Community Newsletter: Q&A: Don't get ripped off when your PC is out for repair or upgrade

If I want it doen right, I do it myself. But that's just me

In reply to: Don't get ripped off when your PC is out for repair or upgrade by Lee Koo (ADMIN) 

When I started getting serious about computers back when Windows XP came around, I knew from the start that I wanted to avoid taking them to PC repair shops completely and do my own repairs simply because I don't trust them. Not that I am paranoid or because I have a grudge, but because I never saw it worth the money to fix a problem or install hardware when I could simply learn how to do it myself. 5 completely different computer builds later, I am proficient in building, upgrading, and troubleshooting and have never regretted the long hours of troubleshooting, wrestling with components, and above all, saving a ton of money by building my own computers as opposed to buying pre-assembled systems, where a CompUSA-built computer would cost me 1600 dollars and I could simply put that same computer together myself for half the price by buying individual parts.

That's just my way of doing it and results will vary person-to-person.

In your case, the best option is to make a strict list of components that you wish to have installed, make sure they are compatible with each other (Core 2 Duo processors use socket 775 motherboards and newer AMD X2 processors use the AM2 socket motehrboards, and newer video cards use 16x PCI-Express instead of 8x AGP, and DDR2 RAM has been on the rise for a few years and that is likely the RAM that you wish to obtain. Go online and do a search of a specific component that you want and be sure it will be compatible with the motherboard that you want. Having basic knowledge of the parts and which are compatible with which will go a long way, and the time spent doing the homework is time well spent).

Once you have your list, make sure that the tech guy understands that those are the parts that you want. If he tries to sell you differently other than what you want while you know that the parts all work with each other, walk right out.

Once the parts are installed and your computer is ready, have them hook a monitor up to it so you can see if the hardware is in fact what you paid for or wanted. Once you have the monitor hooked up, go to Control Panel, Performance and Maintenance, System, Hardware tab, Device Manager, and go down the list there and make sure that the Display Adapter (video card) and processor are what you ordered and have him/her install, and while you're there have the tech man/woman open the side panel and pull the RAM sticks so you can see that the RAM is what you ordered (to be sure that it's actually Corsair, Geil, or whatever RAM set you bought).

Really the best thing to do to avoid any issues is to start building your own computers so you know for sure that the parts you want go into the computer.

My mother had brought her computer to a local computer repair shop back in early '03, against my advice, so she could get some more RAM added. She only wanted an extra 256 megs installed to bring her total to 512 megs, but they went and installed 1 gigabyte total (2 512 meg sticks), charged her for it, and didn't let her know that they did a much larger upgrade than what she wanted. I had her march right back there and demand a refund and to give her back her old RAM sticks. They reinstalled her old RAM, and gave her a refund. I then ordered the RAM online and installed it myself. Problem could have been avoided from the get-go.

You may have no desire to do your own computer work, but then again, many people don't wish to learn how to change their own tires or change their own oil, and that's fine, don't get me wrong, but if you can and have the ability, it is best to do certain maintenance tasks yourself to avoid higher costs or possible drama with techs or mechanics, know what I mean?

Happy Mother's Day to all of you here at CNet. Have a good one