I think I've been 419ed.

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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 6:24 am

Well OK, not truly 419ed. But I think I've been had anyway. Taken for a ride, I was the one born every minute, el shafto grande!

Right after I joined here, my computer cooked itself. The motherboard overheated and popped a capacitor, so I got most of the machine replaced at a well-reputed shop in town. Just over the 30-day mark (their warranty), the machine freezes and completely refuses to reboot.

So after several attempts on my own, I call the guys who sold it to me and they say "better bring it in". They keep it for two weeks and bill me something like $65.00 CDN to replace XP and "clean up" the hard drive.

Dammit, I've only had the thing over a month. Sure I kept my hard drive from the last machine, but they "cleaned that up" when they put it in the new computer.

They didn't ask to be paid by wire transfrer, but I'm still suspicious!

Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 12:10 pm

This might have been quite an innocent occurrence -- but

Why did they need to cleanup your old hard drive when they transferred it to the new machine? If it then needed another cleanup the first one can't have been very good.

It is very suspicious that this happened just after the end of the warranty period. After all it is not difficult to insert a little timebomb - software vendors (eg Microsoft) do it for time limited free trials.

Can you find out if any other of their customers have had a similar problem. If so you could quite reasonably inform an appropriate regulatory authority (in Britain the Trading Standards Officer).

This sort of thing happens only too frequently and has been highlighted repeatedly by the 'Which' organisation in the British motor trade (garage servicing) when charges have been made for unnecessary or unperfored actions.

Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 8:51 pm

30 days warranty is pretty poor, and I'm suspicious that it's offered at 30 days in the first place. Are there statutory fitness-for-purpose laws that govern this sort of thing?

Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:07 pm

Did you pay with a credit card? I don't know about Canada's laws, but in the US you can put a stop on the credit card payment if you tried unsuccessfully to work with the vendor to resolve your complaint.

Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:35 pm

PCs usually come with an OEM version of Windows. Much cheaper than retail versions because the manufacturer is responsible for supporting it, not Microsoft.
http://www.dabs.com/learn-more/software-and-books/oem-software-486.html
A new motherboard means a new OEM copy as the old one can't be reactivated and stops working after 30 days. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307890
Possibly what has happened here, although the repair shop should have dealt with it when the PC was repaired.

Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:55 pm

Well--I gotta say that it has nothing to do with 419 scams. But I can understand your frustration.

Since you said it’s a well-reputed shop in town I’m guessing you checked them out first, right?

This may not be necessarily a think of ripping you off. I’m on a Mac and do my own stuff if the need arises, but $65 doesn’t sound unreasonable to me.

So far as your issue: The first time was hardware issues, and the second time was software issues (i.e., the operating system).

I *had* a friend who I helped to upgrade his system on his Mac (not bragging--but I know Macs). Did his upgrades and this and that and installed more RAM for him. He insisted on paying so I told him to just buy me a few drinks down at the bar next time he’s there. About 2 weeks go by and his power supply went bad. He tried to blame me for that. Never mind that they are two separate issues. I had no idea the power supply was going bad, and why would I check that? I just did his software updates and optimized his system and stuff.

@Nailgunner: I agree about the 30 day guarantee, but it might be right. I’d personally be hestitant about a 30 day warranty for a motherboard, but if it was a used motherboard, it might be a decent warranty. If a brand-new motherboard, then I think there’s a problem. I would think the manufacturer would have one longer than that.

This could just be a combination off bad luck and coincidence.

@pisspot: I don’t think it was a time bomb. If it was, I think they would have charged more than $65. It’s not a bad price to re-install XP and “clean” it up. If it was log-in issues or error messages, I would hazard a guess that the shop had one or two copies of XP and was installing them nilly-willy on dozens of machines (which of course means those folks are screwed).

Since the OP said the place has a good reputation, I just think it’s one of those things of bad luck and timing.

@Chugg: Make sure you keep all your receipts and document everything. If you continue to have problems, you’ll have documentation in case you have to go to small claims court or something.

How is the machine working now?

EDIT: Just saw Mr Tambourine Man's post. That is a possibility.

***
@Mr Tambourine Man: I'm on a Mac, so I don' t know the answer about the OEM and the version of the OS. But--would the machine simply not boot, or would there an error message once booted? I mean, if it expired after 30 days or so would the machine boot at all? Or boot and get some sort of message?

Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 10:32 pm

I've built/upgraded a few PCs, but have no personal experience of what happens after 30 days. One Internet source says

Quote:

Well, if you don't activate in 30 days, your computer is "locked" and you can't access your files.

Which may be what Chugg reported. XP is obsolete, which may explain the cheap sounding charge of $65.

Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 11:26 pm

^^I saw something like that on "Judge Judy" on TV a few weeks ago. The guy ran a PC repair shop and was installing multiple copies of Windows...He got sued for his PC no longer working after 30 days.

Judge Judy bitch-slapped the PC store owner...

Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 12:01 am

^^ Yep, she slapped the bejabbers out of him. Laughing

Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 12:35 am

^^You saw that one, too, huh? I watch her a few nights a week after work.

She definitely knew what he was up to. It was funny to watch him denying it.

Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 3:28 am

Well, I got a reply to my B&C (bitch & complain) email from the owner of the shop, which is pretty good for a Sunday on a long weekend. He went through their records (offered me a copy for my files) and gave me the following explanation.

- My computer was bought as a refurbished model (and I knew that), so no manufacturer's warranty applies. They offered an extended warranty at point of sale, which I declined. I also declined their offer of an antivirus package.

- Since I couldn't provide any explanation other than "it froze and won't reboot" because I know nothing about computers, they had to do a full diagnostic including hardware inspection. The "clean up" is their standard maintenance fee, as they physically clean the dust out of the machine when they crack it open. They also switched out the power supply because that's one of the most likely culprits.

- I had also picked up a version of the autorun.inf virus, most likely from one of my USB devices. I have 2 thumb-drives and my wife has an iPod that she plugs into several computers to charge up. They removed the bug from my machine and have offered to check out all my USB devices at no charge.

- Just to make me happy, the boss will refund the $25 maintenance fee either by store credit or he'll cut me a cheque. He also highly recommended that I not rely on the antivirus package included with my internet provider, which I know is total crap.

So really the whole thing is only going to cost me $40, which ain't so bad. The big guys in town (Future Shop, Circuit City, etc.) usually charge more than that just to reinstall Windows, so I guess I'm pretty happy.

Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 3:56 am

Possibly, now is the time to send the shop owner a note of appreciation?

Regards

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 9:56 pm

^^ Better. I'm sending him a referral. In this computer-saturated town I live in, referrals are very important.

I'll also note that when I bitched and complained, I was very polite. Only lads and people who are mean to animals get verbal abuse from me.

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:56 pm

^^Chugg

I'm glad everything worked out.

Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2011 3:39 pm

Chugg wrote:

Quote:

I'll also note that when I bitched and complained, I was very polite.

When I need to advise a company or business of a "situation" I do the "oreo cookie" thing.

Find something to praise them or compliment them on.

Then explain the problem.

Lastly saying you will continue to use their service or business if things can be worked out.

One such letter was written by me to Holiday Inn.

1st paragraph: I have always loved staying at Holiday Inns no matter where they were when I travel. I liked them because <insert language>

2nd paragraph:.. The problem which I am writing to advise you of is <insert the problem or complaint>

3rd paragraph:.. However, I will continue to use Holiday Inn if we can resolve this problem <insert what you expect>

The end result of such a letter to HI was a complementary FREE weekend at a Holiday Inn of my choice and they put a nice fruit basket in my room for the weekend.

On such letter involving Proctor and Gamble got me FREE toothpaste for one year.

Remember "oreo cookie" -- sandwich the bad between the good. Wink

Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 8:50 pm

^^^
Very wise strategy! Very Happy

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 1:39 am

Morgain Le Fay wrote:

Remember "oreo cookie" -- sandwich the bad between the good. Wink

IMO, there is NO bad in an Oreo cookie!!! Shocked

Good advice, just don't mess with my cookies... Wink

Elite Baiter Joined: 19 Jan 2009 Posts: 1440

Not to long ago, my computer started "Not responding" to everything I tried to do.

I took it to a major electronics/computer store to be fixed. They didn't even get around to looking at it for 4 days, although I called them every day.

They finally said they did a diagnostic, but could find nothing wrong. What to do, I asked. Well, they'll reinstall Windows for another $100 on top of the $50 so-called diagnostic. I said no thanks and brought it home, fuming.

I was carping to my brother and without even seeing my computer said he thought he knew the problem. He came and added more memory. Problem fixed and my computer runs better than it did new.

Computer techs who couldn't figure this out? To me, they're nothing more than scammers who have a license to steal.

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 7:50 pm

ParaNoid wrote

Quote:

just don't mess with my cookies..

Trust me I am not going to mess with my (former) Mentor's cookies Wink

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 6:45 am

Quote:

My computer was bought as a refurbished model (and I knew that), so no manufacturer's warranty applies.

That's strange. When I bought my refurbished Mac laptop I got full warranty. Confused