lindalove

Have any of you had any experience with the Geek Squad (Best Buy)? I need to have my computer serviced and am wondering about reputable places, fees, hassles, waiting times, etc.

Help?

Wingless

I haven't gone through them but I've seen alot of their prices, which seem rediculous. Instead of using the Geek Squad I say get a friend who is well versed in computer stuff and offer him/her a six-pack of beer when they're done.

__________________
Tommy
Nibs is a funny word.
So here I am, above palm trees, so straight and tall...
You are, smaller getting smaller, but I still see... you.
Jimmy Eat World - Goodbye Sky Harbor

Glory's Sun

I have a geek squad utility CD. It's ok I guess. depends on what you need. As far as they go .. their prices are a little high but if you don't have a local dealer then I guess you just need to go there. :shrug:

portwineboy

I've heard them compared to the CompUSA repair desk - aka "if they had any real skills they wouldn't be working at Best Buy"

Outside of a major metro area, that may be your only option tho. If they tell you to reinstall Windows go somewhere else.

__________________
If you can read this, thank a teacher.
If you can read this in English, thank a veteran.

ngdawg

I used them last year. Independent repair guy who is licensed or franchised or whatever, through Geek Squad. Total cost(in NJ) of fixing, reformatting, reinstalling software was $256. Had to have the computer in his possession for 4 days, which was a LOT better than the store, which gave a minimum of two weeks.
The reason I called-a trojan attached itself to my registries, was found by Spysweep, which then gave a delete? prompt. I hit delete, wiped out the drivers, registries, etc.

__________________
Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em.

Aro23

best buy? just look for a friend who can help you with it you can pay him but without the rediculous prices that they have for their service

santafe5000

What services you need done to your computer would be a better indicator of whether to use them or not.
If it were something that didn't take a lot of time or serious delving into your system, it might be worth the money.
Major system problems??, might be better to find a small independent shop who would give more personal service.
I do know that if it requires replacement parts, Best Buy will send it to a regional repair center, not fixed onsite.

__________________
When all else fails, QUIT.

lindalove

Thanks, everyone, for the advice. I'm still waiting to hear back about the diagnosis.

muckluck

According to a PC magazine article, that did a comparison on Qeek Squad and similar companies, they are all incompetant. You are better off finding a friend, or going to a better place. I can't believe that it costs 30$+ to install RAM...

__________________

Martian

The problem with the Geek Squad is that they are all independent franchisees - there's no quality control. You may get a really good competent tech, or someone who has no clue what they're doing. Worst case scenario, a client of mine told me he went with them and the tech who came out installed a keylogger on his PC.

Unless you have no other option, I'd say avoid them.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

MontanaXVI

I have not had any personal experience with them, as I do all of my own work here at home. I was in my local BB though looking to get my digital camera fixed while it was under warranty, and I could not help overhearing the in store GS guy telling the pople there that the cost for spyware removal was $40 to buy the Spy Sweeper program, another $30 for them to install it, and another $20 for them to clean the system out from whatever was found. THAT IS SICK. You can get AdAware and Spybot FREE and do the same thing.

__________________
Spank you very much

hrandani

Geek Squad, like a lot of people above have said, are brutally incompetent or average techs who couldn't find a better job.

My experiences with them are typically when people who know me or my parents get ahold of me to repair the damage they did + the original problem. I've seen them charge 300+ dollars for really menial things, too.

So with this in mind, a friend called in who had moved to another city and asked where to go, and after some minimal internet research I ended up recommending a local shop who then attempted to screw them for more than the cost of the computer.

They ended up mailing it to me, and it was a relatively simple error again compounded by the tech's fuck-ups.

So at least with Best Buy you know what you're getting and there's someone you can complain to.

I've talked to Geek Squad guys before and even though they charge the money for the software they actually end up using the same free stuff off the internet everyone else does; spybot, ad aware, hijackthis etc.

All that software is crap, I ended up deleting it off most machines after some tests, it is absolutely worthless.

Almost as bad as that norton 2005 security stuff. Yech.

Pragma

I repair friends' computers all of the time and I just charge a 6-pack of beer (12 if it's a particularly hard problem). Find a local geek and pay him in booze (if that's his thing, if not find a suitable substitute). There's no reason to ever pay a lot of money to have your computer fixed, though. I can't stand places like the Geek Squad or independent repair shops. A friend of mine used to work there and eventually quit because he was disgusted by the tactics they use.

They'd take someone's computer and in the process of "repairing" they'd end up crippling it or causing more problems and attempt to sell the person a new computer under the tactic that "oh, well, your old computer had a bunch of problems and is really too slow for today's world - but we have some cheap computers over here you may be interested in."

__________________
Eat antimatter, Posleen-boy!

cyrnel

It isn't easy to find someone you can trust, but I was going to suggest the classifieds. There are quite a few people out there charging very reasonable rates, with much more experience than GS techs, and without the overhead of a store front. Get on the phone. If they can communicate and provide an estimate you've probably just found someone better than GS.

I tend to think of Geek Squad as the Jiffy Lube of computer repair. There's always the exceptional tech, but it's rare they aren't just passing through. Those places can't pay enough to keep good people and make a profit.

__________________
There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

ngdawg

Guess it all depends on the tech. The one who did mine used MY software only, including my XP install and didn't charge software fees. Even though he had the machine for 4 days, his actual time spent on it was less than 3 hours, storing files, doing a complete recovery and reinstall of XP and all files.
The first two computers we bought at Best Buy, we made the mistake of having them do the installs. We got more crap that I deleted once we got home....did I really need the Best Buy store installed??

__________________
Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em.

soccerchamp76

The main theme is that if he were a competent tech, he would not be working at BestBuy, but rather a IT guy at a company. The services they offer are aimed at clueless individuals who don't know the USB port from the FireWire port.
$30 for memory? 10 minute job.
$30 for installation of a spyware program? $20 to remove it? Max, 5 min spent and the programs are free.
Ridiculous.

__________________
Brian Griffin: Ah, if my memory serves me, this is the physics department.
Chris Griffin: That would explain all the gravity.

ngdawg

True, not AT Best Buy but I know one Sys Admin at least that moonlights(not as Geek Squad geek, though). But why take it to a store like that, specially when they tell you "we can expedite it for an extra $120 and you'd have it back in 10 days." wtf????
The guy that fixed mine wasn't a Best Buy wannabe-geek. This was a year ago and I think the Best Buy/Geek Squad connection was not complete then, although it was the store that gave me the 800 number that led me to Geek Squad and then to this fellow.

__________________
Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em.

sashime76

Any sizeable company has its own geek squad - the IT/MIS department. If you can befriend one or two of them then you'll have no worries. Fixing a computer problem is like an addiction to them. I'm a self taught geek myself and I know. I can fall asleep during a TV program at 8 in the evening but I can stay up forever until get one problem solved.

Geek Squad? Over priced for sure, compentence? I haven't called (and never will) one so I don't know.

Dilbert1234567

I do computer repair in my spare time when I’m not in class, I clean there messes up for half the price. They are incompetent idiots, seriously. I had a client who had a corrupted NT boot loader and they charged the guy for a new hard drive and OS install fee, took me 5 min, mostly sitting twiddling my thumbs as it booted.

__________________
Donate Blood!

"Love is not finding the perfect person, but learning to see an imperfect person perfectly." -Sam Keen

MikeSty

$156 to run SpySweeper is BS.

God of Thunder

I agree with what Sashime76 said about finding one of the IT guys were you work, if that's possible.

A lot of us do PC repair on the side and like the challenge. As has also been mentioned, most of us are more knowledgeable and will do it for a lot less. Sometimes, you would be surprised what a batch of cookies can get ya.

__________________
I reject your reality, and substitute my own

-- Adam Savage

MooseMan3000

Wow, you said it. I do this for people I don't even like. I've spent 4-5 out of 10 hours at a LAN party troubleshooting other people's computers, because I just can't help it. Heh, thanks for the laugh.

MikeSty

I'm in that boat. The other day I skipped calculus JUST to help someone. I'll be paying for that tomorrow.

Pragma

Though I'm sure you didn't mind skipping Calculus

__________________
Eat antimatter, Posleen-boy!

MikeSty

I apologized to my teacher the next day, but he had already taken action regarding my cutting Oh well, I'm just going to clean up the tech room tomorrow. No biggie, I've been meaning to do it for a while.

MPower

I regularly fix my neighbors computers and networks for beer and/or dinner. I would feel dirty for charging.

billege

I used your quote, as it touched on a theme repeated in serveral of posts in this thread.

I do think that your IT guys at work (as I am one of those "IT guys") do have skillz a GS tech won't. I have got to comment on the whole six-pack/cookies thing. My happy ass isn't doing a house call for less than $50/hour, unless it's my mom. That's it.

I got a skill here, worth some bux. I used to "help out" friends, or friends of friends. That is a mess not worth touching. In fact, you almost can't pay me enough for that shit. Yeah, I can snap your ram in for a single beer, instead of the $30 GS charges. The downside: you're going to call me the first time it does somthing "it didn't do before you put the ram in," and I guarantee it's going to be a hassle for me.

I get paid to do a pretty decent job of 1st level support. I know my shit well enough, and I can handle whatever it is you've done to your home PC. However, being your personal support bitch is not on my list of things to do.

I helped the typical "guy at work" buddy. His wife is disabled, she (is published) writes christian children's books at home, PC is down so she's screwed. Typical story that gets me feeling all helpful. I get her PC. Nice Dell, totally fucked over by general luser behavior. I save all her damn emails, contacts, GBs of pictures (she's a photog also), favorites; and, I give her back a clean install with all her crap back on it. One sweet setup, and the best she can do is timidly complain it's "not as fast as it was." FFS. Then, the calls start. Every time somthing's different, or she can't find a shortcut, my cell rings. (NEver give out the phone #) I had a hella time going from free support hoe to "free of crazy PC bitch" without offending the guy or his wife. I finally lucked out when he said "it'd be nice if you can come over and look at our new PC that's not running right (three weeks after they bought it!)." I said straight back "Sure man, housecalls start at $55 an hour." That ended that. (so you know, that's still half-off the going rate in town. Almost any independant shop worth it's shit charges $90 or more an hour for housecalls.)

I guess the moral of my storey is:
PC "people" are like car mechanics. For every 10 bad ones, there might be 3 good ones. Vet who you let touch your box carefully.

Is GS worth it? Maybe, check thier referances and certifications, then bend over, 'cause it's going to be expensive. Just like any other shop.

Also, these people have a skill, that you need to be paying for. Stop taking advantage of the fact you know "a PC guy."

__________________
I can sum up the clash of religion in one sentence:
"My Invisible Friend is better than your Invisible Friend."

God of Thunder

Well said Billege, I should have added a wink to the end of the "plate full of cookies" comment, because it was meant to be light hearted.

The only reason I suggested finding someone at work, and still do to all of the people I work with, is that at leat you know the person. Going into a best Buy or to the Geek Squad or any of the like, you never know what you're getting into. You don't know their background and if you ask, they'll probably lie.

Find someone you know and trust and let them help you, but be prepared to compensate them for their time and effort. DON'T EXPECT IT FOR FREE!!

While I like to get paid for my work, I do barter when possible. And I still enjoy cookies, but that's me.

__________________
I reject your reality, and substitute my own

-- Adam Savage

MikeSty

Good point

I only charge between $10-$20 for repairs I do outside of school, I guess that's why my wallet is empty. Prob. gonna end up as the tech guy for some company, maybe I'll work at the school. The problem I have is - I feel bad asking for money. I guess I'm just "one of those people". But you've got me thinking - It's either me, or GS for $100's of dollars. I feel ripped off now.

I've been over to my friends place 3 times and I've spent a total of like 20 hours working on his comp. The first time I built the PC. The second time (three weeks later) I got the virii off. The third time (three weeks later) I got the virii off again. Actually, I wasn't even done, he just had stuff to do and basically kicked me out of his house.

Here has been my compensation so far:

A car ride
Dinner (his MOM bought it)
Two slices of pizza
A few french fries
A can of soda

Am I being too curteous?

MikeSty

Oh, for the record, he doesn't clean his place up either. It's disgusting.

cyrnel

It's good training, both for tech and business.

__________________
There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

MikeSty

That's a good way to look at it

cyrnel

We all have a billege story or three (thousand). I'm trying to let them fade like so much PTSD. What's bad about those situations is they kind of sliiide in, without rational thought, because someone was in a pinch and it sounded so easy, or maybe just because you hate to see them patronize crappy tech shops. But without concern over cost, time, or the value of what you're doing it often takes more time than recovery for a business customer, usually with excess demands, outdated equipment, and few rewards. Most of the time they just get themselves in a jam again.

Eventually you catch yourself before you volunteer, and it feels bad at first, but better than not handling your own commitments. OTOH, if you can turn it into an income, great. You get to prioritize and charge according to everyone's needs. The fringe benefit is paying customers tend to learn since they know costs are involved.

__________________
There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

MikeSty

Good point. I think he might end up preventing "his sister" from going to "dumb websites" using "internet explorer" if he wisened up a bit.

billege

When did it become curteous to fix his shit for him, just because you can, and he can't?

Do you have plumbers coming to your house to fix your pipes for free? How about your car? Got any mechanics doing your oil for free?

The thing is, anyone with a skill is going to get asked for "favors" from people around them. Does saying "yes" all the time make you too courteous?

I guess that depends.

One of the things I factor in is how much I learned while doing the job. If you got a lot of learning out of a job, maybe it's not so bad you worked cheap, or even for free. It's definately something I factor in. Working for free/cheap/food is a great way to gain real world experiance with PC work. I'd be a lying bastard if I said I didn't grab any PC that anyone would let me fix, so I could get hardware to play with.

A few years down the road, things are different.

My time is pretty precious to me, with a full time job and full time school and full time wife. I simply don't have the time or energy to bail out every person with a PC sob story....unless they're willing to compensate me fairly for that time.

How they compensate me is up to me. Same goes for you. You gotta do what you think is fair, to you and your client.

One advantage to charging (any amount) is that you and your client are establishing a business transaction. You're going to communicate to the client, "I'm fixing X to XYZ state, and you're going to pay me $$ for that only." That kind of fixed-end commitment helps avoid the messes I've gotten myself into. Even if you're charging $5/hour, you're setting an understanding that your skills and time are valuable, and that you aren't committing yourself to a never ending stream of fuckup fixes.

On the other hand, by not charging at all and fixing anything, and you do relieve your pal of all responsbility, you can make it worse. If his "sister" is dl'ing pr0n from dumbass sites, and you're fixing his mistakes for free, what the hell does he care if what he's doing is dumb? You're bearing the consequences of his mistakes.

But, if you sit down and say "dude, *insert education to client here*" and "I'll fix problem here for X cost" you're helping educate, being a good friend, while still helping your buddy remember that if HE fucks up his PC, it's going to cost him, not you. All at the same time, you're helping him learn, giving him an incentive to apply the learnings, making some change, and learning yourself.


I think I can sum it this way:

My neighbor may know how to mow his lawn much better than me, but I'm not asking him to mow my lawn for free. Instead, I learned to mow my own fucking lawn.

__________________
I can sum up the clash of religion in one sentence:
"My Invisible Friend is better than your Invisible Friend."

MontanaXVI

Very good post indeed. I have helped a few people out, but I too got stuck in the "help me" rut and ended up actually telling them to call GS cause I could not fix it or did not have the time. :/

__________________
Spank you very much

biznatch

Are you serious? I dont say this often, but zOMGzorz. Here in NYC we usually find PCs lying on the street, and if we're lucky or early/quick enough, we can get a free DVD rom, ram, Hard Drive, anything...And to install the ram its basically 1. open 2. pop! 3. close
cant believe those bastards.
Also, I love this site: www.downloadmoreram.tk

__________________
Check it out: The Open Source/Freeware/Gratis Software Thread

FngKestrel

Hogansgoat is the resident PC guy in our group of friends and the man can recite paths off the top of his head for troubleshooting. To avoid the "chew my food" calls, he did the best thing for us. He educated us and had us learn the easier stuff. The harder stuff still requires the occasional phone call, but that's child's play for him.

billege

I figured someone ought to post from Geeksquad.com some prices.

I've chosen the in-home services to price. It made sense to me because most times a friend asks you for help, you end up at thier house.

Wireless Network Setup $159
--install and encrypt your wireless network to preserve your Internet freedom and help keep the bad guys out. You’ll be able to share printers, files and your high-speed Internet connection between two PCs at home.

Add a Device to an Existing Network
--We’ll install a network card in the PC and set you up so that your file and print sharing is connected to your shared network resources. $129

Broadband Service
--get you started with a new broadband account — or get you back up if your connection’s down because of a faulty modem, router or cabling. $159

Dial-up Service
$129

Now, because we all need humor in our lives, here's what they charge for service in their Geek Squak "Precincts" in Best Buy stores:

Antivirus Install $29

Operating System Install $59

Antispyware $29

Software Install $29

Memory Install $29

Optical Drive Install $39 (yes, THIRTY NINE DOLLARS...roofles)

HD Install Desktop $39 Laptop $59

PCI Card install $39

And $19 to hit the box with a can of air.

__________________
I can sum up the clash of religion in one sentence:
"My Invisible Friend is better than your Invisible Friend."

shakran

Geek squad used to be good, if pricey, before Best Buy snapped 'em up. Now they're just best buy techs (read: They passed the drug test and not much more) in different uniforms.

I don't have a problem helping friends out with their computers. They help me with stuff too. I guess so far none of my friends has turned the occasional PC call into making me their repair bitch. But maybe it does help that while I'm fixing whatever's screwed up, I'm teaching them about it so that they won't mess it up again.