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The sound on my notebook computer (PC) stopped working. I used the restore CD that came with the (PC). When I was finished and restarted the (PC) I saw a blue screen with the message “ missing system 32 hal.dll.”.I took the computer (PC), restore CD and power cord to Best Buy (Geek Squad) on 8/28/09. The employee told me that they charge $69.99 to Diagnose the computer; the employee told me that the geek squad would call me when they were done. I received a voice mail message from the geek squad 4 days later on 8/31/09. I went to the store and talked to the employee about the (PC). I was told that the Hard Drive was bad. I asked the employee what needed to be done to get the (PC) working again. The employee said, “The Hard Drive in your computer needs to be replaced”. I asked “How much will that cost?” I was told, $129.99 + $49.99 + $69.99 + price of a new hard drive. I was told hard drive price was around $50.00. (Copy of service order included with this letter) I told the employee NO THANK YOU and that I was not ready to spend that much on the (PC). I paid the $69.99 for the diagnostics and took my NOT WORKING (PC) home. I was OK with the $69.99 diagnostics charge at that time. That same night my next-door neighbor and I were talking about the (PC) problem I was having and he told me that his teenage son fixes his computer when it stops working properly. I asked my neighbor to have his teenage son look at my (PC) to see what he can do. I gave him the computer, restore CD and power cord. The (PC) DID NOT work properly anyway. Two (2) hours later that teenager came to my door with my WORKING computer. I asked the teenager how he fixed it and he told me that he formatted the hard drive 2 times in a row. He also told me that he had to do the same thing to his friends (PC) he fixed a few weeks before. He formatted the (PC) then turned it off rite away, restarted the (PC) reformatted again then installed the operating system. I spent 20 minutes checking out the (PC) then I paid him the $50.00 he wanted for fixing it and Thank him over & over again.
I took the WORKING (PC) back to the geek squad and talked to an employee named; Francisco Tapia. I asked to talk to the manager (Andy or Mahmud) and Francisco Tapia said “He is not here and will not be in until much later, can I help you?” I explained the whole story and asked for the $69?.99 to be credited back to my credit card for the FAULSE diagnoses:. Francisco Tapia told me that the geek squad was NOT going to give me a refund because the hard drive was bad and the diagnoses found bad sectors in it/. I opened & turned on the notebook and showed Francisco Tapia that the notebook was working fine|. Francisco Tapia said “We could have made the (PC) work by reinstalling the operating system too but it would have cost you more then the $69;.99 we charged you.. All I was told when I picked it up was that my Hard Drive was bad and needed to be replaced..
I understand what happened here, Best Buy (Geek Squad) wanted to sell a new hard drive to me and make money off me for the Installation Fee, New Hard Drive Fee, Operating System Installation Fee and the HW Install Fee whatever that is!.
I honestly wonder how many people this company has RIPPED OFF?
I am writing this letter to you on the notebook computer that the Geek Squad said needed a new hard drive to work and were going to charge me about $300.00 for.
The wireless Internet, the speakers, the DVD player and everything else works now. 2ccf847
 Comments (52) |
| 1. Written by acidcdb on November 29, 2011 I had failing hard drives before, according to a program ( I do not trust programs written by a company to tell you if something works or not. They are usually written by the same company that made your product, they want you to spend, spend, spend) . Maybe, my hard drive will fail further and further (doubt it), but the thing is I am still using all of them. (I use them for backing up all my files) I have never lost any data in the time. I have been using one for 7 years now and its an 8 year old hard drive. |
| 2. Written by Sachin on November 28, 2011 I took the Lenovo laptop as part of Black Friday deal.. that included some $69.99 charge for Geek Squad. I wanted to return that laptop and get a different one (a better deal online from different site). But they say they won't return the $69.99 as its a service... I have not even opened that laptop. And they indirectly forced me to keep the laptop... Geeksquad is a such a rip off.. I am not going to buy anything from Bestbuy ever again.. and I will ensure none of my friends or family are going to that such a store!!!! |
| 3. Written by Jessica on September 19, 2011 I have an HP notebook that does automatic updates. After one of these updates I was unable to log on and get my homepage. After I would turn it on and log in there was just a black screen. I took it to Geek Squad and they told me there were going to have to reinstall everything and that it would cost me $200. I am somewhat clueless when it comes to computers, but this price seemed high even to me. I went and picked up my computer and took it to a local PC repair shop. All they ended up having to do was a system restore. He also walked me through everything he did and informed that Geek Squad lies and rips people off all the time. He didn't have to wipe my computer and it ended up costing me $40...compared to Geek Squads price of $200. It makes me sick to my stomach that they actually knowingly overcharge people. Always get a second a opnion....mine ended up saving me $160! |
| 4. Written by Spurgeon Hill on September 19, 2011 The Geek Squad and Best Buy Co. are both (one and the same) reprehensible in their customer satisfaction. The Gek Squad has a ladder of success and apparently the higher (by hook or crook) the more aloof and belligerent you and afford to be. I have had a $2,000 Samsung with 650 Harmony remote (which I did not need-causes confusion without support) and absolutely no concern for my 2 minute problem. Only a CALL on my service call and only an aggravated Geek that said I had been instructed on the 650 and it would cost $99.00 to help me. This is not only unfair but very unprofessional. This individual hollered at me and then hung up. This did not help my situation and I am ONE frustrated $2,000 investor and will report this to the BBB and my attorneys. Thank you for the forum and I hope you change your company, otherwise the $3,000,000,000 can disappear quicker than Bernie Madoff because your business tactics are nothing but a PONZI scheme of which I am a victim. Shame to say that about a company but Best Buy/Geek Squad is just corrupt. I am so tired of spending hours on the phone and writing about this that it makes me sick at my stomach because it costs me $300 a day to teach 18 kids to be honest and good citizens. Your employees are neither! My e-mail is since you ask if I want to be contacted by e-mail. I noticed you left no place for e-mail or phone so that tells me this is useless. Why do you do business so dishonest and unfair? Money? Oh, that's it. Well it can be made honestly and fairly and much more profitable by referrals, if you care! |
| 5. Written by matthatesjohn on August 22, 2011 isn't* |
| 6. Written by Matthatesjohn on August 22, 2011 Guessing you're a best buy employee, as am I. The geek squad is a complete ripoff and you're probably better off taking it to a teenager or someone who is going to gouge your wallet for all its worth. The geek squad people are far from professional and use a bunch of software to run there diagnostics instead of taking the components out and testing them individually. They usually lack the knowledge needed to troubleshoot a computer without this software they rely so heavily on. There have been numerous times when the geek-squad employees have been made *** out of due to me correcting their "diagnoses." Don't trust geek-squad, look up a local technician who isn't going to gouge your wallet. You're much better off. Also black tie protection is a complete rip off. |
| 7. Written by rbc1965 on August 21, 2011 Hello, I am Robert. I posted the original comment on here. I looked back and read all the comments that were left to me. This is an up-date. I am writing this on the same laptop that Geek Squad said needed a new hard drive in it to work and were going to charge me about $300 to fix. As you can see it is now 2 years seance I posted my original complaint and the laptop is still working fine. I HAVE NOT & WILL NOT go to best buy ever again. I hope someone else learns from this, I know I have! |
| 8. Written by josh on August 21, 2011 I will tell you this lmao. All in all i had a worm maybe you can say and it was eating and destroying my harddrive/ computer i cant remember but i know that the gbs where going up and down reformed it realllly quickly and then i couldn't get internet on my computer. Needless to say Alls i need to do was just install the network driver. I had a backup computer thank god of i knew this would have never happen. He told me to get something out of the network like the driver i needed. Download a software on the other computer put it on a hardrive then just simply add it on. IT WOULD HAVE COST ME 185 bucks and i told him i had a gift card for it and he just simply said as long as you don't say nothing Just have it as a gift cause it was just about the 22nd of december 09. I was like wow yes I'll keep my mouth shut and he just said okay thank you and we hung up. Oh ya and the first guy that Was suppose to come out never came and the guy that called said that was odd got busy with another customer or something. RIP OFF but thanks dude!! ^^ |
| 9. Written by Robert on July 28, 2011 To John, You are an Educated ***!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| 10. Written by will on July 28, 2011 apparently JOHN must be a manager @ geek squad....you sir are a jacka** |
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