Repair Shops Hack Laptops, PCs; Watch Out

[exfileme]

Think your laptop or PC is in good hands at the repair shop? Think again.

Repair Shops Hack Laptops, PCs; Watch Out : Read more

 

[neon neophyte]

happens in every instance where trust is required. car repairs, large appliances... anything where they *can* screw you, they *do* screw you.

just like having a good mechanic who is trustworthy is KEY, so is having a quality IT person. in my family, thats me. ^^

 

[Parrdacc]

Just another reason to learn to troubleshoot and fix your own computer problems. What you do not know, the answer can be found online or hopefully you have friends that can help you out.

 

[rexoverbey]

IMO that is not an easy thing to diagnose. For one windows wasn't loading up, loose RAM woudln't be my first thought/choice. RAM is usually held in place fairly well by motherboards. Usually my experience with Windows not loading/booting is bad updates, software installation, or drivers not installed properly. Unless there was some kind of BSOD with a memory error or BIOS beep codes stating the error, it would be a difficult to narrow down. Of-course I wouldn't have charged for such an easy fix either.

 

[strangestranger]

Don't know if this is the same thing as I don't deal wit these types of places too often but my dad recently needed some more drive space and went to a local pc shop to see if they had any, they did, but said if they sold him one they would have to install it as well. Struck me as very odd IMO.

 

[computabug]

It's not scary at all, it's 'survival of the fittest'. If those people are too stupid to diagnose their own PC's, then they're not worthy of using them. If they're gonna get techies fixing it for them, I don't feel sorry for the customer if they get their data stolen and exploited.

But it is illegal, the the customers did pay for the service, so (unless they made no promises not to steal data) the customers deserve a trustworthy techie for their money, from a legal perspective.

Personally, I say "too bad for you, ya idiots".

 

[gekko668]

The dog eats dog world that we're living in. Every where you go you'll screw over, take advantage of. Even when you know how to repair your own computer, when you take your car to the repair shop, they'll take advantage of you too. It's so hard to find a good, trustful technician these day.

 

[Honis]

[citation][nom]rexoverbey[/nom]IMO that is not an easy thing to diagnose. For one windows wasn't loading up, loose RAM woudln't be my first thought/choice. RAM is usually held in place fairly well by motherboards. Usually my experience with Windows not loading/booting is bad updates, software installation, or drivers not installed properly. Unless there was some kind of BSOD with a memory error or BIOS beep codes stating the error, it would be a difficult to narrow down. Of-course I wouldn't have charged for such an easy fix either.[/citation]
Windows not loading is not the first clue your RAM is loose. The BIOS Error Code for NO RAM that will be triggered when you boot is!

mmmmm PC Beeps

 

[caskachan]

wow, well yeah if peopel dont know how to fix something, then they take it to a reapir shop and expect for them to be trustworty, i run a repair shop, and i have never taken any kind of abuse into any of my customers, and i have been swamped with work, also i have been brought a lot of computers/laptops that the "other guys" cant repair or properly diagnose

btw i never finished high school ;s, i have a semi luxury car and i provide for my family

i guess beeing "good" has its rewards

 

[leo2kp]

Yep, the beeping would lead me to check the RAM first. It's sick to hear how much people are screwed over. Makes me want to open a shop focused on integrity and see how much more business we get

 

[lowguppy]

loose memory is actually pretty tricky to diagnose short of opening the thing up and pushing everything around. Its not a problem that actually happens that often in the real world, though not as bad as one I read about a similar investigation some years ago where they actually cut part of the IDE cables with scissors.

 

[leo2kp]

[citation][nom]computabug[/nom]It's not scary at all, it's 'survival of the fittest'. If those people are too stupid to diagnose their own PC's, then they're not worthy of using them. If they're gonna get techies fixing it for them, I don't feel sorry for the customer if they get their data stolen and exploited.But it is illegal, the the customers did pay for the service, so (unless they made no promises not to steal data) the customers deserve a trustworthy techie for their money, from a legal perspective.Personally, I say "too bad for you, ya idiots".[/citation]

Really? So let's say that you use Microsoft Money to manage your finances and a "bug" somehow wipes out your accounts - which of course goes straight in to Gate's bank account - whose butt will you be kicking? Yours for not being able to fix the "bug", or theirs for stealing your money?

 

[brendano257]

[citation][nom]leo2kp[/nom]Yep, the beeping would lead me to check the RAM first. It's sick to hear how much people are screwed over. Makes me want to open a shop focused on integrity and see how much more business we get[/citation]
See, that would be great, but integrity=not making money on the side from poor/illegal activity, which means higher prices and less business. In other words, it's hard to out do the fakers because most of these people don't know they've gotten screwed. They just think their laptop is sooo screwed already.

I had a friend bring me a computer he had taken to Staples. All he wanted was for Windows to be re-installed. Staples apparently couldn't figure out how to put the disk in the drive and boot from it.

 

[thearm]

I don't doubt this at all. I'm very upfront and answer any questions the users have when I work on their PC. I will show them what I did to fix the problem (If they want to know).

 

[fulle]

Some people here are spewing some arrogance. OK, lets say a user CAN fix his computer, but he just doesn't have time to diagnose the problem. He makes more money in his profession of choice for his time than it would cost to pay someone else to fix the issue, and thinks its safe to take his computer to a local shop. Is that person an idiot for assuming the computer tech won't try to use his personal information to steal his credit card numbers, and pictures of his wife?

I don't know... I think that a lot of people who are used to operating ethically, don't think about stuff like that.

Computer geeks sure like to act like they're smarter than other people. I suppose you're stupid for not being able to replace the transmission in a vehicle, or maybe because you can't diagnose your own illness, or prepare gourmet french dishes. Point is, get the fuck off the high horse. Nothing's wrong with someone for taking their computer to the shop.

 

[ahslan]

The computer repair industry is exactly the same as the auto repair industry...they abuse the ignorant...

 

[Guest]

Money is god for many...
Unfortunately,on the day when you need to go, no amount of money will be looking at you and cry at the grave!

 

[viometrix]

[citation][nom]rexoverbey[/nom]IMO that is not an easy thing to diagnose. For one windows wasn't loading up, loose RAM woudln't be my first thought/choice. RAM is usually held in place fairly well by motherboards. Usually my experience with Windows not loading/booting is bad updates, software installation, or drivers not installed properly. Unless there was some kind of BSOD with a memory error or BIOS beep codes stating the error, it would be a difficult to narrow down. Of-course I wouldn't have charged for such an easy fix either.[/citation]


you are an idiot.... let me repeat you are an idiot...any good tech checks lose connections first... you know how many laptops customers brought in as bad and that " secure peice of ram" as you put it shook loose in shipping.... again you are an idiot

 

[viometrix]

let me rephrase that, you are a total idiot.... guess your car repairs cost you an arm and a leg.... you dont check the obvious first, you waste money on worse case scenarios only to find its a simple fix

 

[grieve]

First i think it is unfortionate we cant trust anyone anymore.

Second i think this is a seriously simple issue to resolve! but if your not a tech how would you know...

LASTLY... How exactly did this "tracking" software run to track the tech if the tech couldnt fix the ram issue?

""The undercover investigation was carried out by installing surveillance software onto a new laptop. The software records every event taking place on the laptop, silently logging keystrokes and capturing desktop images without the end-user's awareness. The laptop's built-in camera recorded the identity of whoever gained access.""

^
| that software can't run unless that ram issue is resolved.

""The report said that shops misdiagnosed the simple problem, while others charged for work not performed.""