PC Repair "Gurus" Taking the Simple Way Out - The Destroy and Re-image Fix

by Bill Arnoldi⁽¹⁾
FireBall Tech

This problem in the Desktop Computer repair industry ranges near near the top of my frustration list of patterns by many Desktop Computer repair "Gurus". I am referring to the pattern of a couple of unprofessional Desktop Computer repair techs, and even a few big company franchises, taking the easy way out to repair a Desktop Computer by informing the customer that they can find no other way but to wipe the hard drive and Reinstall everything.

Hi, I am Bill Arnoldi, owner of FireBall Tech PC Computer Repair in Tucson, Arizona. In my judgment, I am still attempting to ascertain how someone can call wiping and restoring a "fix" for any Computer repair trouble. On my list of curatives, that is my last solution. In General it rather leaves me feeling a bit shot down. But, as I seldom have to ever resort to that, I think only three or four times in the last eighteen years, it is not a crucial matter for me.

So why do numerous PC repair techs find it so easy to decide that ruining the client's data and formating their hard drive as a answer to a PC Computer repair trouble? Here are a few of the reasons.

1. They really do not know how to fix the trouble. This is the number one rationality. Most of the time this is the approach most frequently employed by technicians that have minimal skill in actually troubleshooting and fixing PCs, you know who they are. Its the person, oftentimes just out of high school, that grew up working with PCs and constructed their own gaming system so he reckons they are skilled at repairing computers, or the individual that read the certification books and went forward to get a credential because they go most of the questions right on a piece of paper. Any way it goes, they just don't have the capabilities and this is their sole resolution to a somewhat tough issue. What is even worse is they are taking advantage of the customer that is believing their "expert" decision that this is the ONLY answer to their trouble, oftentimes bequeathing the client with a feeling of regret for not having backed up all their information, written documents and movies and losing them as a result of the Re-image.

2. Time and money equals profits. It takes longer to troubleshoot and try possible resolutions on a PC Computer with compound problems. Often a client is looking for the best cost for the PC fix. In order to remain competitive and maintain a mass of business, a Desktop Computer repair company may fall back on to the wipe and re-install of a PC Computer since it takes significantly less time than actually solving the problem. Thus, they may make more money by selecting the swiftest route to getting the Computer up and working again. Again this is not generally in the consumer's best interest because they end up more often than not losing their information and having to Reimage many of of their software applications on their own.

3. Laziness. This comprises a bit of both of the above plus a terrible mental attitude, but is in truth self-explanatory. The PC tech or the company philosophy is to take the easy way out, head off possible complications, get the Desktop Computer out the door remedied, and do so with the least effort, time and expense. It is a "repair mill" outlook. In general, they just don't care about the consumer. Rather, it is all about whatsoever is easiest and most bankable. Again, the client becomes an unknowledgeable victim of inexpert business attitudes and patterns.

A comment reply by a self-professed Computer repair guru on a forum posting by another newbie technician asking "What's a good turnaround time on Desktop Computer fix for clients?" read the succeeding: "It really counts on patronage, If you want to do this in a full time extent, you should be able to do this in about 8 to 12 hours. If you just reimage the Computer it shouldn't take more than 2 hours." I guess we know how he works.

A trustworthy computer repair tech can solve about any trouble without resorting to wiping a hard drive and re-installing the OS, also referred to as reimaging a PC. A computer repair technician with a real concern for the consumer's best interest will use everything in their armory to restore a problem before resorting to a total reimaging of a PC system.

In my own Tucson PC Computer repair company, I can site multiple cases wherein a customer brought in a Desktop Computer to me because they were told by another PC Computer repair person that it was required to reimage the customer's Computer concluding in full loss of their information, only to discover that indeed, it could be restored without any loss. Yes, sometimes it costs more than reimaging a system because of the extended repair operations, but the customer more often than not would preferably pay a little more than lose all their information, and all too frequently, their treasured libraries of family memories on the PC Computer in digital images.

My advice to consumers is to inquire around and discover the reputation of the Desktop Computer repair technician. Don't be unwary and easily accept a PC Computer repair technician's assertion that a total wipe and Reimage of the hard drive is necessary. Drill them on the reasons why it is needed, and what the choices are. At the very least, always tell a Desktop Computer repair person or company that they should contact you for authorization before formatting your hard drive and reimaging your Computer. Be aware as well, that some of the huge franchise operations use a business model wherein a series of mandated minimum troubleshooting measures are set about before the company policy dictates a complete Re-install of the Desktop Computer is mandatory for trouble resolution.

Article submitted Monday, October 04, 2010 & read 158 times.

Bill Arnoldi is the owner of Fireball Tech Tucson Computer Repair and Core Business Strategies Internet Marketing, an online marketing and IT executive with over 18 years of experience in system design, networking and Internet marketing including SEO, SEM, WSO.

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