happens in every instance where trust is required. car repairs, large appliances... anything where they *can* screw you, they *do* screw you.

just like having a good mechanic who is trustworthy is KEY, so is having a quality IT person. in my family, thats me. ^^

Just another reason to learn to troubleshoot and fix your own computer problems. What you do not know, the answer can be found online or hopefully you have friends that can help you out.

IMO that is not an easy thing to diagnose. For one windows wasn't loading up, loose RAM woudln't be my first thought/choice. RAM is usually held in place fairly well by motherboards. Usually my experience with Windows not loading/booting is bad updates, software installation, or drivers not installed properly. Unless there was some kind of BSOD with a memory error or BIOS beep codes stating the error, it would be a difficult to narrow down. Of-course I wouldn't have charged for such an easy fix either.

Don't know if this is the same thing as I don't deal wit these types of places too often but my dad recently needed some more drive space and went to a local pc shop to see if they had any, they did, but said if they sold him one they would have to install it as well. Struck me as very odd IMO.

It's not scary at all, it's 'survival of the fittest'. If those people are too stupid to diagnose their own PC's, then they're not worthy of using them. If they're gonna get techies fixing it for them, I don't feel sorry for the customer if they get their data stolen and exploited.

But it is illegal, the the customers did pay for the service, so (unless they made no promises not to steal data) the customers deserve a trustworthy techie for their money, from a legal perspective.

Personally, I say "too bad for you, ya idiots".

The dog eats dog world that we're living in. Every where you go you'll screw over, take advantage of. Even when you know how to repair your own computer, when you take your car to the repair shop, they'll take advantage of you too. It's so hard to find a good, trustful technician these day.

Windows not loading is not the first clue your RAM is loose. The BIOS Error Code for NO RAM that will be triggered when you boot is!

mmmmm PC Beeps

wow, well yeah if peopel dont know how to fix something, then they take it to a reapir shop and expect for them to be trustworty, i run a repair shop, and i have never taken any kind of abuse into any of my customers, and i have been swamped with work, also i have been brought a lot of computers/laptops that the "other guys" cant repair or properly diagnose

btw i never finished high school ;s, i have a semi luxury car and i provide for my family

i guess beeing "good" has its rewards

Yep, the beeping would lead me to check the RAM first. It's sick to hear how much people are screwed over. Makes me want to open a shop focused on integrity and see how much more business we get

loose memory is actually pretty tricky to diagnose short of opening the thing up and pushing everything around. Its not a problem that actually happens that often in the real world, though not as bad as one I read about a similar investigation some years ago where they actually cut part of the IDE cables with scissors.

Really? So let's say that you use Microsoft Money to manage your finances and a "bug" somehow wipes out your accounts - which of course goes straight in to Gate's bank account - whose butt will you be kicking? Yours for not being able to fix the "bug", or theirs for stealing your money?

See, that would be great, but integrity=not making money on the side from poor/illegal activity, which means higher prices and less business. In other words, it's hard to out do the fakers because most of these people don't know they've gotten screwed. They just think their laptop is sooo screwed already.

I had a friend bring me a computer he had taken to Staples. All he wanted was for Windows to be re-installed. Staples apparently couldn't figure out how to put the disk in the drive and boot from it.

I don't doubt this at all. I'm very upfront and answer any questions the users have when I work on their PC. I will show them what I did to fix the problem (If they want to know).

Some people here are spewing some arrogance. OK, lets say a user CAN fix his computer, but he just doesn't have time to diagnose the problem. He makes more money in his profession of choice for his time than it would cost to pay someone else to fix the issue, and thinks its safe to take his computer to a local shop. Is that person an idiot for assuming the computer tech won't try to use his personal information to steal his credit card numbers, and pictures of his wife?

I don't know... I think that a lot of people who are used to operating ethically, don't think about stuff like that.

Computer geeks sure like to act like they're smarter than other people. I suppose you're stupid for not being able to replace the transmission in a vehicle, or maybe because you can't diagnose your own illness, or prepare gourmet french dishes. Point is, get the fuck off the high horse. Nothing's wrong with someone for taking their computer to the shop.

The computer repair industry is exactly the same as the auto repair industry...they abuse the ignorant...

Money is god for many...
Unfortunately,on the day when you need to go, no amount of money will be looking at you and cry at the grave!

you are an idiot.... let me repeat you are an idiot...any good tech checks lose connections first... you know how many laptops customers brought in as bad and that " secure peice of ram" as you put it shook loose in shipping.... again you are an idiot

let me rephrase that, you are a total idiot.... guess your car repairs cost you an arm and a leg.... you dont check the obvious first, you waste money on worse case scenarios only to find its a simple fix

First i think it is unfortionate we cant trust anyone anymore.

Second i think this is a seriously simple issue to resolve! but if your not a tech how would you know...

LASTLY... How exactly did this "tracking" software run to track the tech if the tech couldnt fix the ram issue?

""The undercover investigation was carried out by installing surveillance software onto a new laptop. The software records every event taking place on the laptop, silently logging keystrokes and capturing desktop images without the end-user's awareness. The laptop's built-in camera recorded the identity of whoever gained access.""

^
| that software can't run unless that ram issue is resolved.

""The report said that shops misdiagnosed the simple problem, while others charged for work not performed.""

This is sad.

You are right. A reliable (but with plenty of expertise on their fields) person is just what it takes to get the job done. BTW what you are ..the machanic or the IT .





It is similar in a lot of other fields where trustworthy is a must.




Ok your comment brings something interesting on the table:

1) You are a damn genious and you have have knowledge of every machine in the world.

2) No one has ever fooled you with a work done on your equipment (cars, appliances, etc).

Your comment made me laugh, I assure you (trying to look badass ...but it falls more on the ignorant-o-meter side).

People are ignorant because they are not thoroughly advised that computers...as also cars, requires maintenance. when you buy a computer, they just buy it and expect them to work as is, it is bad behavior...but what you can do to prevent such things... INSTRUCT PEOPLE about good practices. I've been repairing computers as a hobby for a couple of years, and when i finish the task I call and tell them important details:

Your computer problem and how it was solved
I show the person details about what i've done.
Lastly, I help them and instruct them about computer maintenance. A couple of advises and guess what? They LEARN from bad experiences, they learn from losing their data, people learn from their mistakes.

Computabug....people has their lives (wifes, debts, children, work) and most of them don't have time to look for this info by themselves. That's why tech repair exists. Your comment is funny though, cuz it looks like you're a proud member of Mom's basement club and you have plenty of time to fix everything.

let's also not forget that ppl are very cheap. hardly anyone wants to pay for quality work anymore. i got out of the repair biz because no one believed it cost as much as it did to fix their crappy toys. and since computers are at the prices they are, it's easier and cheaper for them to just buy a new one. i dunno wot caused it, poor service or the disposible culture we live in in the USA... but it's made things very bad all around...

@Henin33

Just a reminder that this article was from the UK, and regarding PC repair shops in London... so, its not really something related to "American culture". But, rather the global trend. We have had similar reports of things like this going on in the USA though. One with Geek Squad techs stealing pictures comes to mind. This report just goes on to expand that, to show that its not just the big chain shops, but smaller ones as well, and it doesn't matter if you're in Austin Texas or London. If you're taking your computer to someone you don't know, apparently there's a pretty good chance they'll try to steal from you (in one way or another).

I have installed a cam in my wife because I don't trust her gynaecologist

LMAO!

What a newb.

Seriously, I run a tech shop and have for years and this doesnt surprise me, but it isnt because I run a tech shop. It's because too many times there are bad techs employed who dont know the meaning of ethics and havent been in the business long enough to know better...

We are constantly brought work from other "tech shops" that did do well by the customer and we are still here because of that. Some of these places come and go because they dont do business well and ethically. I applaud them for trying to find some of these people out. Wish they would sort out some of the shops nearby as well. The RAM being disconnected if Windows wouldnt boot would be the first thing I would check on a laptop. Mostly because it too is the easiest one to check with the majority of them closed behind an easily opened door flap with one or two small screws... Simple...

As for paying a professional to do good work, it is unavoidable as someone already said. You cant know everything... And you have to trust somebody sometime....

rexoverbey

this should teach you idiots to build your computer OR AT LEAST TAKE OUT THE HARD DRIVE BEFORE BRINGING TO THE SHOP. JESUS CHRIST YOU PEOPLE OUT THERE ARE STUPID

The customers are to blame too. All over our store it is posted that there is a minimum fee of $34 for performing diagnostics on a machine. The customer also signs a form with this in big bold type.

But when you call and tell a customer it was just a looses stick of ram that took you 2 minutes to fix they throw a shit fit that you are going to charge them. So instead you make ups some bull shit like rams was loose and curropted systems files and you repaired the damage system files. Then every one is happy

i agree with kardon... i used to work for a shop in ft lauderdale and saw the exact same issue over and over again....had a client come in, told him of a charge if i hooked it up...i also told him it sounded like loose ram etc from what he told me, he said he checked everything...i hooked it up and then realized he hat the power set from 120 to 240... when i made him pay he called the cops.... you know they sided with the business with the sign in the window...i swear most people have a masters degree in stupidity

I've always fixed my own computers so I never worry about stuff like that. When I fix other peoples computers though I'm not surprised when I find simple things that "certified professionals" miss, or just plain lie about. Then you have the people who have all their personal information all over the desktop *sigh*, so it doesn't surprise me that some techs out there would take advantage of that.

Yeah..... lets diagnose that driver problem without a hard drive, right. I wonder if you're one of those techs