovered that I was no longer getting audio when playing an mpeg or wmv file with RealPlayer. Even though the RP volume control appeared to be on, I decided to toggle it off and on. Voila! RP audio. And voila! Flash audio now worked. If had the kind of knowledge of PCs and PC applications that I expect of a "tech support" person, before I suggested updating Windows, I would have thought about the possible interaction among applications, asked a few questions and tried a few things. Even I know that there are 3 or 4 ways of controlling volume on a PC (a laptop in my case; the tech did not even ask). I just failed to think that they do not share the same state information. Arguably, this lack of problem-solving skill could be a reflection of the one tech support person, not the entire staff. On the other hand, I have had enough interaction with the tech support staff of some companies to know that, as a whole, they add little value to the problem-solving process. That was the purpose of my inquiry here: to get some sense of what others thought about the Geek Squad as a whole. I thank everyone for giving me the experiential insight that I was looking for. It confirmed my suspicion.
Guest Vanguard Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? "Gary Walker" wrote in message news:BMHji.1047$m%.169@newssvr17.news.prodigy.net... > > I had a Geek Squad experience that I'll share. It wasn't > like your description, but I'll just relate the details, and > you can be the judge. > > I purchased a new Gateway desktop from Best Buy, and 7-8 months later > it failed to boot. Well, I didn't know > what was wrong with it, but I could tell the HDD was not > spinning up. So, I boxed it up, and returned it to BB. > > I don't know how this retailer operates, but somehow the > desktop was routed to the GS desk. The technician tried > the boot, and confirmed the box as failing. > > Then, they told me the box would have to be sent off to > somewhere in Georgia for repair. I was livid that BB or > Gateway would just not fix it there, or provide another. > They tried to charge for the repair, until I pointed out > that the system was only 8 months old. > > But, they insisted that the warranty work would require > this send off. Whah whah whah. So you don't want to pay for the repair and instead want to get it done free by using the warranty. Well, you think any retailer is the warrantor? The product manufacturer is the warrantor. You didn't want to pay for the repair. You wanted the repair covered under the warranty. So BB had no choice but to send it back to wherever there was a repair center for the WARRANTOR! You choose to wait until the warranty repair got done rather than skip the warranty and pay for it to get repaired immediately. Wouldn't matter that it is a computer. If you buy a DVD player from BB and decide to have it repaired under warranty then BB can't do any repairs because YOU told them not to, so instead BB has to ship it off to wherever the warrantor of that product has a repair center. If you didn't care about getting a free repair under warranty, you wouldn't even have to take it back to BB. You could take the computer or DVD player to any shop that does the repairs at their own shop. How is it BB's fault that you chose to delay getting back the computer because you chose to get a free repair under the warranty? Does the warranty actually say that you get an immediate replacement rather than have to wait for it to get repaired? Doubt it, unless you paid extra for a service contract which includes local repair service or replacement. You get exactly what the warranty grants you, no more, no less. You didn't pay for an immediate repair (by ignoring the warranty). You didn't pay for a service contract which permits immediate replacement. You chose not to pay anything and instead used the included warranty coverage to get a free repair.
Guest Vanguard Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? nomail1983 wrote in message news:1183831504.357234.153340@j4g2000prf.googlegroups.com... > > "Vanguard" wrote: >> >> Since you didn't bother to actually describe here what is your >> problem, >> no one can provide help on it. Have you tried uninstalling Flash and >> then reinstalling it? > > Because this thread is not about the Flash (or XP update) problem. It > is about the Geek Squad. And yes, I tried uninstallling and > reinstalling Flash, restarting the system, etc, etc, etc. > >> As for the geek squad, the process you mention of reading through a >> database of prior problems solved or perusing a FAQ can only be >> performed when you call a tech rep. [....] I'm not saying that they >> have >> expertise beyond that but they don't have the luxury of hiding from >> you >> to do the lookups. > > I cannot tell where you sarcasm (if any) ends and your constructive > comments believe. But just to put my inquiry into the proper > context .... > > I have no problem with an expert looking things up while > troubleshooting a problem. It is the nature of how things are down in > the PC industry. I had to do that all the time in my profession. But > I know the difference between problem solving techniques and blindly > following a troubleshooting tree. Here is a prime example. > > I was having a problem with Flash and a particular web-based > application -- no audio. When I called the application tech support > (not "customer service"), the tech first suggested uninstalling/ > reinstalling Flash. When that did not work, his next(!) step was to > update Windows. (That stopped me cold because I discovered I can no > longer do Windows Update. Surprise! But that's another story....) > > As it turns out, I stumbled onto the __real__ solution myself. I > discovered that I was no longer getting audio when playing an mpeg or > wmv file with RealPlayer. Even though the RP volume control appeared > to be on, I decided to toggle it off and on. Voila! RP audio. And > voila! Flash audio now worked. > > If had the kind of knowledge of PCs and PC applications that I expect > of a "tech support" person, before I suggested updating Windows, I > would have thought about the possible interaction among applications, > asked a few questions and tried a few things. Even I know that there > are 3 or 4 ways of controlling volume on a PC (a laptop in my case; > the tech did not even ask). I just failed to think that they do not > share the same state information. > > Arguably, this lack of problem-solving skill could be a reflection of > the one tech support person, not the entire staff. On the other hand, > I have had enough interaction with the tech support staff of some > companies to know that, as a whole, they add little value to the > problem-solving process. That was the purpose of my inquiry here: to > get some sense of what others thought about the Geek Squad as a > whole. I thank everyone for giving me the experiential insight that I > was looking for. It confirmed my suspicion. > Don't expect general techs to know or have even heard of any software you want fixed. They fix computers. It would be impossible for them to know every piece of software. Do you know intimately every piece of software that exists or was ever written? Do you think even a hundred techs could encompass in their brains, even wizard brains, all that information? If you have a problem with a particular piece of software, you need to talk with a specialist on that software. If you were to call Abobe, use their forums, or a newsgroup on Adobe do you think they could answer your question about MathCAD? Expect the general techs to understand a typical subset of the most common hardware that is less than 3 years old and to know enough about the OS to install it and maybe perform some troubleshooting. Don't expect specialized support on a narrow topic. This is no one here or anywhere that is an expert in all software and hardware. Expertise will fluctuate even in a specialized category. The Borg haven't invaded here yet to meld all our minds into a common link to share everything. That's why you need to find out their terms, or terms from anyone that you pay, as to what they will charge. I doubt you will find anyone that runs a real business who will not charge you a minimal fee just to show up. They still have to pay their people for their time, gas still costs, wear still occurs on vehicles, and whatnot as expenses whether anything is even looked at on your computer. That's expected. However, you should then ask what they will charge to actually fix the problem. After the minimal show-up fee and typically one-hour included whether they do anything or not, they then start charging by the hour or by some other criteria. Find out what is that other criteria for costs above what they charge just for showing up. Of course, I had assumed you were actually going to have them show up at the computer to fix it. If you are asking about just calling them up to get tech support over the phone where you have to become their automaton at the computer, well, you might as well start with the free support first (newsgroups, forums, support sites, manufacturer's support contacts, etc.). In general, lazy people use paid tech support whereas non-lazy users tend to find solutions through other means.
Guest cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user) Posted July 8, 2007 Posted July 8, 2007 Re: Can I trust the Geek Squad? On Sat, 7 Jul 2007 13:21:20 -0500, "Vanguard" <no@mail.invalid> wrote: >"Gary Walker" wrote in message >> I had a Geek Squad experience that I'll share. It wasn't >> like your description, but I'll just relate the details, and >> you can be the judge. >> I purchased a new Gateway desktop from Best Buy Mistake #1: Buying branded PCs through resellers that don't build 'em. >> and 7-8 months later it failed to boot. Well, I didn't know >> what was wrong with it That value would be added by your service dudes, and would be paid for as such unless the same dudes built and warrantied the PC. >> I don't know how this retailer operates, Reseller = mark-up and push-through. Which means warranty fulfilment is the same in reverse; you give the PC to them and they just push it through to wherever they bought it. There's "lag" in there, so: - you buy yesterday's stock - your warranty turnaround time sucks That's why it's better to buy from a system builder. >> Then, they told me the box would have to be sent off to >> somewhere in Georgia for repair. I was livid that BB or >> Gateway would just not fix it there, or provide another. A system builder would do one of two things: - send the HD off and await replacement, then fix it - fix it with a "courtesy drive" for quick turnaround, then etc. What no-one will do, is replace the failed HD from new stock. This is because even when the warranty replacement is a new HD, the serial number is linked to the old HD so that the warranty period is reduced to the balance of the original HD's warranty. Think about this. If your replacement started a new warranty cycle - which is 3 years on non-sucky HDs, 5 years on Seagate - a user could secure a lifetime of free HDs by "creatively failing" them towards the end of each HD's warranty period. So, etc. >> They tried to charge for the repair If the tech fixing the PC is not the one who benefited from the markup on selling the PC to you, then you bet your ass you'd have to pay labor. Unscrupulous techs might also sell you a replacement HD and then claim back the warranty replacement for themselves. REALLY unscrupulous techs will then resell that HD as new stock, even though the warranty period is foreshortened. As you'd prolly guess,. I'm a tech who builds the PCs I sell (and I don't sell laptops). And I get fed up with clients who buy cheap junk somewhere else, expect me to get thier junk working properly, and then go back to hte junk merchant when they need to replace the old junk. Some of these morons don't even plug in all the cables (hence "my CD doesn't work"), don't install the drivers that come with the kit they sell ("why does the screen flicker? Oh, there are no display card drivers), don't give the bundled disks to the client, etc. Am I going to be "cheap" when finishing off the "value" these "value-added resellers" were supposed to provide? Am I going to do the basic construction work the VAR's markup was supposed to buy? >> But, they insisted that the warranty work would require >> this send off. It depends on warranty policy. Here, all WD and Seagate HDs come through importers who replace failed HDs irrespective of which chain of resellers they passed through - but replacement stock arrives from another city about 3 days later. So clients who want a fast turnaround, can either use a "courtesy" HD (if I have one) and bring the system back to swap HDs when the replacement arrives, or they can buy another HD and keep the old one's replacement as an extra (or buy an external enclosure for it). Clients often choose the latter approach where the old HD is small and old. A new larger HD (when combined with sensible partitioning) generally improves performance++ OTOH, if you buy a branded "sealed" PC from dumb retail wityh no in-house tech facilities, then every time it blinks, it will be passed back to The Factory Center. These techs don't know you, and care less about your data. Sometimes they will attempt to "just" wipe and rebuild, and only if that fails, will they "escalate" to someone who actually tests components for hardware failures etc. Compare this... http://cquirke.mvps.org/reinst.htm ....with this client-data-first approach: http://cquirke.mvps.org/9x/bthink.htm (for users) http://cquirke.mvps.org/9x/badpc.htm (for tech trainees) http://cquirke.mvps.org/pccrisis.htm (current practice) >How is it BB's fault that you chose to delay getting back the computer >because you chose to get a free repair under the warranty? The HD's warranty replaces the defective HD. The system builder's warranty replaces the HD irrespective of whether the HD warrantor replaces the HD, unless a refusal applies to both parties (e.g. signs the HD had been damaged by client, e.g. where the client has opened up the sealed unit). The warranty also covers the cost of labour to detect the fault and replace the HD. The system builder's warranty may not include additional labour required to backup and restore your data, or fix other problems that are not a matter of hardware failure (e.g. malware cleanup). If you brought that PC to me, I'd have called the HD importers, who would say "that HD wasn't imported by us; are you sure it isn't part of a fully-imported 'brand name' PC? If so, call them". So I'd call the 'brand name' ppl and ask for a tech email address (I prefer to log correspondence in matters that may become contentuous). I'd give a tech report on what's wrong and what appears to be needed, e.g. "if I bring in the HD with a log from HD Tune, will you give me a replacement then and there or would I have to come back later for it?" If the 'brand name' policies are particularly sphincteric, the response will be "no, we won't replace the HD; you need to bring in the whole system and we'll send it back to the factory, turnaround time will be about 6 weeks". This then informs answers on what brands to particularly avoid. >--------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - Error Messages Are Your Friends >--------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - -
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