Ubuntu erased, XP installed without permission

[zombifier25]

Since I don't see any ranting thread, so
RANT ALERT

About a week ago, my Ubuntu-running IBM ThinkPad's VGA card broke down. Everything else is working fine, but after starting the comp about 5 minutes then the monitor would die and the TTY would spew all sort of errors.

So, I took it for repair and they told me it is indeed a problem with the VGA card. A week later, the laptop came home, but - let me emphasize, the error has nothing to do with the drive - THEY FREAKING ERASED THE ENTIRE DRIVE AND SLAPPED XP ON IT. All my files - puff, gone. The worst part is that they didn't even bother to install the drivers, which means my ThinkPad can't use WiFi. I wanted to type this with rage right now, but I'm using a laptop whose right half of the keyboard is damaged, so I'm using the onscreen keyboard to type each and every character. Dangit.

END RANT. THANK YOU FOR READING

[Erik1984]

I guess you had a backup of most important files? It still sucks, they probably thought that weird Ubuntu thing was a virus and fixed it for you. What a great service...

[Jakin]

I would take issue with professional repair, blanking my HDD of sensitive data, too.
You didn't send it in for that- just a hardware replacment.
Even if XP was needed for the repair, they could have used a spare HDD, do what they had to do, and put back your HDD with your files back in.

[szymon_g]

well- next time you will take out hdd before giving it to service.
in thinkpads, its a matter of unsrewing one screw.

[ALinuxWindowsBalance]

When in anger, complain.

[Gster4]

they probably thought that weird Ubuntu thing was a virus and fixed it for you. What a great service...

XP is the virus.

[mips]

This is standard operating procedure as far as I'm aware when computers go to the service centre.

[DarkAmbient]

Since I don't see any ranting thread, so
RANT ALERT

About a week ago, my Ubuntu-running IBM ThinkPad's VGA card broke down. Everything else is working fine, but after starting the comp about 5 minutes then the monitor would die and the TTY would spew all sort of errors.

So, I took it for repair and they told me it is indeed a problem with the VGA card. A week later, the laptop came home, but - let me emphasize, the error has nothing to do with the drive - THEY FREAKING ERASED THE ENTIRE DRIVE AND SLAPPED XP ON IT. All my files - puff, gone. The worst part is that they didn't even bother to install the drivers, which means my ThinkPad can't use WiFi. I wanted to type this with rage right now, but I'm using a laptop whose right half of the keyboard is damaged, so I'm using the onscreen keyboard to type each and every character. Dangit.

END RANT. THANK YOU FOR READING

The software they use when testing hardware-components is probably for Windows. Not that it makes this more OK, I've experienced something similar as you in the past, it sucks.

[jerome1232]

This is standard operating procedure as far as I'm aware when computers go to the service centre.

Even so, I would rant and rave until they shoved my nose into the fine print to show me where it says they can do that and they would have to have security escort me out.

[CharlesA]

This is standard operating procedure as far as I'm aware when computers go to the service centre.

That has been my experience from looking at different places (and having a laptop serviced by HP).

Even so, I would rant and rave until they shoved my nose into the fine print to show me where it says they can do that and they would have to have security escort me out.

+1. Before taking a machine in for repair always make a backup, even if that involved pulling the hard drive out and cloning it.

When I used to do computer repair, I had a nice set of terms that said the customer was responsible for backing up their data, most of the people I helped didn't even read the ToS and just signed it.