PC superstore suffers breakdown over Linux notebook
PC World's PR fails to trickle down
Agentless Backup is Not a Myth
PC World's shop floor management and the PR machine behind the retail behemoth's marketing strategy appear not to be on the same page when it comes to customer satisfaction.
You may recall our report last week about how a PC World customer, known to us only as Tikka, had been refused a hardware repair to his broken, still under warranty, Acer laptop because he had installed Linux on the machine.
Following a conversation between The Register and a PC World spokesman it appeared as though the "misunderstanding" would be resolved with the store promising to track down Tikka and provide a full repair to the faulty hinge on his laptop.
But sadly, we have learned that the saga continues to rumble on.
Tikka contacted us this morning to confirm that he still hadn't heard from PC World. In fact, he decided to return to the store at the centre of the row in Colliers Wood and speak to its manager to find out what was going on.
But despite pointing out that PC World's PR team had promised a repair, according to Tikka, the store's manager, Mr G Tank, refused to budge and insisted that the laptop's warranty had indeed been voided by the installation of Linux.
Tikka told El Reg: "After reading your report I went back to PC World, armed with my rights, the statement, and a friend with a video recorder (cell phone).
"I went back expecting this to all be resolved and AGAIN I was refused repair."
He added that he is now seeking a full refund from the computer retail juggernaut.
Unfortunately, PC World is not returning our calls despite several attempts to get its side of the story. Bless 'em, perhaps the firm has simply ran out of appropriate car engine analogies for us today. ®
COMMENTS
Carlos might actually have a point
It all depends on what 'non booting' means. There's not enough information in the question.
My first question would be 'what is the last thing you see before it stops'
BIOS screens I go with carlos, anything windows related I try safemode - and multiple AV installations were quite common machine killers.
Have you seen this cartoon?
Someone's reading the Reg....
http://www.bbspot.com/comics/PC-Weenies/2007/09/2997.php
M
One more anecdote... in case you needed any more
I use PC world fairly frequently (apologies to the "why use it if you know what you're doing" crowd, but like most people I go for convenience, especially when I can serve myself and not rely on help). I've found the people there mixed to be honest, with the most unliterate being a senior person I asked a question a couple of weeks ago.
Anyway, last time I was there I stood behind an irate customer having a rant. He'd been sold a modem or router, having been told that it would work p'n'p with his new Vista machine (don't get me started on Vista!). Suffice to say it didn't work as planned.
The Tech advice given - go back home and download the Vista drivers from the internet! Need I say more?
PS lots of opinions above re what the guy is doing wrong (re-install Wndows with a hardware issue? call Acer or PCW customer service rather than go to the shop?) some of which seem to miss the point. If you buy something and it breaks, you shouldn't have to go anywhere but where you bought it for a repair or return, and if you've used it in a reasonable way (i.e.a way that wouldn't surprise a normal user) and it fails, it doesn't work as promised, no question. Why accept poor behaviour from these people by going elsewhere or adding work for yourself. The law is seldom on our side, but in this case it is, and we shouldn't forget that fact.
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