Computer repairers - do they really repair???

Just over a week ago, my notebook had to go to the repairers. I had a problem with my monitor flickering and I think it due to a bad connection. However, as my notebook was under warranty, I took it to the repairers.

Just a quick note before I continue on, this was the second time that I had taken my notebook back to the repairers for the same problem. Apparently the first time they just tightened up the offending part.

When I took my notebook in, there was a different person to accept it at the service desk. After my initial inquiry if she spoke English, it was established that all was understood about my problem. The kind lady promptly told me that the offending part would be replaced this time and it was the second time to play up.

With this news, I was a little concerned about loosing my hard disk and the data on it. But the lady assured me that my notebook would stay as is and only the offending part be replaced. Nothing would happen to my hard disk.

The service lady did mention that the technician would want to test my notebook and would need my passwords. Well I was prepared from last time and setup a special login for them and showed her how to do it and she noted it down.

Now I probably should mention a few things. I don't like Windows Vista and prefer to use Ubuntu. Windows is on my notebook but rarely used. As a security feature, I copied all my data to the Ubuntu system so that Windows could not view it. I am a highly suspicious person when it comes to my identify and possible theft.

Well after a few days, I got a call saying that my notebook is ready to be picked up. I travel down to the computer repairers in the heat of the afternoon. When I arrived I waited for about 15 minutes but do have a technology magazine to read - lots of pictures and not much reading. After being served, I test my computer to make sure all is working.

This is were the trouble begins. Just as soon as I turn my computer on I am given an error message and cannot proceed any further. I wait another fifteen minutes to be served again and told that the technician only touched the part in question for my monitor. After explaining that the computer was working properly when I lodged it earlier they gave me a blank look saying that they could not do anything about the system. One thing that the service guy (it was a different person that when I lodged my notebook initially) did do was to boot off a flash drive and at least I saw that my hard disk was still there and my disk setup appeared still in tacked.

So after arguing for a while wanting to know what they did to my computer, I reluctantly took it home hoping that I could fix my software system.

When I got home, I found that the problem was a bit more serious that I first thought. The service repairers had deleted my whole Ubuntu system including my sensitive data. How they did this I don't know because Windows does not recognise Ubuntu and generally cannot do anything to it. They must have special tools.

Well after reinstalling Ubuntu, I tried to get back into Windows and this was also corrupted. So, this was another system that needed to be totally reinstalled. By the way, I did have a copy of my sensitive data elsewhere on my portable drive so it was not a total loss. But still I had to reinstall Ubuntu, Windows Vista and all the other programs that I use.

Now here comes the ironic thing. When I lodged my notebook initially, the service lady was going to take my hard disk out and give it back to me. I said no because I didn't want anything to happen to it. I guess that this was a sign and I ignored it. If I had taken my hard disk, I would not have been in the situation of losing my systems.

So the moral of my story, if I need to lodge my computer for repairs, I am taking my hard disk with me and not leaving it at the repairers... Oh and watch for signs more carefully.

Till next time, haveagoodone...