What is a PC World Health Check?

marka87uk

Knowing I'm pretty technically minded, a relative has asked me if I could do a 'health check' on her PC after seeing that PC World offer this service.

My question is, what do they actually do? I couldn't find anything on their website about this.

I guess a virus/spyware scan (I'll run a couple of freeware scanners and look at a HijackThis log), but what else?

skim

knowing the capabilities of most PCWorld staff - I guess a bit less than what you've listed. Probably do a defrag to if you're lucky.

A site that has just been set up by three of the best PC magazines journalists I know is here. http://supportpcs.co.uk/forum/index.php for the forum

Here for the main site http://supportpcs.co.uk

Looks like you know more or less what you are doing but if you get stuck they'll help out.

jimsmum

god knows!! my pc is from pc world and yep got the health check thing with it.just got the stuff out to have a look what it actually was but doesnt say.
I wouldnt know either as every time i ring up to book my pc in for one of these thay never have any appointments.this has been for about 2 years now.the only thing i could do is drive the 40miles to pc world one day on the off chance theyve had a cancelation.
I dont think so!!!

albertross_2

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/02/21/pc_world_instore_virus_check/

so, a waste of money..

--

Just virusscan/malware/rootkit scan/patch it/delete crap/defrag

https://www.ccleaner.com
https://www.windowsupdate.com

install upto data av/malware scanners if they don't have them.

skim

albertross wrote:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/02/21/pc_world_instore_virus_check/

that links a bit old - 2001 - but I can't imagine them doing anything that you can't do yourself FREE

albertross_2

Nothing has changed, it's a virus scan, a blow of air, and an opportunity to sell some upgrades..

http://www.pcworld.ie/customerService.aspx

One-to-one assessment of your computing needs
Free installation of any upgrades purchased from us
Advice on file management to release tied-up memory
Suggestions on how to speed up your PC
Virus check and removal. Almost 1 in 5 PCs we check have a virus
Full valet of your machine inside and out
Not included:
Initial repairs - if the PC refuses to boot up or exhibits fatal errors, a Healthcheck cannot be completed.



All for £50 in shop, or £70 at home.

Dead_Eye_Jones

actually werent they in the press this week? I read about it in the Metro (or other free london newspaper of which there are now a zillion) im sure.

I recall reading that the investigator took in a pc with a lose cable and got charged like £100 or so. Maybe some can google the article to be fair on 'em? Another example I remember was fixing a software issue with a full XP reload without backing up the users data first!

Id be very weary of any corporate pc fixing, ya average PC is so complex or just randomly tempramental - its unlikely they will have the skills to fix every problem, im sure in most cases theyll just go for drastic action or else will google a fix. If the "engineer" really has all these skills - why havent they got a job as some corporate techy, our guys earn a fortune!!

My other concern would be one of privacy, im not convinced they wouldnt nose round ya drive, read a few emails, look through your "photo" collection, report those mp3 "backups" you made etc.

Anyways, just my opinion, im sure theyve helped lots of people with basic problems. Prob a good service for the technophobes - not a lot of choice tbh.


edit: ah this is maybe what I read, from Nov 11 2006 http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/10394.html

PC World, Britain's largest chain of computer superstores, has been named by Computing Which? magazine as the worst place to get a computer fixed.

skim

most fixes are if it doesn't work - format the drive & load afresh losing all your data in the process!!!

If that doesn't work sell you a new PC.

More info http://supportpcs.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=101.0

Mizz_Pink

I'm not advertising our business before people have a go.

This is what we do "System MOT"

-Virus Scan with 3 virus products
-Spyware scan and clean with 3 diff products
-Remove cached info and crap, clean up hard disk
-Defragment hard disk using professional defrag tools (not the one inc in windows)
-Perform any critical updates
-Test all hardware components (inc power supply)
-Clean pc internally and externally
-Check and re-seat all cables (internal)
-Give advice on keeping system clean and protected and secure
-Give advice on any upgrades (usually memory/hard disk)

This costs £35

pchelpman

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=303035


PCH

skim

Mizz_Pink wrote:

I'm not advertising our business before people have a go.

This is what we do "System MOT"

-Virus Scan with 3 virus products
-Spyware scan and clean with 3 diff products
-Remove cached info and crap, clean up hard disk
-Defragment hard disk using professional defrag tools (not the one inc in windows)
-Perform any critical updates
-Test all hardware components (inc power supply)
-Clean pc internally and externally
-Check and re-seat all cables (internal)
-Give advice on keeping system clean and protected and secure
-Give advice on any upgrades (usually memory/hard disk)

This costs £35

sounds good for the money - what tests do you do on the hardware components?