How do YOU feel about Geek Squad? And why do they get so much hate.

[Tony_Scarpelli]

I got an e-mail about this an hour ago. A gentleman was quoted $120 for Win7 from GS since the key rubbed off on his COA.

So what would be your solution?

 

[Freedom PC Solutions]

One very good reason to avoid GS is if a Windows reinstall is necessary they will make you buy a new Windows CD if you didn't back up your OS or have a recovery partition. Freelance techs and most indie shops will use their own Windows CD. Technically it's "copyright infringement" but when you have a valid product key it's not right to charge people again.

I don't see it as copyright infringement if they have a valid COA and you install the os that was on it to begin with. Just my opinion. I know local shops that do it.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

I don't see it as copyright infringement if they have a valid COA and you install the os that was on it to begin with. Just my opinion. I know local shops that do it besides me.

Agreed but do enough of them and get your first letter from Software Alliance or Microsoft.

BTW-GS was correct. I agree, You can train a monkey to fix PC's. Dealing with customers in a way that makes them let go of cash is the critical skill set required to keep your business in business.

 

[ElementalWindX]

I don't see it as copyright infringement if they have a valid COA and you install the os that was on it to begin with. Just my opinion.

Watch out! There are some certain creepy (psychotic) idiots on this forum that unfortunately aren't banned that will try their hardest to stalk you and cause you hardships if you do something that is against their views. I won't say any names as most of us already know who it is. So don't admit that your doing something like that on here. I would edit your post if I were you

Microsoft is a greedy company when it comes to licensing and things of the such. I stay perfectly in line with what they ask though.

 

[HawkinsPC]

If the keyfinder can't get it (never had much luck), either offer to upgrade to Win8 for $39, use the recovery partition on his HDD to reinstall everything, or use one of Dell's Win7 downloads from their site. I have a nice collection of Dell installation media, but I don't want to get flamed for saying I use them.

 

[ElementalWindX]

If the keyfinder can't get it (never had much luck), either offer to upgrade to Win8 for $39, use the recovery partition on his HDD to reinstall everything, or use one of Dell's Win7 downloads from their site. I have a nice collection of Dell installation media, but I don't want to get flamed for saying I use them.

Dell's Win7 downloads from their site? Link please. Never knew about this. I just keep copies here. I'm trying to amass a huge collection of restore cd's in a giant booklet.

 

[HawkinsPC]

Win7

Vista

 

[hightechrex]

If the keyfinder can't get it (never had much luck), either offer to upgrade to Win8 for $39, use the recovery partition on his HDD to reinstall everything, or use one of Dell's Win7 downloads from their site. I have a nice collection of Dell installation media, but I don't want to get flamed for saying I use them.

That's pretty awesome. Would be even better minus all the bloatware and bundled software lol, which I'm sure it has lol.

 

[ElementalWindX]

Win7

Vista

Oh these are the standard digital river downloads. I thought they were the actual cd that you burn from dell or the green cd you use to receive.

 

[Freedom PC Solutions]

Watch out! There are some certain creepy (psychotic) idiots on this forum that unfortunately aren't banned that will try their hardest to stalk you and cause you hardships if you do something that is against their views. I won't say any names as most of us already know who it is.

Duely noted. I have already seen a person that fits that description. Thanks

BTW-GS was correct. I agree, You can train a monkey to fix PC's. Dealing with customers in a way that makes them let go of cash is the critical skill set required to keep your business in business.

I will prefer to be the monkey in this situation.

 

[RegEdit]

Watch out! There are some certain creepy (psychotic) idiots on this forum that unfortunately aren't banned that will try their hardest to stalk you and cause you hardships if you do something that is against their views. I won't say any names as most of us already know who it is. So don't admit that your doing something like that on here. I would edit your post if I were you

Microsoft is a greedy company when it comes to licensing and things of the such. I stay perfectly in line with what they ask though.

Probably the same people who think we as techs are supposed to double up as "police officers" if and when we "nose around" and find pirated software or something illegal on their machine.

 

[hightechrex]

Probably the same people who think we as techs are supposed to double up as "police officers" if and when we "nose around" and find pirated software or something illegal on their machine.

I totally agree with you on that. What's on a client's machine is their business. We're there to offer a service that they need; not be another authority. Of course their are exceptions; i.e. child porn, bomb making guides, etc etc. But for the most part I could care less about stuff like pirated software. That's a grey area and is actually legal in some countries.. Who are we to judge?

 

[RegEdit]

Of course their are exceptions; i.e. child porn, bomb making guides, etc etc.

How would you know unless you are opening people's files????
I never open people's files. Period.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

If the keyfinder can't get it (never had much luck), either offer to upgrade to Win8 for $39, use the recovery partition on his HDD to reinstall everything, or use one of Dell's Win7 downloads from their site. I have a nice collection of Dell installation media, but I don't want to get flamed for saying I use them.

You can also usually get the OEM disc from HP/compaq or whomever for $29 and repair the restore disc and do a complete re-installation without being required to enter a COA..

 

[Freedom PC Solutions]

How would you know unless you are opening people's files????
I never open people's files. Period.

One way in particular is when you are running VS on a client computer that is running slow or scanning large video files. I have seen some naughty file names.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

How would you know unless you are opening people's files????
I never open people's files. Period.

Comon....you can't NOT know...I don't think this is your first day on the job.

So you mean to tell me....you've never...ever....sat down at a clients computer, and had Explorer open...and went to copy/move/relocate files and directories, and their Explorer view was never set to preview or medium or large? Lemme make it easier..."quick preview/thumbnail image?"

I've probably had the above situation in front of me in the tens of thousands over the years. I'm not one to care about what's on a clients computers...I've never reported someone...(although I might if I saw child abuse/porn). And I've seen soooo many things that I sometimes wish I would wash my eyes and forget them! But...I can't believe someone that works on computers for a living doesn't get how people that work on computers can view pictures without intentionally doing so. Just envision the possibilities while doing a copy via explorer.

 

[smashedbotatos]

I have seen it all, and unintentionally. Naked girlfriends/wives, porn, ex girlfriends, videos, pirated software, pirated movies, bank account info, CC info, and tons of extremely sensitive personal stuff. Not once have I intentionally looked. Things happen, people leave stuff on the desktop, or sometimes intentionally tell/show you. Explorer thumbnail previews, and sticky notes. <- sometimes extra sticky Browser history/favorites, Virus Scans that show names of files. I even once had a guy with 1TB of porn....he openly told me about and showed me the location, because......yes he was a amateur porn maker, and those were his digital masters of sessions or whatever. He paid well, but the tip wasn't as big as I expected.

Our job is to keep what is there confidential and from being lost. I have reported someone for child porn 6 or 7 years ago. I also had a guy leave a large bag of marijuana in his laptop bag with me. Certain things I won't tolerate like child porn....if I happen to catch it I will report you, but I don't actively look for stuff like that. I am not the FBI and it isn't my job. All I want to do is fix your problem, make you happy, and take your money.

 

[NETWizz]

When you call an ISP and the tech support doesn't even understand the basic concept of a trace route. I have been doing customer service for like 11 years and they can make me RAGE.

But did you reset your router?

You know the router... the thing that while you are on the phone with them you can copy files across your home network, print to your network printer, access your NAS... but not the blasted Internet. Meanwhile, your Cable Modem has only about 2 out of 5 lights on and those are Power and Network... The Internet and Send/Receive lights are dark... Sure, you reset it before calling, but it still MUST be your equipment that is defective when you call the ISP, who has a level one support agent making $9/hour read off a script to you to do everything to skirt their responsibility.

Meanwhile, you call, and you have about 6 open Wireless Routers in your neighborhood ALL with the same ISP, and none of them have Internet either, but that frustrating "tech" still acts like the problem is on YOUR end...


My ISP is down a while every day, and as far as I can tell it is a failing switch, but they won't do anything about it... I think I am going to go up to the box late at night and wrap a chain around it and connect it to my trailer-hitch on my Ford F-250 with the PowerStroke Dissel... Then I am going to beat it with a baseball bat like they did to that printer on Office Space...

^^^ This should result in a permanent fix.

 

[hightechrex]

How would you know unless you are opening people's files????
I never open people's files. Period.

If you've never seen your client's files your not doing your job thorough enough or your not doing. SOMETHING, because in some cases its unavoidable.

 

[NETWizz]

Unless your Beetle has a Chevy small block conversion....I'll pass you with either vehicle of mine. My truck has 390 horsepower under the hood. My 0-60 times are sub 7 seconds. Even if you have the Turbo VW Beetle...you'll still see my tail lights. And my Harley...well, dunno of anyone that would attempt to argue a car vs motorcycle race unless they had something solid in the supercar class...like a Cobra 427 or some ultra exotic...it's about power to weight ratio there.

I've never heard of anyone that has gotten convicted of a driving infraction from stories on a public internet forum. I'll publicly state that I have driven over 140mph. There....now I'm biting my fingernails! Oh noze...the police will knock on my door tonight!

We have all done stupid things when we were younger but many things are simple civil infractions that happened many years ago and are well past the statute of limitations... Regardless, the police don't have time to chase you down for something you posted on the Internet.

However, if you had posted video including where you were located, who you were, what you were driving, and EXACTLY what you were doing wrong... and the right people got a hold of it and felt it was solid evidence for a conviction, they "MIGHT" decide to come after you. People get in trouble all the time for posting videos of the stupid stuff they do... but it usually isn't driving. For example, there is a video of some idiot kids that were posting themselves doing drive-by shootings in totally random areas. Did they hit anything? Probably not! Were they idiots and was it VERY dangerous? Heck yes! Did they get caught and go to jail. Yes! Their video lead to their arrest!