Computer repair shops - Sky News Investigation

motorguy

Jakg wrote: »

Had the screen, inverter, CPU, mobo and CD ROM drive died PC World would of been easily the cheapest at £230

You'd have to be very unlucky for that to happen though....

mr_fishbulb

FireFox wrote: »

So if the Techies on here can't solve your problem and you simply have to use one of these shops then make sure you remove all personal data before you hand over your computer.

Personal data should not exist in an unencrypted form on your computer anyway. You never know when people will have access to it. It may be stolen. People may gain remote access through a backdoor (not the one on your house). An ill-configured program could be sharing your files on the internet. You could be backing up to a publically available website. Etc.

Lots of free programs allow you to encrypt files, folders or even full disks. Take a look at TrueCrypt and AxCrypt.

motorguy

damo24 wrote: »

It's a bit unfair to tar ALL computer shops with the same brush, the majority are hard working, honest people trying to make a living. There will always be the odd rotten egg but as a general rule a local independent computer shop will be a LOT cheaper and much more professional than a big chain such as PC World where most of the technicians have very little experience and work on a commision basis.

I totally agree - its a hard enough job as it is.

Problem - fault ram replaced

Customer two weeks later - "you replaced the ram in my computer two weeks ago and now my (pirate) copy of microsoft office doesnt work so it must be YOUR fault."

fozmcfc

It's a difficult one.

My advice to anyone who has a hardware computer issue and has data that you wouldn't like to be looked at, would be to firstly get a tech savvy friend to look at it, while you are present. Failing that take the hard drive out and install it into another PC and remove or transfer any sensitive data onto dvd/cd or usb pen drive, before sending a pc off for repair. An alternative to that, would be to get a hard disk drive caddie from somewhere like Maplin and put your hard drive into that and plug it in via usb into another pc or laptop and transfer the data.

Two years ago my pc just switched itself off and just wouldn't switch on, despite all efforts (I'm pretty much above average when it comes to PC's and the inner workings) and numerous postings/advice on techy forums, I couldn't get it to work.

I was left with the choice of either sending it in for repair or getting a new PC. Because of senstive data being on the PC's hard drive including bank details and emails etc (I hadn't had chance to even clear my internet cookies) I decided that I didn't want to take it in or send it off, without first accessing the hard drive.

In the end, I made the decision to not bother and got a new PC. I took the hard drive out and ended up installing it, in my new PC, as well as a few other bits and pieces and took the drives out as well, so it wasn't a complete loss.

fozmcfc

Inactive wrote: »

Sky are not in a position to judge other's morals, they need to check their own out first.

Surely I can't be the only person who wants to know what you are on about.

I'm no fan of Sky, but wouldn't make a post like that without explaining why.

Inactive

fozmcfc wrote: »

Surely I can't be the only person who wants to know what you are on about.

I'm no fan of Sky, but wouldn't make a post like that without explaining why.

Well if you think for one minute that Sky News is impartial, you must be on a different planet to me, it is linked to the Sun and News of the World Newspapers via Rupert Murdoch, that fine upstanding citizen of the media.:rolleyes:

Jakg

pgilc1 wrote: »

You'd have to be very unlucky for that to happen though....

If I came home with another girls lipstick on my collar i'm fairly sure the GF would do every one of them simultaneously

rmg1

CHR15 wrote: »

When did PC World start employing technicians?

Dunno, but they must have kept it quiet!!! :rotfl:

superscaper

damo24 wrote: »

It's a bit unfair to tar ALL computer shops with the same brush,

Don't think anyone is. The article itself starts of with "Some computer repair shops" and even in their investigation they didn't say all the shops they tried had misdiagnosed, overcharged etc.

Stompa

DatabaseError wrote: »

I thought it was common sense to remove personal data before handing over a computer to a stranger?

I guess the problem is that if the computer is broken, then removing the data is not so easy. Of course, as others have suggested, having unencrypted sensitive data on your PC in the first place is asking for trouble.