Experience with CHKDSK /R?

[angry_geek]

If there is an inkling of hardware failure concerning a hard drive, I always recommend replacement. My customers sign the diagnostics form which indicates whether or not they chose the recommended repair, so they can't say I didn't warn them. I just will not screw around trying to repair a physical hard drive issue.

[codegreen]

Originally Posted by compnet

Or like if you take a car to a mechanic with a nail in the tire. He's not just gonna patch and glu- oh wait... He'll probably use his professional opinion to decide if a patch will hold or if the tire needs to be replaced. Just because you always replace the tire doesn't mean he is wrong.

A technician has to form a professional opinion on whether or not a drive is in danger of failure. I'm not arguing against that. The OP has stated that he is concerned about the drive's health, and would not warranty any repairs he did in an attempt to save the drive. So, I'm saying, if the drive is suspect, don't gamble with customer data, and don't put your name on a repair that has a realistic chance of immediate failure. It makes you look bad.

Originally Posted by compnet

(and technically mufflers can be patched safely, along with tons of other car issues)

My point is, if a mechanic feels that a muffler is too far gone to safely patch, it is unprofessional to offer a "repair" with no warranty because he thinks the client might not want to pay for a new muffler.

[carrcomp]

Originally Posted by atlanticjim

Why offer the third option? Because you want to be "nice"? Being nice will cause you to vary from your "professional way" and offer sub-par service.

Me: "Your hard drive is failing and should be replaced."

Client: "I heard there are ways to fix it and keep it going for a while"

Me: "Yes, it may be 'patched" and work for five years or two days. There is really no good way to tell when it will fail, but it will fail. That is why I wont give you a band-aid solution. I recommend replacing the hard drive before it fails."

Client: "I dont want to invest the money in that now."

Me: "Ok. Then you just owe me the diagnostic fee of $$. Just to be safe do you want me to backup your data on DVD's for $$?."

The problem with that is those people that don't want to replace the drive.

Generally in that case I might run chkdsk and tell them that I can't guarentee how long it will hold out, depends on what's actually going on.

My experience (at least in my area) is that customers want you to put in an effort within their bujet. If that means that I (AFTER INFORMING THEM WITHOUT ANY SHADOW OF A DOUBT HOW BAD OF AN IDEA IT IS) they say that they can't afford it at that time, then at least I know I tried to get it to stay not blown up until they can save up for that new HDD.

[PCX]

Originally Posted by carrcomp

The problem with that is those people that don't want to replace the drive.

Generally in that case I might run chkdsk and tell them that I can't guarentee how long it will hold out, depends on what's actually going on.

My experience (at least in my area) is that customers want you to put in an effort within their bujet. If that means that I (AFTER INFORMING THEM WITHOUT ANY SHADOW OF A DOUBT HOW BAD OF AN IDEA IT IS) they say that they can't afford it at that time, then at least I know I tried to get it to stay not blown up until they can save up for that new HDD.

The problem with the statement you quoted is that I have never heard anyone say "I heard you can fix the hard drive" and I would never hint at the idea that it was possible. The solution is simple, either you get it done right or not at all. You want it done half way, then you can take it somewhere else. This is what I tell my customers or potentials customers who ask me to do something halfway or gerry rigged. I am not comprimising my professionalism or my name because someone is too cheap to have their computer repaired correctly. In my experience, if they cannot afford the new hard drive, then they can afford the data recovery / transfer if the information is important enough. That said, if I think that there is even a possibility of the hard drive being shot, I tell the customer and I also tell them how much it will cost before they even swipe their card. My customers do not go into anything without knowing what I know.

[compnet]

Originally Posted by codegreen

and don't put your name on a repair that has a realistic chance of immediate failure. It makes you look bad.

I just did a new build with a brand new 2 tb WD drive.. Came back a week later with 1000 bad sectors.. I can't remember a single person coming back with a drive that had less than 10 bad sectors that I chkdsk'd.. I've probably chkdsk'd around 50-100 computers in the last 6 months alone.

Since about 2-3 months after the floods in thailand, I'd take a drive with 2-3 bad sectors over the new garbage they are putting out..

[carrcomp]

Originally Posted by PCX

The problem with the statement you quoted is that I have never heard anyone say "I heard you can fix the hard drive" and I would never hint at the idea that it was possible. The solution is simple, either you get it done right or not at all. You want it done half way, then you can take it somewhere else. This is what I tell my customers or potentials customers who ask me to do something halfway or gerry rigged. I am not comprimising my professionalism or my name because someone is too cheap to have their computer repaired correctly. In my experience, if they cannot afford the new hard drive, then they can afford the data recovery / transfer if the information is important enough. That said, if I think that there is even a possibility of the hard drive being shot, I tell the customer and I also tell them how much it will cost before they even swipe their card. My customers do not go into anything without knowing what I know.

I agree with that, don't get me wrong here. I will never tell anyone that I can fix a failing hard drive.

At the same time, if I think that running something may help to make the drive last longer until they can afford the proper repair (some of my customers are on disability for example) then I have no problems doing it, as long as they understand fully that I don't expect miracles. As you say, they need to know what I know, and I know that the hard drive might not leave the door let alone last any length of time (in the hypothetical)

I've had a couple of customers like that, a laptop went out last week with a drive that's close to failing. Backed everything up as best I could, ran checkdsk /r and hoped for the best. Because I was honest about it, they gave my card to their disability worker, who called and asked if I can give her cards for her office to hand out because I'm the only one who will actually try.

Yesterday, I got the call that the same laptop I sent out finally died, and I'm setting up a payment plan on a new hard drive, specifically because she trusts me after the experience I had, and showed her the proper empathy.

Again, not saying that your methods are wrong PCX (I agree with most of what you say) but on this one, my little Canadian city prefers my methods it seems.

[PCX]

Originally Posted by carrcomp

I agree with that, don't get me wrong here. I will never tell anyone that I can fix a failing hard drive.

At the same time, if I think that running something may help to make the drive last longer until they can afford the proper repair (some of my customers are on disability for example) then I have no problems doing it, as long as they understand fully that I don't expect miracles. As you say, they need to know what I know, and I know that the hard drive might not leave the door let alone last any length of time (in the hypothetical)

I've had a couple of customers like that, a laptop went out last week with a drive that's close to failing. Backed everything up as best I could, ran checkdsk /r and hoped for the best. Because I was honest about it, they gave my card to their disability worker, who called and asked if I can give her cards for her office to hand out because I'm the only one who will actually try.

Yesterday, I got the call that the same laptop I sent out finally died, and I'm setting up a payment plan on a new hard drive, specifically because she trusts me after the experience I had, and showed her the proper empathy.

Again, not saying that your methods are wrong PCX (I agree with most of what you say) but on this one, my little Canadian city prefers my methods it seems.

Yeah, that's a tough situation. I do not deal with a lot of disabled people who are not just trying to leach off the government. I suppose the way I would try and approach the situation is by helping them out with the price or in the very least, if they had data that was important, I would charge them for a backup and put the data on the disks. Also, even if I did do a chkdsk /r on a potentially failing hard drive to help someone out, I would not charge for the service.

Again, that's a tough situation, but I at least understand where you are coming from.

[carrcomp]

Originally Posted by PCX

Yeah, that's a tough situation. I do not deal with a lot of disabled people who are not just trying to leach off the government. I suppose the way I would try and approach the situation is by helping them out with the price or in the very least, if they had data that was important, I would charge them for a backup and put the data on the disks. Also, even if I did do a chkdsk /r on a potentially failing hard drive to help someone out, I would not charge for the service.

Again, that's a tough situation, but I at least understand where you are coming from.

Nah, no charge for it. I gave them a discounted diagnostic fee of 20$ and just included it in that.

I'm also crediting that 20$ towards the new drive because technically she's taking the solution I've offered to her. Makes me feel good inside to help someone that truely needs it.

[technibbling]

I've been using HDD Regenerator for the last few years with great success!
Anyone else?

http://hddregenerator.net/