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Thread ID: 103242	2009-09-16 10:03:00	Professional "repair" on laptop - advice please	globe (11482)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
810807	2009-09-16 10:03:00	The laptop went a bit funny few weeks ago . Only a chepo Acer Aspire 3000 . It got the blue screen and a message saying Memory Parity Check . Took it to Acer in greenlane and they charged us $230 (excl) to "fix the problem" . Laptop started playing up again . Same deal . Took it back they said oh that'll be another $80 to do a system restore . Asked them what they did first time around to fix it and they said the changed the RAM . Apparently they asked the missus if she wanted a restore then but she said no as she was told she'd lose all the data on the machine . This does not sound right to me . Seems they either did not diagnose and fix the problem correctly first time or didn't explain the issue fully to her . So two things . . . (1) Does anybody else think this seems a bit odd to fix the problem then try and charge more to fix it again ? (I'm no computer expert) (2) Is a system restore just the same as reinstalling windows or is it more than that ? Thanks	globe (11482)
810808	2009-09-16 10:06:00	System restore takes your computer back to where its last restore point. AFAIK it doesnt touch your personal files, only programs and windows stuff But it sounds like these people have no idea what they're doin. $230 for ram!	hueybot3000 (3646)
810809	2009-09-16 10:06:00	and you can do a system restore yourself	hueybot3000 (3646)
810810	2009-09-16 10:10:00	and you can do a system restore yourself Thta's what I thought but this was the official Acer repair centre which is why we went there thinking they'd know what they were doing...	globe (11482)
810811	2009-09-16 10:12:00	Just reread their email and they said "your unit requires to be put back to factory settings " however the quote reads "system restore"...the plot thickens	globe (11482)
810812	2009-09-16 10:15:00	I wouldnt trust a acer repairman anymore than I trust a acer laptop. Could you desribe more what problems your having and we'l try sort it, no point spendin money when you dont need to	hueybot3000 (3646)
810813	2009-09-16 10:15:00	(1) Does anybody else think this seems a bit odd to fix the problem then try and charge more to fix it again ? (I'm no computer expert) (2) Is a system restore just the same as reinstalling windows or is it more than that ? Thanks 1) Yes. They should not charge you twice. 2) A system restore takes the PC to a system state of the last restore point and does not affect any modified data or documents. So only programs installed and system settings changed. If this is a hardware problem which is might be, a SR will do nothing, and the problem will come back again!	Blam (54)
810814	2009-09-16 10:30:00	to answer your questions. #1. Depends on what exactly was tested - If the RAM was tested and replaced, then restested and then the whole system was checked, and it didn't fautler, then as far as the repair people may have been concerned the problem was fixed. If there was another intermittant problem that didn't show, its a bit "awkward" to say it was faulty when it didn't faulter. You cant fix something if all the tests pass, and the fault doesn't reoccur. If it failed right away then thats different - if it were a day or so later then depending on what the problem was. keep in mind they DID offer to reinstall the OS - which was refused. ( they appeared to covering all the options) How long after you had the laptop back did it start to play up again ? Edited: I have had PC's I repaired buggered up again within a day - the owners were doing certan things to the software, and installing programs that stuffed it again -- Hardly my fault if they stuff it again. #2. A repair install would keep all your data - a full reinstall would wipe it - BUT if that was the case, they should ask/offer to save the data - would prob cost you to have them save the data though. "Normally" places like Acer/Dell & HP, unless its an obvious hardware fault, say -- run the system back to the factory OS - if its still plays up then they would look at hardware. The cost will included the RAM - so if you take the price of the RAM ( you didn't say the amount of RAM in MB Eg: 512) But $80 - $100 + time to test / labour. So the $230 would be about right. Keep in mind Laptop RAM is more expensive than the same size of PC RAM.	wainuitech (129)
810815	2009-09-17 00:23:00	Is it still giving "Memory Parity Check " errors or now another fault?? Laptops can be very hard to trace/repair hardware faults on. Changing the RAM was a good first option. You may need a new motherboard ($$$$$$$) My guess is when they said 'system restore' they meant reimaging the hard drive. No reason they couldn't back up all your data first, but it can take quite a bit of time to reload SP's, Office(& SP's), AV, email etc etc & copy back your original data files. Basicly, some faults are problematic, and may (not often) take more than one attempt to resolve. a good example: When I took my car in to be fixed (one cylinder not firing), every time I took it to the garage it would then would run perfectly, but start missfiring 1/2 day after picking it up again. I had 2 options: replace every part that could possibly be causing the intermittent fault ($3000) or keep taking it back in untill they could trace the fault ($400)	sroby (11519)
810816	2009-09-17 02:30:00	fautler You cant fix something if all the tests pass, and the fault doesn't reoccur. keep in mind they DID offer to reinstall the OS - which was refused. ( they appeared to covering all the options) The cost will included the RAM - so if you take the price of the RAM ( you didn't say the amount of RAM in MB Eg: 512) But $80 - $100 + time to test / labour. So the $230 would be about right. . Falter. No, I think the price is excessive. It doesn't take that long to test RAM, and they shouldn't charge for bench time at their premises either. I had an interesting fix the other day. Fixed one problem (hardware), then noted some software problems. Did various things, seemed fine, so I ran stress tests for a while, checked things then decided I'd keep it overnight to be sure. Seemed OK in the morning, did some more messing about and decided it really needed a repair install. Yep, now 100% stable. THEN I let them have it back. I sure wouldn't if I didn't trust it.	pctek (84)
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