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View Full Version : Does anyone else have negative experiences with Geek Squad?



Artemis Fowl
August 24th, 2010, 03:22 AM
Awhile ago, when I still ran Vista, I took my computer to best buy to see if I could get a better graphics card for it. I was told that you cannot upgrade graphics cards unless you have a desktop. I was also told that despite having Norton antivirus, my computer was infected. So, I took my computer to Geek squad, and they started running a scan with what honestly looked like a batch file antivirus. It found several things of spyware. To this point, they may have been telling the truth. To summarize because the whole story will probably bore you, I ended up with a blank vista system though I was told I would get backup disks and a huge geek squad support program. I am NEVER trusting them again. The salesmen also told me not to try ubuntu, something I was considering due to my paranoia of viruses.

Zzl1xndd
August 24th, 2010, 03:33 AM
Not Geek Squad specifically, but most Computer Technicians (and I use the term loosely) that work in retail stores have no idea what they are doing. At lest half don't even have their A+.

In short I don't trust most of them either.

LowSky
August 24th, 2010, 03:34 AM
Awhile ago, when I still ran Vista, I took my computer to best buy to see if I could get a better graphics card for it. I was told that you cannot upgrade graphics cards unless you have a desktop.
Best Buy doesn't sell Graphics cards for laptops, heck they barely sell desktop models.


I was also told that despite having Norton antivirus, my computer was infected.
That can be very true, Norton isn't that great of a antivirus, especially if you never update it.


So, I took my computer to Geek squad, and they started running a scan with what honestly looked like a batch file antivirus. It found several things of spyware. To this point, they may have been telling the truth.

Probably were telling you the truth. Spyware isn't a virus by the way.


To summarize because the whole story will probably bore you, I ended up with a blank vista system though I was told I would get backup disks and a huge geek squad support program.
Did you get it in writing?


I am NEVER trusting them again. The salesmen also told me not to try ubuntu, something I was considering due to my paranoia of viruses.
You went to a store that sells Windows based PC's, that has a marketing campaign with Microsoft, and sells PC cleaning services for brand new PC's, and are mad that some salesman told you not to use Ubuntu.

Shining Arcanine
August 24th, 2010, 03:34 AM
I never ran Vista and I never go to geek squad. Perhaps you should do neither of those things too.

Also, I have to agree with the salesman. If you are paranoid about virii, you should install a SELinux distribution like CentOS (a RedHat Enterprise Linux clone) or Gentoo Linux (which can be configured to be a SELinux distribution). It is certainly overkill, but paranoia usually causes people to commit acts of overkill.

Shining Arcanine
August 24th, 2010, 03:35 AM
Not Geek Squad specifically, but most Computer Technicians (and I use the term loosely) that work in retail stores have no idea what they are doing. At lest half don't even have their A+.

In short I don't trust most of them either.
It is hard to find a certification where all who have it are good computer technicians. I doubt it exists.

drawkcab
August 24th, 2010, 03:36 AM
It should be obvious that people who know what they're doing with computers don't work at Best Buy.

Zzl1xndd
August 24th, 2010, 03:38 AM
It is hard to find a certification where all who have it are good computer technicians. I doubt it exists.

To true, but one would think they would at least have it.

Shining Arcanine
August 24th, 2010, 03:41 AM
To true, but one would think they would at least have it.
Good computer technicians likely do not need <insert certification here> certification to get jobs, so why would they tend to have it?

Zzl1xndd
August 24th, 2010, 03:43 AM
Good computer technicians likely do not need <insert certification here> certification to get jobs, so why would they tend to have it?

Maybe I am just getting old, but when I used to do computer repair it was just expected that you had it.

Shining Arcanine
August 24th, 2010, 03:46 AM
Maybe I am just getting old, but when I used to do computer repair it was just expected that you had it.
It depends where you work. Different places have different bureaucratic requirements.

MooPi
August 24th, 2010, 03:59 AM
I've got a whopper of a story. This guy at work tells me his computer is messed up so I agree to investigate. During an update Windows tells him his Windows OS is pirated/illegal software and he can purchase a new COA from them. He tells me he took his computer previously to BestBuy and the Geeks to have it fixed. So after looking at his computer for a while I notice he has WindowsXP media center COA on the back but WindowsXP Pro installed. I look closer and find that there is a partition for restoration on the hard drive that is unusable. He gives me the software for the computer which includes a WindowsXP Home upgrade disk which is the only disk that he has to re-install Windows.
To break it down Geek Squad borked his restore partition by using an over extended XP Pro OEM install disk then sold him a Useless upgrade disk for the wrong OS

Hman242
August 24th, 2010, 04:18 AM
Once I was in Best Buy and saw a Geek Squad sign that said they would set up your PS3 for $130. $130 to plug in a cord to the wall and another cord into the tv. Is that really that hard to do?

Scabby_al
August 24th, 2010, 04:21 AM
It should be obvious that people who know what they're doing with computers don't work at Best Buy.

Except those of us who needed a second job to help pay the bills. Said second job became primary job because primary job downsized. Now back to your ivory tower with you!

WalmartSniperLX
August 24th, 2010, 04:25 AM
That brings back memories of a time not long ago when I worked at Circuit City, the major competitor of Best Buy. I was placed in Camera sales after telling my manager I knew a few more things in computers, and have experience working with them. As far as imaging, I had no clue, period. But, they stuck me where someone was needed and trained my by having me 'shadow' other workers.

By the time I finally transferred to Computers, I only worked in sales. I was shocked to hear that some of the best salesman didn't know a darn thing about computers. I'm not saying I'm a computer wizard because I'm not. However, it was clear that these guys were just salesman who operated on nothing more than marketing.

I was asked to fill in at the Firedog tech bench (their version of Geek Squad). First of all, being less expensive than Geek Squad, I still felt guilty when selling the tech packages because I would charge people 50 dollars to install Norton (point, click, click, enter serial, click, reboot). Not to mention that the others whom I worked with didn't seem to be inclined in the field, and did not have certifications.
They threw me behind the bench because they needed a tech to fill in for a couple hours.. they could have pulled anyone from the sales floor regardless of what they knew.

Knowing all of this from the inside, I wouldn't trust techies in retail stores. That's just my opinion.

Sporkman
August 24th, 2010, 04:27 AM
If you are paranoid about virii, you should install a SELinux distribution like CentOS (a RedHat Enterprise Linux clone) or Gentoo Linux (which can be configured to be a SELinux distribution). It is certainly overkill, but paranoia usually causes people to commit acts of overkill.

...or an AppArmor distribution, like Ubuntu.

bug67
August 24th, 2010, 04:41 AM
I have been in the process of refurbishing the Dell XPS 400 that my dad gave me. Part of the process included removing the heat sink from the CPU. When I did this, I removed all the old thermal paste that was left between the two. Well, I didn't have any so off to Best Buy I go. I saunter up to the Geek Squad counter and politely inquire as to where I may acquire said thermal paste.

G.S. "Never heard of such a thing."
Me. "What?"
G.S. "I've never heard of it and don't know of any place in town that carries such a thing"
Me. "If you've never heard of such a thing, how do you know nobody in town has it?"
G.S. "Sorry."

So I go two blocks down the road to Ace Hardware and buy a tube for $2.39.

The next day I had to go back to Best Buy for some other stuff. The same guy was there so I just had to tell him, "Ace Hardware carries it in case somebody else comes looking."

I went about my shopping and wouldn't you know it? Best Buy did indeed have thermal paste! They wanted over 10 bucks for it though. I took it up to the G.S. counter and, to the same guy, "And you guys carry it to!" To which he replied, Ahh, I just usually use some sort of lotion and electrical tape for that.:shock:

I will NEVER take ANYTHING to those guys. ;)

WalmartSniperLX
August 24th, 2010, 04:59 AM
I have been in the process of refurbishing the Dell XPS 400 that my dad gave me. Part of the process included removing the heat sink from the CPU. When I did this, I removed all the old thermal paste that was left between the two. Well, I didn't have any so off to Best Buy I go. I saunter up to the Geek Squad counter and politely inquire as to where I may acquire said thermal paste.

G.S. "Never heard of such a thing."
Me. "What?"
G.S. "I've never heard of it and don't know of any place in town that carries such a thing"
Me. "If you've never heard of such a thing, how do you know nobody in town has it?"
G.S. "Sorry."

So I go two blocks down the road to Ace Hardware and buy a tube for $2.39.

The next day I had to go back to Best Buy for some other stuff. The same guy was there so I just had to tell him, "Ace Hardware carries it in case somebody else comes looking."

I went about my shopping and wouldn't you know it? Best Buy did indeed have thermal paste! They wanted over 10 bucks for it though. I took it up to the G.S. counter and, to the same guy, "And you guys carry it to!" To which he replied, Ahh, I just usually use some sort of lotion and electrical tape for that.:shock:

I will NEVER take ANYTHING to those guys. ;)

o.O :lolflag:

Austin25
August 24th, 2010, 05:21 AM
This spring, my charger went out on my laptop, so we take it in. They test it with a spare charger they have, and yep, it's the charger. So I fill out the paperwork, and they take the charger and the laptop. They say they're going to send it in, and it will be back in about two months. Well, we're pretty ticked as we're walking out the door, and about down the road I get a call from them. They decided they don't need to send it in, and they can just order the new charger and send me it, as well as me getting the laptop back.

It's good to know they have a little common sense, but he should have known this from the point he tested it with the charger. Oh well, close call though. Literally.

Sporkman
August 24th, 2010, 01:41 PM
I will NEVER take ANYTHING to those guys.

:lol:

Calash
August 24th, 2010, 03:00 PM
Good computer technicians likely do not need <insert certification here> certification to get jobs, so why would they tend to have it?

For the good jobs they are a requirement, even if they are basically jumping through hoops.

The Dell online test has a link that opens the support manuals for the items you are testing on. It is about a step away from "Pay us and here is your cert."


As to my story it is indirect.

A friend got me a side job with her friend from work. He has an office with two computers that he said were having virus trouble. The last support he got was from Staples.

So I go over and take a look. Apparently the PC was running slow and the Staples tech solution for this was to go into MSCONFIG and shut down everything. Yes...every single boot service and startup script. Including things like Virus Scan, VPN, USB Backup software, Firewall...

It had been sitting online like that for close to 7 months when I got to it. That system had some nasty viruses on it..some I still have not gotten rid of completely but at least Norton is blocking the URL intercept attempts.

Never trusting Staples tech support after that. He said he paid 150 for them to do that....


Edit: For my Linux only friends, MSCONFIG is a built-in utility in Windows. It allows you to manage several startup scripts and services from a single diagnostic utility. You can easily override what it does by holding Shift during boot and it is really designed for temporary testing of disabling startup items.