Computer Medics

Continued from Above After more than a month, my computer was finally returned by you on Friday, 03/29/2013. I asked you for the backup of my hard drives and you appeared caught off guard, hesitated, then stated nothing was found and it was most likely wiped clean by a virus. The issues with this is your website advertisement statements, "if it holds data, we can retrieve it" and "the ability to detect viruses." You state "it was most likely," which is not definitive and your usage of the word "it" indicates a singular application thus, you are referencing one hard drive. Prior to you picking up my computer, I told you my Dell computer had two hard drives however, you declined to inform me of any status regarding my second hard drive. After checking other sources regarding computer repair procedures, it is apparent that checking for viruses is a primary first step. If a virus is detected by a computer repair facility, the customer is notified, it is removed and the computer is made safe for backups to be performed. Unfortunately, you accomplished neither of these as you advertise. It is highly unlikely that I had a virus while actively running Windows Essentials, Defender, and Firewall along with my network and modem firewalls. The other two computers on my network have not been infected or affected by any type of unwanted intrusion. While you were completing the final bill, nothing was said. Upon you completing the bill, I asked about starting procedures for the computer. The procedure you described is in the first e-mail I sent, which is shown below. You then had me electronically sign my bill, handed me a copy, thanked me for my business, and immediately departed. You appeared to be hurried but I attributed it to having a busy day. At that time, I was under the belief that my computer problem had been corrected and repaired to it's original Dell working order aside from the hard drives original data missing. Your choice of not responding to my two previous requests, along with many computer problems having since arisen, has sent up red flags. Therefore, I contacted Dell, with whom my computer is registered with, and asked them about the issues I was experiencing with my computer after you had repaired it. I told them the motherboard, power supply, and Windows 7 Ultimate were the installations I was charged for. The first issue was the indicator lights that I told you about in my first e-mail. They said the indicator lights are for troubleshooting and have different sequences of lighting to indicate certain problems. My indicator lights are indicating the system has numerous incompatibility issues concerning features within the system. Second was why the computer shows a Hewlett Packard (HP) logo instead of Dell? Per Dell tech, it is caused by either a HP motherboard being installed or the bios chip was changed to accommodate certain operating software thus, making the computer think it's a HP. At this point, there is probable suspect that the indicator lights being lit is caused by either one of these non-Dell components being installed. The side cover was removed at that time for internal inspecting and visual identification. Before checking the motherboard that Dell asked for, my first visible sighting was that my two hard drives were missing. I was never informed by you at anytime that my hard drives had been removed. In place of my two hard drives is a Western Digital 233Gb hard drive. This item has the date, 21/AUG/2005 on it and it's model number, WD2500 is no longer a valid number with Western Digital (WD) due to the age. Dell verified my Dell XPS 710 came with two separate hard drives. Each one was a 250GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache, item # 341-3666, part # F6405; & item # 341-3670, part # F6403. The only mention you made regarding my hard drives is referenced above. When you did comment, you referred to my hard drives as "it" and not "they" whereas, you knew my computer had the two above mentioned hard drives. You did not say one word about the removal of my two hard drives and replacing them with this cheap inferior WD hard drive. There is nothing about my hard drives on your receipt regarding replacement or cost. You should have returned any old parts to me or presented them for my inspection as any respectable repair facility would have done. You not only thieved my two hard drives along with 267Gb of storage, you have created an extremely serious breach of my security. I am highly concerned about my personal information being gleaned from my hard drives, where ever they may be, and then used for illegal purposes by other parties. Moving forward with the motherboard, more discrepancies arose. I identified the motherboard as a Dell by the factory embossed Dell logo on it. The Dell tech can't verify without seeing it but, he stated if indeed this was a Dell motherboard, then the bios chip was changed in an attempt at making the computer work under different operating software, i.e. HP. This is not compatible however, with certain features on my Dell, i.e. the Dual TV tuner amongst other features. The original motherboard installed was a Dell Motherboard 7-slot BTX, item # 465-3641, part # GT661. The Dell XPS 710 series uses one standard motherboard with the capability of handling all of the available options that a customer may choose for this series. It is not a special motherboard and it's not a special order per Dell. Upon scrutinizing the factory identification markings, I am fully convinced that the motherboard in my computer is the original. It is obvious that you have changed the bios chip to accommodate a substandard repair by mixing HP products into my Dell XPS 710. If a new motherboard had been "special" ordered, it would have come with the correct bios chip so my computer would operate as a Dell and not a HP. Furthermore, you never notified me that you were converting my operating system to a HP, did not seek my authorization for such conversion, nor did you say anything about seeing a HP logo when you explained the start up procedure. There is nothing on the invoice depicting any part numbers or itemized part prices for these special ordered parts. Again, there were no parts returned or presented for my inspection. The power supply is an item that either works or it doesn't work per computer repair sources. The fact that my computer would start momentarily indicates my power supply was working. Again, this part, item #465-3642, part #MG309, is not a special power supply and it's not a special order per Dell. My computer currently has this same type of power supply listed above. It has one identifier visible that makes originality very probable but, it would have to be removed for a positive identification. Whereas, with the above discovery of discrepancies documented, I, at this time, feel it is most probable that this is my original power supply. As stated above, there were no parts returned or presented for my inspection and the invoice also is void of part number and price itemization. I now find your omission of this critical information to be an extremely suspicious concealment purposed by you. Is this the probable explanation for why you have not replied to my two previous request for assistance? The facts revealed above are giving clear indications of you knowingly defrauding me on your self-proclaimed special order parts, declaration of repairs that were not made, thievery of my two hard drives, and replacement with sub-standard parts. You have been given more than an adequate amount of time to have opportunity for replying. Waiting to realize you were not going to reply depleted much time. Add that lost time with the time spent sourcing for verifications has depleted two months. Since this is my primary operating computer for my network, not having it's usage for two months has caused difficulties. As a disabled military veteran of this country, I do not take kindly to someone who is disrespectful to me. You have chosen to disrespect me in one of the worst possible ways any business person could choose for disrespecting one of their customers. Heretofore, I shall have no possible reason for believing anything you have previously stated or may state in the future without having two types of documenting verification. If my computer needs components removed for positive identification, then a reputable authorized computer repair facility shall be utilized. The problematic issues with my Dell XPS 710 include but, shall not be limited to the above documented problems. If you choose to reply, you have until close of business Wednesday, 05/01/2013. Any correspondence heretofore shall be conducted with e-mail only. No phone calls shall be accepted from you. Legal action shall pend until the close of business on the above posted date for allowance of a reply. Wayne J. Dlouhy

It went very well. I called him on a Thursday, and he came over the next day. I was very impressed by his calm demeanor in spite of the fact that I was quite distraught. He wasn't intimidating so I wasn't afraid to ask questions, even though they might have seemed dumb. I liked the fact that there isn't a trip charge. Also, the service call is free if they can't fix the problem. If I would have chosen to buy and install the necessary parts myself, I would have only been charged the diagnostic fee of $45.00.