What would you charge for this service?

[azcpuguy]

no offense, but "any idiot could install adobe updates".....lol, do you look at the computers you get, c'mon, over half the systems we get dont even have sp2 if we're lucky, and i get jobs all the time after a "shop" has "fixed" a cpu with a new windows install, but they didnt even put in drivers, so the customer is now paying me to do the "true full reinstall" with all updates and adobe and what not......oh well, its just more business for me.

 

[Doctor Micro]

no offense, but "any idiot could install adobe updates".....lol, do you look at the computers you get, c'mon, over half the systems we get dont even have sp2 if we're lucky, and i get jobs all the time after a "shop" has "fixed" a cpu with a new windows install, but they didnt even put in drivers, so the customer is now paying me to do the "true full reinstall" with all updates and adobe and what not......oh well, its just more business for me.

I've had these too. Unfortunate for the customer and for me, because the customer has already spent good money for a crappy windows reinstallation on a 3 or 4 year old PC, they're already ******, and not wanting to spend a lot more to make it right. Had one recently almost exactly as you describe: Windows SP1a installed, no service packs, no updates, no drivers, no reinstallation of user software, no adobe, no flash, no java, no antivirus and the worst cut of all: the "tech" reformatted the drive without making any backups of the customers data. I was able to get some of their data back, but a lot of files had been overwritten and were damaged or unrecoverable.

I didn't make a lot on that job because I felt sorry for the customer, but I'd say it's a good bet they'll call us the next time they need computer service.

 

[seedubya]

I didn't make a lot on that job because I felt sorry for the customer, but I'd say it's a good bet they'll call us the next time they need computer service.

I get a lot of this. Cleaning up after PTs nets me some good customers. I live in a college town so every second student thinks he can "fix computers" for beer money.

 

[Doctor Micro]

I get a lot of this. Cleaning up after PTs nets me some good customers. I live in a college town so every second student thinks he can "fix computers2 for beer money.

Yessir, college town here too, not to mention home to the NCSA. Come to think of it, back in the day when I was a college student, I would have been happy to fix computers for beer money. Only problem, personal computers hadn't been invented yet, so I would have been stuck repairing broken slide rules and re-stringing abacuses.

 

[Reviver]

After thinking about it for some time I in the end decided to tell the customer that there is no charge and to just keep his computer.

We we're definitely on different pages concerning rates, and I found the whole experience to be in itself valuable.

I now know that I have the ability to serve people with my technical skills, and have learned some valuable lessons concerning rates and agreements.

Thanks again to everyone who posted advice, information, and encouragement in this thread.

- R

 

[Doctor Micro]

I've no problem with your rates, nor would I assume anyone else who responded does. What we would charge may be different, but if you're happy with them and your customers are happy to pay them, that's all that matters.

 

[TheShield]

I managed to fix the boot problem (black screen with blinking underscore) by repairing the MBR and rebuilding boot.ini.

This is the issue I am coming across with a friends Sony Vaio VGN-NR330E.

RUns Vista Home Premium

I burned a recovery disk from neosmart. When I boot the disk it takes FOREVER to finally reach the selection of Repair. When I click repair it does not list any OS however I can continue to X:\

ANyway, I will give fixing the mbr a shot. But before I do does anyone have other suggestions what this could be? I do not think it is the KSoD
I left a check overnight with no results.

Edit:

Ok, ran bootrec.exe for fixmbr and fixboot with no luck. Tried rebuilt but it wont recognize any Vista installations.
I was able to pull all pictures and files off by using an Ubuntu live cd and xfer files to an external drive.

Just not sure what direction to take now. This is going beyond my knowledge and my fingers are about to fall off searching through Google. Oi.

 

[htsource]

So far all my customers are very nice to me, but all of them are referrals from friends or previous customers.

When I have to rebuild a computer, I always look for other folders on the hard drive and try to make everything the way they had it before. Most of the time, they have no idea what you're talking about when you tell them you need to re-install Windows. They only know they click on a shortcut on the desktop and things happen.

And yes, they will spread the words if you do a good job and show you care! Once you gain their trust, they will never go anywhere else.

 

[kagman]

This is an issue that everyone one of us faces. Yes we all know that virus removal is time consuming. However if you end up spending 4 or 5 hours on it you cant expect to charge an hourly rate for it. Reason being is that the customer will not go for it. For 5 hours of labor they can just get a new computer. lol... A flat rate that is reasonable always work. Or just charge like 2 hours of labor. Something like $100 or maybe $150 dollars is in my opinion a fair price. Times are rough for everyone so making some money is better then making no money at all.. Put it like this to your clients "It took me 5 hours of fix your computer but im going to give you a break on the price and only charge you 2 hours of labor." They will love you for it.

You could always give extra business cards to your clients and say that if anyone they know is referred to you then give them a 10% discount on the next repair call.

--Jose--