[cmorris]

Akandi Tando - I do sometime ask for advice but most of time I can get them right without your help

[cmorris]

Did the exact same job today but got paid for it

[alan1302]

Originally Posted by cmorris

Did the exact same job today but got paid for it

So why not do this job as well?

I'm a bit unclear from the posts on here but are you an IT Technician or just someone that fixes PCs as a hobby?

[cmorris]

Ok sorry. I asked him and am going tomorrow

[whoever,hey]

Originally Posted by cmorris

I will just let him deal with it as he did't seem comfortable with me doing it

You dont seem comfortable doing it!

[Akane Tendo]

Originally Posted by cmorris

Did the exact same job today but got paid for it

Do you actually get paid much? I'm only wondering because you just seem to just service your village. You can't make much money unless you expand?

What on earth do you teach people? Very basic things things?

[cmorris]

Ok

1. I teach Adults the basics of ICT and get paid for it
2. I service my village as an IT Technician (the problem is the bus service its not frequent enough - I wanted to but this is the only limitation as I don't drive

[alan1302]

If you are charging people for an IT maintenence then you need to know exactly what you are doing - and if you don't feel comfortable doing something then you should not do it for the person. It's fine to help out and advice but as soon as you start being paid for a service you must know exactly what you are doing and it does not sound like you do with this problem.

[cmorris]

Your right. Can I opn this forum thread for other windows related problems not just mine

[Orbitalzone]

Originally Posted by cmorris

Your right. Can I opn this forum thread for other windows related problems not just mine

Well that's going to get very confusing... each person that has a problem should start a new thread, having done a search to see if the same question has been asked and answered before.

If you're doing IT support and charging people then you need confidence in what you do and the ability to make suitable backups of customer's files.

It's not too hard, usually just plugging in their hard drive into your working computer and either imaging their entire drive (best course of action) or dragging their files to a spare hard drive assuming you are confident of where they've saved all files to.

I always ask where they save their files and if they're not sure I say that I'll do my best (copying all in 'my docs, my photos, my music, desktop etc) but state that I cannot guarantee ALL files will be recovered. Making an image ensures the best chance of recovering all files of course.

File backup should be the first thing any IT person does before attempting fixing a computer that won't boot!

Explain to your customer that no file backup is cheaper but if they want files backed up then it takes time and costs a bit more, they'll mostly want to pay for that option. If you don't mention it then they assume you'll do it and at no extra cost. Make them realise that their data is valuable and therefor have to pay to get it back.

[cmorris]

I always give them the option but they sometimes and sometimes not as I have only done a handful of them

I did ask them - I remember (apologies for not remembering) as I had my HDD with me and they had backed up their files so I diagnosed the problem as a new HDD Drive (as when they rang the next day they said the problem had worsened) so I recommended them to go an get a new one and then windows and all other software was installed whilst the new drive was purchased and installed.