NationStates Jolt Archive

Alright, I just returned from a computer repair shop(Computer Renaissance), going to get my laptop fixed.

Now, the problem was that the power jack on my computer came loose. A simple soldering job, one would think. At it was, and the person there told me. Fairly simple, could have it back to me by the end of the day.

The kicker? It would cost me $250...

And another kicker in the works! It's not guaranteed to work. As well, if it doesn't, I'm out $250. For a little bit of hot metal put to another little bit of metal. That might not fix the problem...

Now, I have a question to go with this:

Is this as much of a raping as I think it is? Are they ripping me off as much as I think they are? How much does this type of service usually cost?

So, anybody else have any good rip-off stories they want to share? Vent a little anger?

You'd probably spend less buying your own soldering iron and doing it yourself.

Somebody wants you to call them "Daddy" and that person is not your daddy.

You'd probably spend less buying your own soldering iron and doing it yourself.

I was going to do that actually, but I can't get my damn laptop open. They built the thing like a brick.

Honestly, I was think $50 or so. Which I would have been happy to pay, as I would think they could at least make some sort of guarantee that it would work, or at least knew what they were doing. $250... just wow.


Somebody wants you to call them "Daddy" and that person is not your daddy.


I knew something was up when they brought out the leather clad woman with a whip.

*singing*
i've got a brand new combine harvester and i'll give you the keys.


....


sorry, i've got nothing, but that lyric's been in my head all evening and i had to let it out somewhere.

Burn down the store....with their soldering iron...

Burn down the store....with their soldering iron...

Oh sweet irony...

I love it. Time to plan.

Somebody wants you to call them "Daddy" and that person is not your daddy.

So that's why they brought out the whip.

So that's why they brought out the whip.

Never trust a computer repairman in a leather hood.

Alright, I just returned from a computer repair shop(Computer Renaissance), going to get my laptop fixed.

I used to work at a Com Ren. Horrid.
Anyway...

They should have given you the option of replacing the board (newer laptops you have no choice) or attempting a solder job but make you sign a release saying you acknowledge that this voids any warranty and they are not responsible for anything. This is just because the manufacturer expressly forbids anyone taking a soldering iron to their equipment.

If the problem was just that the solder points needed to be retouched, then you shouldn't have a problem. It might not be enough and they might have to replace the whole power socket (not that big of a deal on older models). This takes time (labor cost). You pay per hour it sits on the bench - so once someone cracks it open until it is done you are getting charged. This should only take 30 min if they have everything right on hand and know what is wrong, if they have to look for a new socket or something, you will pay for that time.

Half of the cost of repairs at a place like that is not actually paying for the techie doing the work, it is paying for the facility and the liability insurance.

$250 is a bit on the pricey side, but not outrageous when you are talking about mucking about inside a laptop with a soldering iron.

I used to work at a Com Ren. Horrid.
Anyway...

They should have given you the option of replacing the board (newer laptops you have no choice) or attempting a solder job but make you sign a release saying you acknowledge that this voids any warranty and they are not responsible for anything. This is just because the manufacturer expressly forbids anyone taking a soldering iron to their equipment.

If the problem was just that the solder points needed to be retouched, then you shouldn't have a problem. It might not be enough and they might have to replace the whole power socket (not that big of a deal on older models). This takes time (labor cost). You pay per hour it sits on the bench - so once someone cracks it open until it is done you are getting charged. This should only take 30 min if they have everything right on hand and know what is wrong, if they have to look for a new socket or something, you will pay for that time.

Half of the cost of repairs at a place like that is not actually paying for the techie doing the work, it is paying for the facility and the liability insurance.

$250 is a bit on the pricey side, but not outrageous when you are talking about mucking about inside a laptop with a soldering iron.

It didn't help the matter that they "suggested" that I buy a new laptop, and offhandedly tell me about all the great perks of buying laptops from them. :rolleyes:

If I do get a new computer, I'm building it myself. And it's going to be a laptop. Save me some cash.

I used to work at a Com Ren. Horrid.
Anyway...

They should have given you the option of replacing the board (newer laptops you have no choice) or attempting a solder job but make you sign a release saying you acknowledge that this voids any warranty and they are not responsible for anything. This is just because the manufacturer expressly forbids anyone taking a soldering iron to their equipment.

If the problem was just that the solder points needed to be retouched, then you shouldn't have a problem. It might not be enough and they might have to replace the whole power socket (not that big of a deal on older models). This takes time (labor cost). You pay per hour it sits on the bench - so once someone cracks it open until it is done you are getting charged. This should only take 30 min if they have everything right on hand and know what is wrong, if they have to look for a new socket or something, you will pay for that time.

Half of the cost of repairs at a place like that is not actually paying for the techie doing the work, it is paying for the facility and the liability insurance.

$250 is a bit on the pricey side, but not outrageous when you are talking about mucking about inside a laptop with a soldering iron.

Well, they "suggested" I buy a new laptop. And then "mentioned" all the perks of buying from them.

Right. The only reason why I have laptop(I prefer desktops) is that it's a gift. If I get a new, it's going to be a desktop, that I build myself. So much more power for much less.

Depends on the laptop, some of Toshiba's design for the power connector socket are prone to being dodgy (I have one those at work) - and after replacing the motherboard and resoldering socket, it sorta is fixed.

I know the feeling. I've tried time and again to convience my parents to let me fix the computer for them, but theyre definitly in the "IF WE OPEN THE CASE WE WILL DISTURB THE MACHINE SPIRIT" camp when it comes to computers.
Apparently paying Geek Squad $100 to come out and $50 an hour to do what would take me 15 minutes is somehow more comforting.
Its great to know your parents trust you.

I know the feeling. I've tried time and again to convience my parents to let me fix the computer for them, but theyre definitly in the "IF WE OPEN THE CASE WE WILL DISTURB THE MACHINE SPIRIT" camp when it comes to computers.
Apparently paying Geek Squad $100 to come out and $50 an hour to do what would take me 15 minutes is somehow more comforting.
Its great to know your parents trust you.

Oh, trust me, if I knew how to do it myself, I'd have cracked the beast open ages ago. Infact, I know a few people who know how to do it. The problem is, my computer is brick. None of us have figured out how to open it yet(Took out all the screws, all the pieces that can be taken out without opening the thing up, and it just won't open). I'd figure that if I were to bring it into a shop, they could get it done, know for sure what they were doing, and at least give some sort of guarentee of their work.

What I get, instead, was a guy telling me he's going to brutalize me anally, with an expensive, none guarenteed service, that might not work, all the while "suggesting" to me to buy a new computer from them, while "mentioning" all the perks of buying from them.

Bastardos.

Actually, for me - depends what you are doing. If it's replacinf RAM, hard drive, or something simple on the laptop - I'd do it myself. If it involves something to with soldering or the power connector or doing something with the motherboard, I'd pay someone to do it properly.

Actually, for me - depends what you are doing. If it's replacinf RAM, hard drive, or something simple on the laptop - I'd do it myself. If it involves something to with soldering or the power connector or doing something with the motherboard, I'd pay someone to do it properly.

Well, the thing is, I'm not even guarenteed they will do it properly. If they screw up, or it doesn't work, I'm out $250. So... yeah.

You could replace it for less than that.

EDIT: *re-reads the word laptop* Posi knows nothing helpful to this thread. *has never used a laptop before*

You could replace it for less than that.

EDIT: *re-reads the word laptop* Posi knows nothing helpful to this thread. *has never used a laptop before*

Well, the beautiful thing is, they said they would take the motherboard out(Powerjack included), and put it in a new laptop, for free, if I bought I new laptop from them.

Also, I went to another place that replace the entire motherboard(Powerjack included) for $200. Now, I rather like my motherboard, as I have some rather important data on it(140 gigs of porn-kidding), and I wouldn't want to do it unless the motherboard were fried, but yet, a complete replacement of a very expensive part, that would get my computer back into shape, costing less than actually fixing the problem with it, being a very simple, very quick, very easy thing to do.

Something just seems wrong.

Which is why I'm considering just building a god damn desktop. So much easier to repair.

Well, the beautiful thing is, they said they would take the motherboard out(Powerjack included), and put it in a new laptop, for free, if I bought I new laptop from them.

Also, I went to another place that replace the entire motherboard(Powerjack included) for $200. Now, I rather like my motherboard, as I have some rather important data on it(140 gigs of porn-kidding), and I wouldn't want to do it unless the motherboard were fried, but yet, a complete replacement of a very expensive part, that would get my computer back into shape, costing less than actually fixing the problem with it, being a very simple, very quick, very easy thing to do.

Something just seems wrong.

Which is why I'm considering just building a god damn desktop. So much easier to repair.
Your motherboard has no data on it. Well it has BIOS which is responsible for very basic bootstraping but none of you porn is on your motherboard.

Also, I went to another place that replace the entire motherboard(Powerjack included) for $200. Now, I rather like my motherboard, as I have some rather important data on it(140 gigs of porn-kidding), and I wouldn't want to do it unless the motherboard were fried, but yet, a complete replacement of a very expensive part, that would get my computer back into shape, costing less than actually fixing the problem with it, being a very simple, very quick, very easy thing to do.

The motherboard doesn't store data. The only (non-external) devices that store data in a computer are RAM and hard disks, and only the hard disk keeps data after the computer is shut off.

All the motherboard does is allow the varying components of the computer to communicate; and when I say this is "all it does", keep in mind that this operation is much harder than it sounds.

The motherboard doesn't store data. The only (non-external) devices that store data in a computer are RAM and hard disks, and only the hard disk keeps data after the computer is shut off.

All the motherboard does is allow the varying components of the computer to communicate; and when I say this is "all it does", keep in mind that this operation is much harder than it sounds.

Yay! My precious precious porn!(Kidding, I don't have porn, I have some important school info on there as well as other things I'd rather not lose)

Well, now you can see why I'm looking for someone else to do it for me, and why I'm not doing it myself. Just not willing to spend $250 dollars on something that isn't guaranteed to work. Nor am I willing to buy a new laptop from them. If I really need to get a new comp, I know plenty of people who know how to build a desktop, so that's what I'm gonna do.

Yay! My precious precious porn!(Kidding, I don't have porn, I have some important school info on there as well as other things I'd rather not lose)

Well, now you can see why I'm looking for someone else to do it for me, and why I'm not doing it myself. Just not willing to spend $250 dollars on something that isn't guaranteed to work. Nor am I willing to buy a new laptop from them. If I really need to get a new comp, I know plenty of people who know how to build a desktop, so that's what I'm gonna do.

I do have a desktop and I do most of the upgrades and repairs. I bought a custom-built PC two years ago - until it power supply kinda blew up and took out the motherboard with it. The current PC has a new power supply, new CPU (old one works still), new video card (old one still works), and new motherboard with an additional RAM stick. Somehow - all of those are now black!

Alright, I just returned from a computer repair shop(Computer Renaissance), going to get my laptop fixed.

Now, the problem was that the power jack on my computer came loose. A simple soldering job, one would think. At it was, and the person there told me. Fairly simple, could have it back to me by the end of the day.

The kicker? It would cost me $250...

And another kicker in the works! It's not guaranteed to work. As well, if it doesn't, I'm out $250. For a little bit of hot metal put to another little bit of metal. That might not fix the problem...

Now, I have a question to go with this:

Is this as much of a raping as I think it is? Are they ripping me off as much as I think they are? How much does this type of service usually cost?

So, anybody else have any good rip-off stories they want to share? Vent a little anger?

Well not quite a computer, but I had an old Fiat Punto a couple of years back that was suffering from some manner of faulty temperature sensor in the engine that was causing the engine to rev up uncontrollably every so often - very safe in traffic jams, car parks and slow-moving traffic, by the way. I took it to an electrical specialist who charged me £20 to tell me that they had no f**king clue. So I figured the best people to know would be the dealership flying the car's brand, yeah? No. I took it to a Fiat dealership called Vickers (oh yes, name and shame time!) who charged me a whopping £70 to tell me - guess what - they had no f**king clue.

In the end I took it to a garage owned by a family friend, some 40 miles away, who fixed it for £20, parts and labour.

I know the feeling. I've tried time and again to convience my parents to let me fix the computer for them, but theyre definitly in the "IF WE OPEN THE CASE WE WILL DISTURB THE MACHINE SPIRIT" camp when it comes to computers.
Apparently paying Geek Squad $100 to come out and $50 an hour to do what would take me 15 minutes is somehow more comforting.
Its great to know your parents trust you.

You're better off letting Geek Squad do it. You don't want the specter of your parents calling you every time they've got a minor problem for you to fix it. Let 'em pay for it.

Oh, trust me, if I knew how to do it myself, I'd have cracked the beast open ages ago. Infact, I know a few people who know how to do it. The problem is, my computer is brick. None of us have figured out how to open it yet(Took out all the screws, all the pieces that can be taken out without opening the thing up, and it just won't open). I'd figure that if I were to bring it into a shop, they could get it done, know for sure what they were doing, and at least give some sort of guarentee of their work.

What I get, instead, was a guy telling me he's going to brutalize me anally, with an expensive, none guarenteed service, that might not work, all the while "suggesting" to me to buy a new computer from them, while "mentioning" all the perks of buying from them.

Bastardos.

If its a pre-built computer there is usually some finger-breaking plastic catch hidden about the case somewhere, designed to make it nigh-on impossible to get the computer open without knowing the exact amount of preassure which must be applied.
And usually the case is filled with assorted plastic crap as well, designed, again, so that you have to send the computer into the shop to get it updated.

In all honesty, its one of the easiest things on the planet to do to update your computers hardware and/or fix minor problems. It just requires a little dexterity and a bit of caution. Basically as long as you dont brutally scrape a screwdriver along any of the boards your computer or accidentally wedge a paperclip inside one of the fans, will probobly be fine.
In fact, the hardest thing (for me, anyway) is getting those damned screws to stay in so you can tighten them down. They have a tendancy to fall out and roll behind the motherboard whereupon I have to abort all work, tip the case up and wiggle the little bastard out from its hiding spot.
My computers case is wierd though, since it has a little metal lip a few inches above the place where the card ports are.

In summary, dont buy pre-built computers. Build your own. Its cheaper and they last longer.