Hey everyone!
I'm in need of some advice from anyone who knows ANYTHING about computer or who is familiar with Best Buy's geek squad!
I got a brand new ACER netbook for christmas. After only 2 months it started gettting slower and slower until the whole thing just died on me. I called Best Buy's geek squad just to see how much it would cost to have someone look at it (because we don't have a lot of xtra money right now) and the woman told me that because of all the problems ACER has been having lately, they signed a contract with Best Buy to repair their computer in-store under the manufacturer's warranty. So basically, instead of me sending my computer back to ACER and waiting 4 months to get it back... Best Buy will fix it free of charge to ME and ACER will pay them for the repair. Well, I drop it off and he told me it will be covered under warranty; I won't have to pay a dime. GREAT! Well, 2 weeks has gone by and I never heard from them. I called today and after 3 hours of trying to get a hold of a human being I was told that my hard drive showed signs of WATER DAMAGE and that is not covered under warranty. I am extremely careful w. my electronics and under no circumstances did that computer come anywhere NEAR liquid. I won't even sip on water while on the computer. Well, regardless he told me everything I would need to buy/pay for to get it up and running again, and he flat out told me it would be cheaper to just buy a new one. He also asked me if I wanted to pay a hundred dollars to have everything on my hard drive retrieved, because they COULD do that. I told him no and that I want the broken one back, so he told me to stop in tomorrow.
HOWEVER, I've been thinking about it and I am now a bit worried. Because it not covered under warranty, are they going to charge me for the diagnostic just to walk back out of the store with a BROKEN comoputer!? Their diagnostics run 70 bucks a pop and I can't afford that! The only reason I left it there with those kinds of prices is because they told me it would be free of charge. It's not like it's running again; I just want the peice of mind that my financial records, which are saved on the computer and ARE ABLE TO BE RETRIEVED, aren't floating around somewhere. Does anyone know how I should handle this situation. I am very stressed out about it right now. i can't afford to pay 70 dollars for a broken computer, but i can't afford having my identity stolen either. I know now that it was stupid of me to have all of that info saved in that computer (never again) but i can't change the past and i'm freaking out a bit because of it...
PLEASE HELP! ADVICE NEEDED!
Kellie
I took my dell in to have some work done on it and oh my gosh they totally jacked my computer up big time i had to take it in about 4 times they was telling me it was one thing when it was another i would NEVER take my computer back to greek squad NEVER.
I have used geek squad many times to fix my computer. My diagnostics run $129 a pop here. The computer I am on isn't working right. They were here yesterday. I have to either wipe my computer clean and start over with my backup, or upgrade to Windows 7 which will wipe out the viruses and I don't have to start all over with a new hard drive and my backup.
My dh did computer repair in our home for a time. You might be better off asking a local tech to check it out or check message boards.
I had a local person repair me computer before geek squad. the local person charged me $700 to fix a $1000 computer. Geek squad is much more affordable.
Quoting Lullababy:
My dh did computer repair in our home for a time. You might be better off asking a local tech to check it out or check message boards.
I have never used them because many times they have no idea what they are doing. They are either older guys that have not done anything hands on with the new stuff and are clueless, or are fresh out of college.
Either way, you NEVER hire a computer tech who gets paid 7.50 an hour. LOL
My hubby was a tech for 14 years and we went in and he said to watch and see what happens. He unplugged a wire and said the machine didn't work and he didn't know why. AFter three hours, and four guys loking, they said they couldn't figure it out and gave a us a full refund. It was an unplugged wire form the POWER SUPPLY...one of the easiest things to catch.
Anyway, they shouldn't charge you, since that part was covered under warranty. Bring the computer to a REAL technician.. someone over the age of 23, and see if you get the same answer.
Hubby says that if he ordered you a BRAND NEW hard drive for your laptop, it would cost around 50 bucks..nowhere near the amount for a new computer.
Windows 7 has nothing to do with that. They are paid more to puch sales of hardware and software.
BTW, in the situation you described, you should still be able to use your same hard drive.
At most you reformat the drive and load the same OS back onto it....not replace the drive.
Quoting atlmom2:I have used geek squad many times to fix my computer. My diagnostics run $129 a pop here. The computer I am on isn't working right. They were here yesterday. I have to either wipe my computer clean and start over with my backup, or upgrade to Windows 7 which will wipe out the viruses and I don't have to start all over with a new hard drive and my backup.
Quoting bellaamore:
I have never used them because many times they have no idea what they are doing. They are either older guys that have not done anything hands on with the new stuff and are clueless, or are fresh out of college.
Either way, you NEVER hire a computer tech who gets paid 7.50 an hour. LOL
My hubby was a tech for 14 years and we went in and he said to watch and see what happens. He unplugged a wire and said the machine didn't work and he didn't know why. AFter three hours, and four guys loking, they said they couldn't figure it out and gave a us a full refund. It was an unplugged wire form the POWER SUPPLY...one of the easiest things to catch.
Anyway, they shouldn't charge you, since that part was covered under warranty. Bring the computer to a REAL technician.. someone over the age of 23, and see if you get the same answer.
Hubby says that if he ordered you a BRAND NEW hard drive for your laptop, it would cost around 50 bucks..nowhere near the amount for a new computer.
I paid $375 for a new hard drive. The external hard drives may be cheaper but one for the inside of your computer cost quite a bit.
No, they don't/ I am talking about an internal for an ACer laptop. My dh just checked the pricing before I typed it.
He has been doing this for 14+ years. He knows a little more about it, I would think.
Externals are MORE expensive and the internals are nowhere near that. YOu got ripped, big time.
Quoting atlmom2:
Quoting bellaamore:
I have never used them because many times they have no idea what they are doing. They are either older guys that have not done anything hands on with the new stuff and are clueless, or are fresh out of college.
Either way, you NEVER hire a computer tech who gets paid 7.50 an hour. LOL
My hubby was a tech for 14 years and we went in and he said to watch and see what happens. He unplugged a wire and said the machine didn't work and he didn't know why. AFter three hours, and four guys loking, they said they couldn't figure it out and gave a us a full refund. It was an unplugged wire form the POWER SUPPLY...one of the easiest things to catch.
Anyway, they shouldn't charge you, since that part was covered under warranty. Bring the computer to a REAL technician.. someone over the age of 23, and see if you get the same answer.
Hubby says that if he ordered you a BRAND NEW hard drive for your laptop, it would cost around 50 bucks..nowhere near the amount for a new computer.
I paid $375 for a new hard drive. The external hard drives may be cheaper but one for the inside of your computer cost quite a bit.
To the chick that said that internal laptop hard drives are not that cheap...hubby used to owkr for IBM, and put in harddrives into the laptops, thousands at a time.
Here is one taht he could order TODAY for this chicks laptop:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136449
39.99 This is the norm in a laptop from the producer.
This is THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONE that he could even order, which he said he is SURE you don't have, as it is the baddest of the bad, and yours cost MORE THAN THAT:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148547
This goes into 3-5000 dollar gaming laptops. It is 317.00
Also, it is MAYBE a 20 minute job.
You should also know that techs get discounts from these ordering sites, as they are straight from the manufacturer.
He says there is a reaosn he gets paid mor ethan DOUBLE what they do, and why he could never live with himself if he did. That cheap labor charges you elsewhere.
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