OMG £80 to install the OP. Was that at a big store or a small shop?
It's really easy to install the OP (operating system) you just put the disk in and start it up. The only bit you need to do is press enter and select UK as the country and name the laptop.
I've used clamwin antivirus for 2 years now, It's free and is so light it even works on a low spec laptop without slowing it down.
There's no need to pay for antivirus, there are loads of free ones like AVG which is the most popular free one. Look on download.com (type antivirus and click free from the left filter. (I'd still recommend clamwin if you are after speed and no nag screens)
Try doing it yourself next time, loads of guides on youtube if you like to see a video so you can't go wrong
it takes about 30 - 45 mins to install an OP that works out to about £100 an hour just for labour....I'd say defiantly saw you coming. they probably installed it on automatic and walked away and came back some time later when installed its self.
Most laptops have a recovery partition on the hard drive. All you do is install from that and 10 minutes later its back to factory condition. If yours has a recovery partition and thats all they did then I can't see how they can justify £80 for 10 minutes while the laptop fixes its self back to factory condition.
No, no, you could have done it by yourself for a lot less. If you still have your original Windows CDs, you would just need to re install it. Additionally, you can get Anti-Virus really cheaply as well, mine cost £15 a year and it does the job excellently. On the other hand, if you aren't very computer savvy (you are on a forum so I guess you must be ever so slightly!) and you can afford to have someone to do if for you, saving you time and effort, then £80 is not that much!
It's really easy to install the OP (operating system) you just put the disk in and start it up. The only bit you need to do is press enter and select UK as the country and name the laptop.
I don't think it's that easy.
I used to design, build and program computers years ago (from microprocessors and logic, not just assemble them), but I would be hard-pushed to re-install Windows these days.
For one thing, often there is no actual disk to install from. And if there is, then there is no drive to put it into! (Or if there is a drive, it will insist on loading the corrupted version on the HD instead.)
You mentioned a few things to do, but you have to know all that.
The £80 does sound steep (I usually pay £200 to £300 for an entire new computer, OS included), but I suspect half of that might be for the anti-virus, which as you say can be downloaded free-of-charge.
But even here, you have to know what to avoid (Antispyware 2008 for example), and what might be good (I use Avast).
Perhaps the OP should have had a couple of quotes. Or asked some more knowledgeable friend to advise.
Otherwise, if I had £80 to spare, I'd be tempted to get someone else to take care of any problems too.
As above, it was easy(-ish) money for them but, if you couldn't do it yourself and you went from having, effectively, no laptop to a working laptop then it wasn't so bad.
It's done now - No point wasting time and effort fretting about it.
given the government has probably taken half of the money handed over in taxes £40 for an hours work that you couldnt do yourself isn't too bad for a shop price but mates rates would probably of been £20 in cash and a few beers
Depends. The price they charged probably isn't extortionate, the problem is that any kid with some computer xp could probably install it for you for much cheaper. Of course then you don't have any comeback if it goes wrong (but it probably wouldn't). Also the thing with computers is that even simple tasks can take ages with sourcing driver files and general hitches.
I would say that some laptop re-installs can be fairly difficult, a few on the older models Ive done the drivers are completely obselete because the companies have gone out of business and involves a bit of playing around with files and such.
They probably charged you in the region of 20-30 pounds for the AV software for a year and 50 (which is probably the basic charge to look at a computer these days) on top of that.
So no its not *horribly* expensive but yes you could have gotten it cheaper and left the AV.
At the end of the day, you're not paying them for what they actually do, but for knowing how to do it.
I have to call in professionals for all sort of things that I am probably perfectly capable of doing myself, if only I knew how. But I don't. I am paying for their training,expertise, overheads and the fact that I have a comeback if it goes wrong.
At the end of the day, you're not paying them for what they actually do, but for knowing how to do it.
I have to call in professionals for all sort of things that I am probably perfectly capable of doing myself, if only I knew how. But I don't. I am paying for their training,expertise, overheads and the fact that I have a comeback if it goes wrong.
^^ this.
(I could easily reload a pc....but cant plaster a wall, so I pay someone to do it)
Do you know how long it takes to install and fully update a clean OS?
Even on a 30MB bb, it can take a good few hours. That's not taking into account any other software requests or searching for obscure drivers etc.
£80 for a few hours of tech work including software etc... sounds about right to me.
Depends *why* it wouldn't start in the first place. What were the symptoms?
If it was a corrupt registry or something like that, a proper repair shop should at least have investigated just booting off a bootable CD and copying the last registry backup over the current. 2 mins job, and wouldn't have wiped everything you possibly may have lost.
I could do it myself and have done for others free. The OP couldn't do it, nor does he know what was done. He now has a working laptop.
It was good value to have the laptop back. He could have been charged a lot more.
Aria charge less than sixty quid to build and test entire PC systems. I understand the point you're making, but he paid well over the odds for the service he received. IMO. But then I prefer to try and do these things myself, I know not everyone is inclined to fiddle about with PCs.
Depends *why* it wouldn't start in the first place. What were the symptoms?
If it was a corrupt registry or something like that, a proper repair shop should at least have investigated just booting off a bootable CD and copying the last registry backup over the current. 2 mins job, and wouldn't have wiped everything you possibly may have lost.
^^ This,
Most of the time a start-up problem is a corrupt file or a corrupted Hard Drive sector. First thing anyone does is use a bootupdisk Like this FREE one once it's booted up it's a 2 minute job to fix. Even if it was a reinstall from the recovery partition after the docs and pics are copied over, a reinstall from the built in re-installer that's 10 minutes tops. For notebooks where there is no CD then you can boot off a USB drive.
You must feel gutted OP that now you have paid £80 you could have come on here or any of the tec forums and asked for advice. That's what forums are for. Lots of good free advice, you will know next time.No use complaining after you have paid, unless you want an argument with the shop
@FlyinBrick you don't know about Windizupdate you just log on, it searches and gives you all the updates in one go, and then installs them automatically as well.
@bart4858 you just use a usb drive and boot off that. Netbooks have recovery drives too once you've booted it up, it's easy peasy. here is a link to youtube HERE pick anyone you want. You will see how easy it is.
Hardware and software are different disciplines, I have 10 motherboards wich need their capacitors replacing, although I could do it, the thought of de-soldering and re-soldering in 8 caps per board keeps them in the shed for another day. If anyone wants to swap jobs, I'd happily reinstall 10 computers.
@skribbleuk first port of call for drivers is the manufacturers website of the laptop. They are all there to download for free. For example if it's a Dell you just go HERE . All manufacturers have to keep drivers for download by law.
Most of the time a start-up problem is a corrupt file or a corrupted Hard Drive sector. First thing anyone does is use a bootupdisk Like this FREE one once it's booted up it's a 2 minute job to fix. Even if it was a reinstall from the recovery partition after the docs and pics are copied over, a reinstall from the built in re-installer that's 10 minutes tops. For notebooks where there is no CD then you can boot off a USB drive.
You must feel gutted OP that now you have paid £80 you could have come on here or any of the tec forums and asked for advice. That's what forums are for. Lots of good free advice, you will know next time.No use complaining after you have paid, unless you want an argument with the shop
@FlyinBrick you don't know about Windizupdate you just log on, it searches and gives you all the updates in one go, and then installs them automatically as well.
@bart4858 you just use a usb drive and boot off that. Netbooks have recovery drives too once you've booted it up, it's easy peasy. here is a link to youtube HERE pick anyone you want. You will see how easy it is.
Hardware and software are different disciplines, I have 10 motherboards wich need their capacitors replacing, although I could do it, the thought of de-soldering and re-soldering in 8 caps per board keeps them in the shed for another day. If anyone wants to swap jobs, I'd happily reinstall 10 computers.
@skribbleuk first port of call for drivers is the manufacturers website of the laptop. They are all their to download. For example if it's a Dell you just go HERE . All manufacturers have to keep drivers for download by law.
Most of the time a start-up problem is a corrupt file or a corrupted Hard Drive sector. First thing anyone does is use a bootupdisk Like this FREE one once it's booted up it's a 2 minute job to fix. Even if it was a reinstall from the recovery partition after the docs and pics are copied over, a reinstall from the built in re-installer that's 10 minutes tops. For notebooks where there is no CD then you can boot off a USB drive.
You must feel gutted OP that now you have paid £80 you could have come on here or any of the tec forums and asked for advice. That's what forums are for. Lots of good free advice, you will know next time.No use complaining after you have paid, unless you want an argument with the shop
@FlyinBrick you don't know about Windizupdate you just log on, it searches and gives you all the updates in one go, and then installs them automatically as well.
@bart4858 you just use a usb drive and boot off that. Netbooks have recovery drives too once you've booted it up, it's easy peasy. here is a link to youtube HERE pick anyone you want. You will see how easy it is.
Hardware and software are different disciplines, I have 10 motherboards wich need their capacitors replacing, although I could do it, the thought of de-soldering and re-soldering in 8 caps per board keeps them in the shed for another day. If anyone wants to swap jobs, I'd happily reinstall 10 computers.
@skribbleuk first port of call for drivers is the manufacturers website of the laptop. They are all there to download for free. For example if it's a Dell you just go HERE . All manufacturers have to keep drivers for download by law.
I do think you have unreal expectations of a non 'techy' person.(Not aimed at anyone). Some people really just don't get it or just simply hate it or can't be arsed with it.
Most of us who are savvy are more than willing to ask for advise and then follow it up though.
Thanks for the link, you're right I've never used that. Will be a Godsend
I wouldn't say massively, it's around the going rate for a reinstall of an operating system + virus programme at a shop.
Of course it's quite easy to learn how to do it yourself and no one should ever be paying for virus protection (plenty of good free ones out there far better than the rubbish retail ones like Norton, Mcaffee etc), but that's not the point, any pc shop would have charged somewhere around £60-£80 so can't say you were ripped off.
OMG £80 to install the OP. Was that at a big store or a small shop?
It's really easy to install the OP (operating system) you just put the disk in and start it up. The only bit you need to do is press enter and select UK as the country and name the laptop.
I've used clamwin antivirus for 2 years now, It's free and is so light it even works on a low spec laptop without slowing it down.
There's no need to pay for antivirus, there are loads of free ones like AVG which is the most popular free one. Look on download.com (type antivirus and click free from the left filter. (I'd still recommend clamwin if you are after speed and no nag screens)
Try doing it yourself next time, loads of guides on youtube if you like to see a video so you can't go wrong
it takes about 30 - 45 mins to install an OP that works out to about £100 an hour just for labour....I'd say defiantly saw you coming. they probably installed it on automatic and walked away and came back some time later when installed its self.
Most laptops have a recovery partition on the hard drive. All you do is install from that and 10 minutes later its back to factory condition. If yours has a recovery partition and thats all they did then I can't see how they can justify £80 for 10 minutes while the laptop fixes its self back to factory condition.
Having installed lots of copies of windows it takes longer than that and once installed you can spend an age updating windows/rebooting/updating/rebooting.
You are also looking at the price far too simplistically, shops have big over heads. The actual profit the shop takes will be much less than what they charge you, it's not a case of looking at price divided by how long you think it takes then working out an hourly rate. Ever take your car to a garage and look at the labour charges?
Comments
Could you repair it yourself, no. You weren't ripped off.
It's really easy to install the OP (operating system) you just put the disk in and start it up. The only bit you need to do is press enter and select UK as the country and name the laptop.
I've used clamwin antivirus for 2 years now, It's free and is so light it even works on a low spec laptop without slowing it down.
There's no need to pay for antivirus, there are loads of free ones like AVG which is the most popular free one. Look on download.com (type antivirus and click free from the left filter. (I'd still recommend clamwin if you are after speed and no nag screens)
Try doing it yourself next time, loads of guides on youtube if you like to see a video so you can't go wrong
it takes about 30 - 45 mins to install an OP that works out to about £100 an hour just for labour....I'd say defiantly saw you coming. they probably installed it on automatic and walked away and came back some time later when installed its self.
Most laptops have a recovery partition on the hard drive. All you do is install from that and 10 minutes later its back to factory condition. If yours has a recovery partition and thats all they did then I can't see how they can justify £80 for 10 minutes while the laptop fixes its self back to factory condition.
I do it at least once a month for different friends, Im grateful for a bottle of asda wine. Maybe I should put my price up and insist on Tescos :cool:
I don't think it's that easy.
I used to design, build and program computers years ago (from microprocessors and logic, not just assemble them), but I would be hard-pushed to re-install Windows these days.
For one thing, often there is no actual disk to install from. And if there is, then there is no drive to put it into! (Or if there is a drive, it will insist on loading the corrupted version on the HD instead.)
You mentioned a few things to do, but you have to know all that.
The £80 does sound steep (I usually pay £200 to £300 for an entire new computer, OS included), but I suspect half of that might be for the anti-virus, which as you say can be downloaded free-of-charge.
But even here, you have to know what to avoid (Antispyware 2008 for example), and what might be good (I use Avast).
Perhaps the OP should have had a couple of quotes. Or asked some more knowledgeable friend to advise.
Otherwise, if I had £80 to spare, I'd be tempted to get someone else to take care of any problems too.
It's done now - No point wasting time and effort fretting about it.
It was good value to have the laptop back. He could have been charged a lot more.
That's the about the going rate, the shop has overheads just like any other businesses
Didn't you look into it before you agreed to pay £80?
I would say that some laptop re-installs can be fairly difficult, a few on the older models Ive done the drivers are completely obselete because the companies have gone out of business and involves a bit of playing around with files and such.
They probably charged you in the region of 20-30 pounds for the AV software for a year and 50 (which is probably the basic charge to look at a computer these days) on top of that.
So no its not *horribly* expensive but yes you could have gotten it cheaper and left the AV.
I have to call in professionals for all sort of things that I am probably perfectly capable of doing myself, if only I knew how. But I don't. I am paying for their training,expertise, overheads and the fact that I have a comeback if it goes wrong.
^^ this.
(I could easily reload a pc....but cant plaster a wall, so I pay someone to do it)
Even on a 30MB bb, it can take a good few hours. That's not taking into account any other software requests or searching for obscure drivers etc.
£80 for a few hours of tech work including software etc... sounds about right to me.
If it was a corrupt registry or something like that, a proper repair shop should at least have investigated just booting off a bootable CD and copying the last registry backup over the current. 2 mins job, and wouldn't have wiped everything you possibly may have lost.
Aria charge less than sixty quid to build and test entire PC systems. I understand the point you're making, but he paid well over the odds for the service he received. IMO. But then I prefer to try and do these things myself, I know not everyone is inclined to fiddle about with PCs.
^^ This,
Most of the time a start-up problem is a corrupt file or a corrupted Hard Drive sector. First thing anyone does is use a bootupdisk Like this FREE one once it's booted up it's a 2 minute job to fix. Even if it was a reinstall from the recovery partition after the docs and pics are copied over, a reinstall from the built in re-installer that's 10 minutes tops. For notebooks where there is no CD then you can boot off a USB drive.
You must feel gutted OP that now you have paid £80 you could have come on here or any of the tec forums and asked for advice. That's what forums are for. Lots of good free advice, you will know next time.No use complaining after you have paid, unless you want an argument with the shop
@FlyinBrick you don't know about Windizupdate you just log on, it searches and gives you all the updates in one go, and then installs them automatically as well.
@bart4858 you just use a usb drive and boot off that. Netbooks have recovery drives too once you've booted it up, it's easy peasy. here is a link to youtube HERE pick anyone you want. You will see how easy it is.
Hardware and software are different disciplines, I have 10 motherboards wich need their capacitors replacing, although I could do it, the thought of de-soldering and re-soldering in 8 caps per board keeps them in the shed for another day. If anyone wants to swap jobs, I'd happily reinstall 10 computers.
@skribbleuk first port of call for drivers is the manufacturers website of the laptop. They are all there to download for free. For example if it's a Dell you just go HERE . All manufacturers have to keep drivers for download by law.
Not with no laptop!
I do think you have unreal expectations of a non 'techy' person.(Not aimed at anyone). Some people really just don't get it or just simply hate it or can't be arsed with it.
Most of us who are savvy are more than willing to ask for advise and then follow it up though.
Thanks for the link, you're right I've never used that. Will be a Godsend
Of course it's quite easy to learn how to do it yourself and no one should ever be paying for virus protection (plenty of good free ones out there far better than the rubbish retail ones like Norton, Mcaffee etc), but that's not the point, any pc shop would have charged somewhere around £60-£80 so can't say you were ripped off.
Having installed lots of copies of windows it takes longer than that and once installed you can spend an age updating windows/rebooting/updating/rebooting.
You are also looking at the price far too simplistically, shops have big over heads. The actual profit the shop takes will be much less than what they charge you, it's not a case of looking at price divided by how long you think it takes then working out an hourly rate. Ever take your car to a garage and look at the labour charges?