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Thread ID: 115301	2011-01-12 02:57:00	question on pc repair bill, if problem not fixed 1st time..?	sooby (15023)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1169071	2011-01-12 03:42:00	indeed, so who pays in this situation where fault isn't fixed? You do. Its their time your paying for and exploration is not always fruitful, you take that chance.	DeSade (984)
1169072	2011-01-12 03:54:00	If the shop /technician doesn't do the job properly the first time then you shouldn't have to pay again . If the PC was doing it randomly at the workshop, then its their tough luck they never fixed it correctly in the first place, and they would have to wear the extra costs - it should have been throughly tested before returning to you . Where this is could be an exception is if the problem does not occur when testing or finding a fault - no technician can fix a fault if it doesn't exist or cant be recreated . BUT along those lines, the job sheet should have mentioned that the fault couldn't be recreated at the workshop . You still have to pay for the time for testing / labor . Only $100 ------- I would say there wasn't much done . MANY places charge that or more per hour . Considering doing proper testing of hardware and software problems can easily take 3-6 hours, I would think no bench time was charged OR the amount is a standard service charge . Sometimes a fault cant be reproduced in a workshop, because there is actually something at the persons house/business that is causing the problem . Last year, I had a job, the PC kept crashing/shutting down(and I saw it happen twice) - at the workshop it didn't miss a beat, it was given a good clean out, a few bits of malware removed . When returning it, withing 15 minutes it played up again . In the end it was tracked down to faulty power in the house . After attaching a UPS power supply, the crashing stopped . And the UPS was going off at least 2-3 times a day .	wainuitech (129)
1169073	2011-01-12 04:07:00	My question is: we paid about $100 for the first repairs, seeing as how the repairs actually didn't fix the problem the PC was brought in for, is it reasonable to expect the time spent to be rebated etc off the final bill? his next course of action is to re-install the OS No, I would not expect a customer to pay a 2nd time at all, not even "labour". Labour in a software fix is all you are charging for in the first place - unless it turned out to be a hardware fault but it wasn't. At least so he said. Nope, tough for the techie. As for wiping it, thats a cop-out, I HATE that. It's a cheat. I wipe for 2 reasons only: 1)A malware removal has not left the PC stable (and I'd do a repair install anyway to try and fix any system file issues). For instance if nothing further was detected but still suspicious - cause although rare, there is malware new that hasn't been added to definitions yet. 2)The O/S is so bloated and full of crap the performance is suffering - and AFTER doing all the usual clean outs. Number 1 I only came across once, number 2 a few more times - but not as part of a repair, as a recommendation to the customer. 2003 - well it probably is due for a reinstall anyway perhaps, but he's doing it as a fix, the big cheat.	pctek (84)
1169074	2011-01-12 04:40:00	Last year, I had a job, the PC kept crashing/shutting down(and I saw it happen twice) - at the workshop it didn't miss a beat, it was given a good clean out, a few bits of malware removed . When returning it, withing 15 minutes it played up again . In the end it was tracked down to faulty power in the house . After attaching a UPS power supply, the crashing stopped . And the UPS was going off at least 2-3 times a day . this actually sounds like it could be a contender . . . can you please describe how you diagnosed the faulty power in the house?	sooby (15023)
1169075	2011-01-12 04:43:00	As for wiping it, thats a cop-out, I HATE that. It's a cheat. I wipe for 2 reasons only: 1)A malware removal has not left the PC stable (and I'd do a repair install anyway to try and fix any system file issues). For instance if nothing further was detected but still suspicious - cause although rare, there is malware new that hasn't been added to definitions yet. 2)The O/S is so bloated and full of crap the performance is suffering - and AFTER doing all the usual clean outs. Number 1 I only came across once, number 2 a few more times - but not as part of a repair, as a recommendation to the customer. 2003 - well it probably is due for a reinstall anyway perhaps, but he's doing it as a fix, the big cheat. I'm adverse do doing this just because I have programs from all over the place & don't want to open a can of worms having to reconfigure them all. So I picked up the PC tonight, as I said I wanted to check the list of programs I need to source & backup/reinstall, and now I'm not sure I want to do a full OS reinstall. Whats involved in a repair install? Will I still need to reinstall all programs? thanks	sooby (15023)
1169076	2011-01-12 04:45:00	Tell us the BSOD error code etc and we'll try to help you for FREE.	Agent_24 (57)
1169077	2011-01-12 04:46:00	this actually sounds like it could be a contender... can you please describe how you diagnosed the faulty power in the house? Sure- no problems. Highly technical fault find :D Took the PC back to the workshop, and retested it under load (again) 30 minute test, AND did exactly what the owner was doing when it crashed -- no failure. Took the PC back - and ran the load test - crashed after 5 minutes. Plugged in a UPS that I had brought with me ( workshop spare) - retested - worked fine. (Choc Bic and a cuppa later)-- left the UPS there over night with the instructions to "give it hell" -- called them the next day-:thumbs: Removed the UPS- crashes started again. Left them with my UPS as a loner. Came back a couple of days later and put in a New UPS they purchased from me. As mentioned, the UPS went off (changed to its battery backup) due to faulty power 2-3 times a night.	wainuitech (129)
1169078	2011-01-12 04:50:00	If the crashes are location-based remember that external devices like scanner, printer, etc didn't go with the PC to the technician (or at least I assume so in this case) So it would be worth testing without those connected to see if it fixes the problem.	Agent_24 (57)
1169079	2011-01-12 04:52:00	Howdy, My logic is: if you take a car to a mechanic with an oil leak and it is returned to you after 'fixing' the problem still leaking, the mechanic usually does the corrective work for free, right? Problem with that statement is that fixing a software issue can be infinitely more complicated than an oil leak. even tho I'd already ran memtest 86 & picked up a error in the RAM - he says he ran a hardware check & says the RAM is fine. This seems to have been missed, if you've seen a failure and he hasn't I'd have to say it may not have been checked correctly or at all by the techie. Do you know what the bluescreen was complaining about?	gcarmich (10068)
1169080	2011-01-12 07:24:00	Hehe, I had one like Wainuis. PC came in, owner said it was power. We tested it and couldn't make it fail. He insisted so we swapped with our workshop PSU, next day he was back saying same fault. I then asked him if he lived in an old villa. Yes. Had he had any power work done recently? Yes, and funny I should ask - his VCR had a fault too and the VCR tech couldn't find anything wrong. I suggested he get another electrician out. We didn't actually charge him though......	pctek (84)
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