subject: Pc Computer Repair Scammers Taking The Simple Way Out - The Wipe And Re-install Fix [print this page] PC Computer Repair Scammers Taking the Simple Way Out - The Wipe and Re-install Fix
This syndrome in the PC Computer repair industry places near near the top of my frustration list of patterns by some Computer repair techs. I am referring to the practice of a few amateur Desktop Computer repair "Gurus", and even some big company franchises, taking the easy way out to repair a Computer by telling the computer owner that they have no alternative but to replace the hard drive and Re-image everything.
Hi, I am Bill Arnoldi, proprietor of FireBall Tech PC Computer Repair in Tucson, Arizona. In my mind, I am still attempting to ascertain how a "skilled" tech can call destroying and reinstalling a "fix" for any PC Computer repair problem. On my list of remediations, that is my final resort. Mostly it kind of leaves me feeling a bit thwarted. But, since I seldom have to ever come to that, I think only three or four times in the last eighteen years, it is not a tremendous matter for me.
So why do numerous PC Computer repair techs find it so simple to resort to destroying the customer's data and formating their hard drive as a solution to a PC repair trouble? Here are a couple of of the reasons.
1. They really do not know how to resolve the trouble. This is the number one rationality. Most of the time this is the method most often utilized by technicians that have minimal skill in really troubleshooting and fixing Desktop Computers, you know who they are. Its the individual, frequently barely out of high school, that grew up playing with computers and built their own gaming system so he thinks they are skilled at repairing computers, or the individual that home studied the certification books and went forward to get a credential because they answered all the questions right on a piece of paper. Any way it goes, they just don't have the capabilities and this is their sole resolution to a somewhat difficult problem. What is worse is they are taking advantage of the client that is trusting their "expert" determination that this is the SINGLE answer to their problem, oftentimes leaving the client with a feeling of regret for not having backed up all their data, documents and pictures and losing them because of the Re-image.
2. The faster the fix, the more money they can make. It takes longer to troubleshoot and attempt repair paths on a PC Computer with compound problems. Often a consumer is searching for the lowest cost for the Desktop Computer repair. In order to remain competitive and preserve a bulk of business, a Desktop Computer repair company may resort to the erase and reimage of a Desktop Computer because it uses significantly less time than actually solving the problem. Thus, they can make more money by taking the quickest road to getting the PC Computer up and going again. Again this is not usually in the consumer's best interest because they end up generally losing their information and having to Reimage many of of their software applications on their own.
3. Laziness. This constitutes a fragment of both of the previous plus a poor mental attitude, but is really self-explanatory. The PC Computer technician or the company doctrine is to take the easy way out, avoid possible ramifications, get the PC out the door repaired, and do so with the smallest amount of effort, time and expense. It is a "repair mill" outlook. Generally, they just don't care about the customer. Rather, it is all about whatsoever is simplest and most lucrative. Again, the customer becomes an innocent dupe of unskilled business mental attitudes and practices.
A comment reply by a self-alleged Computer repair guru on a forum posting by some other newbie technician asking "What's a good turnaround time on PC repair for customers?" read the following: "It really counts on clientele, If you want to do this in a full time extent, you should be able to do this in about 8 to 12 hours. If you just reimage the Desktop Computer it shouldn't take more than 2 hours." I guess we know how he operates.
A trustworthy computer repair tech can resolve nearly any trouble without resorting to wiping a hard drive and re-installing the OS, also referred to as reimaging a Computer. A computer repair technician with a genuine concern for the consumer's best interest will use everything in their armory to repair a problem before resorting to a complete reimaging of a Computer system.
In my own Tucson PC repair company, I can site a lot of examples wherein a customer brought a Desktop Computer to me because they were told by another Computer repair person that it was inevitable to reimage the customer's PC concluding in absolute loss of their data, only to discover that indeed, it could be restored without any loss. Yes, sometimes it costs more than than reimaging a system as a result of the longer repair operations, but the customer more often than not would preferably pay a little more than lose all their information, and all too frequently, their valued libraries of family memories on the PC Computer in digital pictures.
My suggestion to consumers is to ask around and ascertain the reputation of the Computer repair tech. Don't be gullible and easily assume a PC Computer repair technician's statement that a total wipe and Restore of the hard drive is essential. Drill them on the causes why it is needed, and what the choices are. At the very least, always tell a PC repair individual or company that they should contact you for authorization prior to formatting your hard drive and restoring your Desktop Computer. Be mindful as well, that some of the huge franchise operations use a business model wherein a series of mandated stripped-down troubleshooting measures are taken on before the company policy prescribes a complete Re-image of the PC Computer is requisite for problem resolution.
