Computer repair - Geek Squad

[CleBrownsfan]

I'll be honest - I don't know much about computers other than playing games on them My gaming computer is really f'd up and I'm looking to take it some where to get it diagnosed and repaired. Has anyone taken their rig to a Best Buy Geek Squad @ Best Buy? If so, how was your experience with them? They charge 199.99 for diagnostic and repair + a back up just in case if ever need to reformat my computer (back up did not come with the system)

Thanks in advance...

[spleen1015]

I took a PC there once because it was running very slow. They said my HD was bad. I called Dell to get a 2nd opinion. Turns out one of the SIM slots for the RAM was bad. I moved the RAM and that fixed the issue.

I wasted the $200 at Best Buy.

If it were me, I would pay for the over the phone help you would get from the manufacturer, but that is based one 1 good experience with Dell.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Yeah, used them a number of times.

Experiences ranged from "quick,easy, didn't even charge me to diagnose something in like five minutes" to "what do you mean you can't find my wife's laptop" (they lost it in transit from their Best Buy to a central repair center).
Only consistent thing with them I've found is that they're virtually impossible to reach on the phone. They're contract employees who work for a company that essentially leases space inside Best Buy, so that accounts for the variable service.

Can be useful & helpful, can also be the most annoying clueless fucks on the planet to deal with, it's a coin toss which type you get.

[MizzouRah]

Call a friend that knows pc's... if you can.

[Drake]

Calling Geek Squad is the equivalent of opening your wallet, taking out a wad of $20 bills and setting them on fire.

[DanGarion]

Computer troubleshooting isn't an exact science...

[PurdueBrad]

I've had pretty solid luck with them but they do feel a bit expensive compared to some of our non-chain places.

[chinaski]

If youre stuck with no help from capable friends, id just take it too a local computer shop. They will most likely be cheaper than GeekSquad and most likely more knowledgeable.

[stevew]

I would at least attempt to re install some drivers before you pay that much.

[MizzouRah]

Post your problems and I'm sure myself and some others will help you any way we can.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by Drake

Calling Geek Squad is the equivalent of opening your wallet, taking out a wad of $20 bills and setting them on fire.

And then sometimes going ahead and breaking your computer.

Why we don't call Geek Squad - Ever!!!

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

Computer troubleshooting isn't an exact science...

I will go ahead and disagree....strongly.

Now it depends on the nature of the problem, but any hardware issue can be diagnosed through sound scientific method.

Software problems can be a bit more tricky, but again
input+command == output everytime

if it doesnt then your input is bad, your command is bad or a part is bad these things cant think for themselves.

[Drake]

Sometimes they just lie.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

I will go ahead and disagree....strongly.

Now it depends on the nature of the problem, but any hardware issue can be diagnosed through sound scientific method.

Software problems can be a bit more tricky, but again
input+command == output everytime

if it doesnt then your input is bad, your command is bad or a part is bad these things cant think for themselves.

You took my statement waaaaaay to serious. But honestly being someone who has built computers for 16 years, fixed everyone and their mothers computers, and also did technical support for 8 years, I speak from a lot of experience.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Drake

Sometimes they just lie.

The computers?

[JonInMiddleGA]

DanGarion's observation matches my own experience pretty well. As my old IT boss used to put it ... some things just are. Don't try to make too much sense of why computers {ahem} foul up sometimes.

It's a science up to a point but anybody who hasn't seen something happen that simply doesn't make sense (but happened anyway) probably hasn't been working on them/with them very long. It's not that there isn't a reason for the problem, it's that solving the problem by whatever means works most efficiently is more important than figuring out exactly what one in a million occurrence caused it in the first place. Sometimes shit just happens.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

DanGarion's observation matches my own experience pretty well. As my old IT boss used to put it ... some things just are. Don't try to make too much sense of why computers {ahem} foul up sometimes.

It's a science up to a point but anybody who hasn't seen something happen that simply doesn't make sense (but happened anyway) probably hasn't been working on them/with them very long. It's not that there isn't a reason for the problem, it's that solving the problem by whatever means works most efficiently is more important than figuring out exactly what one in a million occurrence caused it in the first place. Sometimes shit just happens.

Mark Russinovich's SysInternals blog is eye-opening for what it really takes to track down some of these weird crashes / hangups that occur on a typical computer that are caused by software, let alone weird hardware flakiness...

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Mark Russinovich's SysInternals blog is eye-opening for what it really takes to track down some of these weird crashes / hangups that occur on a typical computer that are caused by software, let alone weird hardware flakiness...

There are just so many factors from hardware, software, and the user.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

There are just so many factors from hardware, software, and the user.

Not to mention intermittent failures as something is dying. Took me a couple of weeks and slowly increasing failures to figure out that the reason that my computer was shutting off while playing Mount & Blade was because my video card was dying. And I only figured that out because I played a game of Civ IV and the graphics got all corrupted right before it died. If I hadn't seen that bit of graphics corruption, that computer would probably be trash right now, rather than my daughter's most recent ugprade. Sure, you can swap pieces one-by-one, but when I can play for four hours straight no crashes once and then 30 minutes and BOOM the next time, it's awfully hard to know if the last swap was the actual problem. And there's drivers, or me having installed something weird, or a virus having been collected in the background, or who knows what. Taking one thing at a time may be "scientific", but it doesn't necessarily fix it in a timely manner.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Not to mention intermittent failures as something is dying. Took me a couple of weeks and slowly increasing failures to figure out that the reason that my computer was shutting off while playing Mount & Blade was because my video card was dying. And I only figured that out because I played a game of Civ IV and the graphics got all corrupted right before it died. If I hadn't seen that bit of graphics corruption, that computer would probably be trash right now, rather than my daughter's most recent ugprade. Sure, you can swap pieces one-by-one, but when I can play for four hours straight no crashes once and then 30 minutes and BOOM the next time, it's awfully hard to know if the last swap was the actual problem. And there's drivers, or me having installed something weird, or a virus having been collected in the background, or who knows what. Taking one thing at a time may be "scientific", but it doesn't necessarily fix it in a timely manner.

+1

[Drake]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

The computers?

Yes. They lie. Little bitches.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

You took my statement waaaaaay to serious. But honestly being someone who has built computers for 16 years, fixed everyone and their mothers computers, and also did technical support for 8 years, I speak from a lot of experience.

I am not questioning your experience, nor doubting your tech savy.
I suppose its just the engineering side of my brain that hates the "things happen for no reason" sentiment that floats all too often.

That said, Id wager 75% of the board is more adept on the software programming side of life but from a hardware troubleshooting fail testing side Id put my skills against anyone. If tolerances are checked closely and and proper trouble shooting tress followed the cause will be found.

That does take time and good equipment. I own meters that no one in their right mind would purchase for PC troubleshooting (several that cost 10x the cost of a high end PC) that make the task child's play.

But there is no magic involved that was my point.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

But there is no magic involved that was my point.

LIES!!!! I've used Voodoo Magic in the past to solve problems!

[Matthean]

Back to Geek Squad, my aunt needed the hinge on her laptop that connects the monitor with the main part of the computer fixed. She got it back and the hard drive was also wiped even though it was a pure external fix. Last time I knew(granted this was some time ago) they were still fighting with Best Buy. I have herd other horror stories, so I say it's a weighted coin toss at best. I would look for somebody locally before going there.

[-apoc-]

Dont bring it to Geeksquad unless you have no other choice. You are far better off bringing it to a smaller local place if possible. You will get far better service and most likely it will be cheaper and they will be far les likely to screw something up.

[CleBrownsfan]

Thanks for the advice guys. If I do have to take it in I'll go with someone else. What I did was restore it from the oldest backup date and it looks like it may have worked. It's still running a lot slower than when I first bought the computer but at least it starts up now.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by chinaski

If youre stuck with no help from capable friends, id just take it too a local computer shop. They will most likely be cheaper than GeekSquad and most likely more knowledgeable.

+1 This is what I did when I needed help. Found a local guy who said he wouldn't even charge me and showed me how to do it. It took about 5 minutes and the computer has been perfectly fine ever since. 5 minutes and free vs. $100 + 2 days.

[MizzouRah]

Might be best to back up your data and then reinstall a fresh copy of Windows.