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| Thread ID: 105870 | 2009-12-17 00:21:00 | What would you (techs) do? | pctek (84) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 840432 | 2009-12-17 00:21:00 | Just over a year ago a rather nice guy came to buy a new PC off me. To cut it short, because the old one was full. Why not just put another drive in? Nah, too old. All this was relayed by wife apparently, he was just the messenger and she had decided. She also did not, would not discuss it with me, he had to. Anyway I built them one, they chose a 500GB drive in it (Seagate) and I went there to set it up. There I find the not so old Win XP PC wasn't full, the drive was split and they hadn't been aware of that fact. It had an 80GB in it, 1/2 full. She also had a laptop with a 320GB drive in it running Vista. So, why the new PC? Ooops...... So then I was told I had to netwrok the new one as she sharded files, so that she had copies on both the desktop and the laptop and I had a hell of job doing that. She had a wireless router, laptop on wireless, PC plugged in, and for whatever reason they would not talk to each other at first. Evetually, while she went off into a bedromm and had screaming tantrums and got her husband to relay bits and pieces back (I could hear her anyway) I eventually got them to talk happily. She had various USB flash drives too, although she still wanted the file sharing thing. Anyway just today their Seagate died. Totally. Dead as a doornail, I send it away superfast so they can get it all back and working before Xmas. He then comes round to ask for it back so they could retrieve the data. I explain. He leaves, he rings later and asks for my Suppliers number. Why? SO he can hassle them about getting the data back. Then he wanted to know where the manufacturer was, because A)It's **** B)So he can hassle them about getting the data back. I explain again and say, well with 3 PCs in the house the data would be at least on the laptop as well, right, seeing as the insistence on networking it. No. She hadn't backed up in months. Naturally I have no idea what I'm on about, sold them **** and won't let them talk to my supplier. What would you do? I will have to reinstall everything from scratch when it comes back, not to mention redo the bloody networking again, no doubt with screamy up in the bedroom again having tantrums and install all their personal software too like I had to last time. While being blamed. |
pctek (84) | ||
| 840433 | 2009-12-17 00:34:00 | Part of the job really unfortunately. | roddy_boy (4115) | ||
| 840434 | 2009-12-17 00:41:00 | Didn't know you were a tech roddy-boy, but good info again, not. Although I'm not a tech but did manage a computer shop a few years ago, when there HD comes back I would give it back to them and till them to get someone else to sort it out. You don't have tp put with this kind of crap. :) |
Trev (427) | ||
| 840435 | 2009-12-17 01:02:00 | Tell them **** **** happens with something spinning at 7200 RPM with less than a zig zag ciggy paper clearance. Could be a woman thing they can be quite catty. |
prefect (6291) | ||
| 840436 | 2009-12-17 01:25:00 | Seagate 500GB need a firmware update perhaps? Give the replacement drive back to the "man" and tell him to grow some :) Not your fault they haven't been doing any backups. If it were me I would be telling them I can get Windows reinstalled and all the drivers etc installed under warranty but anything else will be chargable. |
CYaBro (73) | ||
| 840437 | 2009-12-17 01:56:00 | To cut it short, What happened to the "cut it short"? |
Greg (193) | ||
| 840438 | 2009-12-17 02:11:00 | Obviously not your fault, BUT I know people dont see it that way. About all I would and some times do say - is Hard Drives can and do fail, doesn't matter what brand or size or who you are - every hard drive will fail one day its just a matter of when - could be 5 minutes or 10 years. I had 3 HDD's fail in my own PC in the period of one year last year - all new -- It happens. Thats why its important to back up anything you cant afford to lose at regular intervals. Its hardly your fault they have not done what was obviously meant to happen - backing up their data to another location -- ask for the latest back ups and they can be put back-- that normally makes people go -- errr what backups -- So I would say--you were advised to do them - and as experienced as you are, you cant do the impossible. The supplier and Seagate as we all know would say the same thing - Its not seagates problem if the owner (your customer) didn't back up data. Show them Q. What happens to my data if I return my drive to Seagate for replacement? A. Our limited warranty does not cover data loss. Back up the contents of your drive to a separate storage media on a regular basis. Data recovery is not covered under Seagate's limited warranty and is not part of the repair or exchange process. If you would like data recovery performed on your drive, it is available from Seagate as a separate service for an additional charge. from the Warranty FAQ (seagate.custkb.com) under "What happens to my data if I return my drive to Seagate for replacement?" The drive would be replaced under warranty - so no worries there - One thing I also point out-- IF it were a name brand PC - it would be out of its warranty - 365 days - on day 366 they usually dont give a hoot - its been a year since it was put in thats chargeable to reinstall it - you may offer a discount on an install. Re the networking -- IF you do it, remove all security from the wireless - set it back up without security first, often makes it easier. PS: take ear plugs :p so you wont hear the bitching |
wainuitech (129) | ||
| 840439 | 2009-12-17 02:24:00 | I would bend over backwards, to a point.And if it were me I would be at that point. I'd tell them that the drive will be replaced under warranty, that the OS and drivers will be installed and an Anti-Virus, and that any additional work will be charged at X per hour, and I would make special mention of how important it is for people to look after/back up their own data. I would also provide this information in writing.I would mention in the letter that they should keep the letter and that you have a copy in your records. If they persist in difficulty, I would invite them to go jump off a cliff. |
Metla (12) | ||
| 840440 | 2009-12-17 02:58:00 | ^^^ What Mets said. ^^^ You have no obligation to do anything other than replace the hard drive in the computer and reinstall Windows and drivers. If they want anything else, eg networking, data restored, etc, let them pay for it. After all, they have had the computer more than 12 months. |
FoxyMX (5) | ||
| 840441 | 2009-12-17 03:33:00 | You've done all you can by the sounds of it, tell them that you provide a warranty on the hardware, not their files. If they don't backup thats their problem and they will just have to learn from their mistakes. Not sure if you have a website or not but maybe add something in the fineprint on either the site or invoice to clear your name if they lose files due to not backing up. If they persist in being arrogant just leave them a nice dead rodent for xmas dinner |
hueybot3000 (3646) | ||
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