Computer Repair - Services put to Test
November 26, 2007 – 5:38 amWhen your computer goes on the fritz, you probably turn to a professional to fix it. But how well do the major retailers that sell computers, fix them? A Call 3 consumer investigation put them to the test.
KCRA 3 TV’s information technology manager, David York, created a simple problem with a simple fix in a personal computer.
York disabled the hard drive in the start-up of the PC.
Consumer reporter Lynsey Paulo took the computer to three major retailers, Best Buy, Circuit City and Staples for repair. Each store offered a different diagnosis and a different solution, with a different price.
- Best Buy charged $59 up-front for a diagnostic
The Geek Squad(Best Buy) told us the problem was the hard drive. The tech said it was bad and needed to be replaced.
But according to York, that would not fix the problem.
“My feeling is he didn’t really run diagnostics, he shot gunned the problem,” York said after inspecting the computer after Best Buy had it.
York said the tech most likely didn’t run the diagnostics, and picked the one thing that would cover the most potential errors.
Best Buy gave us what it calls a tactical analysis form, a personal analysis of the PC.
But the tech did not fill out any information on the hard drive, which is what he claimed was broken.
Best Buy suggested $99 to back up the data, and $129 to install Windows.
We brought out PC back to our IT manager for inspection.
York said that one can wind up with a bill here that’s going to be $220, above the $60 diagnostic fee, and yet you may not get a real diagnosis of what happened.
- Next, Circuit City.
The business also charged us $59 up front for a diagnostic.
The tech there told us the hard drive was corrupt. It suggested restoring the operating system for $129. Again, a misdiagnosis.
Circuit City gave us no paperwork at all, no diagnostic printout.
We could tell from the computer’s setup that the tech has been working in the right area.
This tech did get closer to finding the problem, but did not find it.
- Finally, Staples
York said the tech there was looking in the same area as the Circuit City tech, but could not pinpoint the problem.
The diagnostic fee is $49, but they did not charge us because the tech could not diagnose the problem.
York said consumers are paying a professional fee — they should get professional results. Ask for a printout of diagnostics on your PC or other proof that it was thoroughly tested.
Don’t just take them at their word.
Statements From The Stores
Circuit City Statement:
We’ve determined that in this case our technician did not follow our procedures or use all of the diagnostic tools that we provide. If he had, he would have been able to properly diagnose the computer that your team brought in for service. We’re taking appropriate steps to respond.
We would note that firedog PC technicians use diagnostic tools that are accepted in the industry and we’re confident those procedures and our training programs are effective. Our PC technicians correctly diagnose and repair a vast array of hardware and software problems every day.
Best Buy Statement:
Our diagnosis relies on numerous physical tests as well as on input from the customer. The majority of computer problems we see are related to hard drive failure and virus/spyware issues, and we seldom see a situation like this. This is our error, and our service guarantee would ensure resolution of the problem to the customer’s satisfaction.
Tips On What To Do If Your Computer Fails
1. Shut it down. Don’t make the problem worse.
2. Take it to a friend with computer knowledge.
3. Boot in the safe mode and do a system restore.
4. Back up important files.
5. If you do take it in for repair, get an exact diagnosis.
6. Find out how much it is to fix it.
7. You may be able to repair it yourself.
8. It may be more cost-effective to replace it.
Source: My58.Com
