PC Tune-up questions
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In my book it is a 'definitely not'. I went in for warranty service on a desktop when a drive died. I had two drives in the machine so the notion was to have them replace drive C:, which I could have (and should have) done myself. The idiots managed to format the second drive--which was my backup--when they thought they were formatting the new drive prior to reinstalling Windows. Their response was "oops". Luckily I had backed up the machine to an external drive shortly before death of drive C: so I was able to recover everything except the last couple of days of work.
Shoppers should be very careful that shopping stuff is not obvious on their machine before taking it in since this is an anonymous shop. Otherwise, if you are intimidated by cleaning up your machine, it might be worthwhile, but backup your work first as a frequent approach is to decide they need to 'reinstall software' rather than just tweeking what is there already.
Shoppers should be very careful that shopping stuff is not obvious on their machine before taking it in since this is an anonymous shop. Otherwise, if you are intimidated by cleaning up your machine, it might be worthwhile, but backup your work first as a frequent approach is to decide they need to 'reinstall software' rather than just tweeking what is there already.
Ohhh. Hadn't even thought about all my secret stuff. The shop was offered, nicely bonused, but I better not.
If the bonus was sweet enough I would backup my 'secret stuff' to an external drive, wipe it off the machine and take it in.
Mert, is this your new machine that you got in Nov., or the old one? I wouldn't do it with a new one, as it might be too obvious.
If it is the old one, I would do what Flash suggested. :-)
If it is the old one, I would do what Flash suggested. :-)
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“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
Heck, the way Win 7 (I did the upgrade over Vista) is working on my newish laptop it would almost be tempting. Can't believe there are not well functioning drivers for the internet card in my less than 6 month old laptop 
I'm functioning on an external N card until decent drivers get out there.
I'm functioning on an external N card until decent drivers get out there.
It's my 3 year old laptop. But I don't have an external drive. I only have flash drives. Don't know how to wipe the machine. Pitiful, I know.
Do you know how to back up anything about shopping and anything financial to your
flash drive?
If so, do that (preferably to two, so you have a duplicate), delete the files from your computer.
Then let them have it for the shop...
That said, you NEED to get a hard drive for back up. Really. Drives fail, and you want to preserve as much of your data as you can in advance of that. I just got two small, light portable 500 gig ones at costco for $80 during Thanksgiving weekend. BB also had a different brand but the same specs at the same price. I think if you hunt around the net you should be able to get a similar price right now.
I think you probably have Windows XP on that computer, so I dug up this for you:
[www.microsoft.com]
And in case you didn't have XP, here are the rest of the search results:
[fficial&client=firefox-a" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" >www.google.com]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2009 10:44PM by dee shops.
flash drive?
If so, do that (preferably to two, so you have a duplicate), delete the files from your computer.
Then let them have it for the shop...
That said, you NEED to get a hard drive for back up. Really. Drives fail, and you want to preserve as much of your data as you can in advance of that. I just got two small, light portable 500 gig ones at costco for $80 during Thanksgiving weekend. BB also had a different brand but the same specs at the same price. I think if you hunt around the net you should be able to get a similar price right now.
I think you probably have Windows XP on that computer, so I dug up this for you:
[www.microsoft.com]
And in case you didn't have XP, here are the rest of the search results:
[fficial&client=firefox-a" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" >www.google.com]
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“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2009 10:44PM by dee shops.
Thanks Dee. I know how to save to a flash drive. I can also delete, but I've been told it's still on the C drive if you know how to find it. When Flash said "wipe", I thought that may be something more permanent than delete. What's the difference between a flash drive and a portable hard drive?
Wipe is different than delete. Wipe is more permanent. But if you cannot back up your whole drive, you should not wipe it. :-)
A flash drive will hold less gigs than a portable HD.
A flash drive will hold less gigs than a portable HD.
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“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
I did the pc tuneup last month because with the performance of my computer I figured it couldn't do any harm. I had already transferred my pictures and receipt scans/ shopping stuff to my thumb drive so I wasn't worried about that.
Basically all they did was physically clean the external components, defrag and check for registry errors. It really did make a big difference as far as performance and the only suggestion they had was "PC needs RAM!!!"
As far as the report, it was VERY easy. It consisted of 3 different parts- drop off, pick up, and 'check up phone call'. 3rd part never happened for me.
I never really thought about the dangers of what could potentially go wrong, but with my pc situation it couldn't have made things any worse. PC does run better now.
Lynlee
Basically all they did was physically clean the external components, defrag and check for registry errors. It really did make a big difference as far as performance and the only suggestion they had was "PC needs RAM!!!"
As far as the report, it was VERY easy. It consisted of 3 different parts- drop off, pick up, and 'check up phone call'. 3rd part never happened for me.
I never really thought about the dangers of what could potentially go wrong, but with my pc situation it couldn't have made things any worse. PC does run better now.
Lynlee
Apologies. Just delete it from your hard drive and clear out your recycle bin.
Just for the information. When you delete, it can be restored by a skilled person unless you have written over that portion of the drive. I cannot see a 'tune up' guy bothering trying to restore deleted files.
When you format a drive (i.e. get rid of all software and files), it can, under some circumstances be 'unformatted' to restore what was there before. That is why it is important if there is truly sensitive material on a computer you are going to dispose of that you retain the hard drive and/or destroy it. So, for example, I have never had a hard drive on which I have had brokerage client data go out the door to anyone but a family member who could care less about the data and writes and rewrites their own data on the drive for the years to come.
Just for the information. When you delete, it can be restored by a skilled person unless you have written over that portion of the drive. I cannot see a 'tune up' guy bothering trying to restore deleted files.
When you format a drive (i.e. get rid of all software and files), it can, under some circumstances be 'unformatted' to restore what was there before. That is why it is important if there is truly sensitive material on a computer you are going to dispose of that you retain the hard drive and/or destroy it. So, for example, I have never had a hard drive on which I have had brokerage client data go out the door to anyone but a family member who could care less about the data and writes and rewrites their own data on the drive for the years to come.
The tune-up is scan, defrag, dust. They called me to advise there is no need to worry about shopper info or deleting anything.
You mean they read our posts here and knew who you were?
I would still delete this info, and make sure I had a back up. I would not give my computer to anyone without that.
I would still delete this info, and make sure I had a back up. I would not give my computer to anyone without that.
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“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
They might read here, don't know. As this shop has been hard to fill, there was phone communication to get the job done, and I mentioned the concern of being identified as a shopper.
Pretty scary if that is all a 'tune-up' includes. And they want WHAT for that?
The standard price is 29.99 (reimbursed), but the store in my town ALWAYS offers the pc tuneups for free, so I just got the $15 fee for the shop. Probably wouldn't have accepted the job if there was an up front charge.
Lynlee
Lynlee
That sounds more reasonable. I can understand charging for upgrading, complete removal of software, selecting and installing software updates, etc. that may freak out end users to do for themselves. But doing virus scans should be a background process whenever your computer is on and 'disk clean' and 'defrag' are not difficult or treacherous things to do on your own machine on a regular basis. My machine is usually left on Sunday night to Monday morning to run the defrag while I sleep because with large HD sizes, it is a time consuming process.
There are 2 shops I will never do regardless how much the pay. Oil change and PC tune up. I have heard too many horror story that they forget to add oil, too much oil, or did not tighten the oil plug. If something happen, engine replacement is several thousand dollars, not to mention I do not have a car to drive. I do my own oil change 
Same with PC, even with back up, nobody touches my PCs. I have too much data for someone to screw things up. I build my own PC anyway, so I know it inside out better than anyone.
I do have an old Dell PC given to me, so I may just use it for PC tune up shops. I could care less if they blow it up
Same with PC, even with back up, nobody touches my PCs. I have too much data for someone to screw things up. I build my own PC anyway, so I know it inside out better than anyone.
I do have an old Dell PC given to me, so I may just use it for PC tune up shops. I could care less if they blow it up
This post was in response to HReid's ridiculous sniper rant, who has been deactivated and had his posts removed. As such, I deleted it.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2010 01:25AM by dee shops.
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“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2010 01:25AM by dee shops.
You can back your drives all you want, but your most precious possesions is your data. Keep your data on non volitale media, CF cards, SD cards, etc... Flash drives are ok too. I use any number of computers anywhere, but my data is kept with me. If I go it goes and visa versa. The media cards have been proven over the years to be tough(some have survived plane crashes). Hard drives crash all the time and CD break, tapes snap. Keep your data on non volatile media and you will not regret it. Take it from an old computer hack.
Of course you can lose them.....Done that before too!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2010 06:47PM by Emdisco.
Of course you can lose them.....Done that before too!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2010 06:47PM by Emdisco.
sequoia,
I like your idea about using an old computer as a pc tune up computer for shops.
I haven't done a pc tune up shop, but use System Mechanic that my husband downloaded. It does a great job of getting my laptop running quickly again and keeping it in good working order.
Best Buy has Seagate drives for external backups with more memory than anyone will ever use for around $80 to $90. It's small too. When I was doing a shop the rep just pulled one out of his back pants pocket. His was smaller than the one I have at home, but had just as much memory capacity.
I like your idea about using an old computer as a pc tune up computer for shops.
I haven't done a pc tune up shop, but use System Mechanic that my husband downloaded. It does a great job of getting my laptop running quickly again and keeping it in good working order.
Best Buy has Seagate drives for external backups with more memory than anyone will ever use for around $80 to $90. It's small too. When I was doing a shop the rep just pulled one out of his back pants pocket. His was smaller than the one I have at home, but had just as much memory capacity.
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