Yesterday my laptop (MSI) decided to let me down and due to a “system error” as the kind staff from PC Depot informed me. My only option was to reinstall the windows.
Now, let me mention that I have zero knowledge about this stuff, so whatever they say goes.
For that they had to take out my data from my hard drive, which I was ok with until they said they will have to confirm with me that all the data is collected safely.
I asked them what did they mean by that and they said they will have a look through my data with me. I refused and I asked them not to look but they said it was the policy.
Now, because I’m an unorganized hore, some of my stuff are not put in folders. Which means that the icon is the data itself. To cut it short, a bunch of guys from PC Depot saw my corn for my OF.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, I know they will prrrrobably take a look at it later, because they still have my laptop with all my data. And if that still isn’t bad enough for you, I was with my 11 months old baby and I was wearing the most modest clothes so imagine the confusion in their souls.
Even worse, the okaikei was 44,000 yen. Almost the price of my rent. Gosh I felt so dumb. Not only these guys are most likely clicking away on my corn right now, but I paid them 44,000 yen to do it🥴 is this price even legit? How can it be so expensive…? I feel stupid.
10 comments
Policy or not, if you didn’t give consent to go through your files, then they shouldn’t have done it
Use veracrypt to hide all your “sensitive files”
Also installing windows is just downloading it onto an 8gb USB drive and booting off of it.
You could learn to encrypt your sensitive files. But if it makes you feel better, they probably seen a lot before.
They’ve likely seen worse, don’t worry about it. Also who cares, it’s not likely you’ll ever see them again, no worse than the people who watch your content through OF.
Wow, what a ridiculous price. They are fleecing their customers imo. I do work like this sometimes and I wouldn’t be able to justify a charge like this to myself.
Edit: I just remembered about a local computer repair place here in Niigata. They charge 500y per 15min. They’d have to put in 20h to charge so much.
Even if they are literally waiting around for and counting install and data copying times it shouldn’t take more than 2-3h unless it’s HDD and an abnormally large amount of data.
I thought this was a DIY construction post.
Hey, IT dork here. I just want to let you know, they could verify integrity of files through various means without individually opening them up or even viewing them. I know for a fact that MSI, the maker of your device, have some proprietry software that uses a checksum verification method.
I have never worked with PC Depot but they sound like a bunch of cowboys, might be worth a complaint. The fact that they didn’t get express consent from you (generally a written form) is really out of order too.
Also, for the future; repairing and reinstalling windows is pretty easy these days. Look into making some [installation media on a 16gb USB pen](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/create-installation-media-for-windows-99a58364-8c02-206f-aa6f-40c3b507420d) and then try using that if this happens again. Plug the USB memory in, boot the PC and follow the ‘repair’ instructions.
If you need windows reinstalled in the future, and have no one to assist and must use a shop, ask them to just add the price of a new hard drive into the bill. That way, Windows is freshly installed on a new drive, and the old one with sensitive data is safe from prying eyes.
They’ll give you the old drive, and you can get someone to help you put it in a USB external hard drive enclosure (case) so you can use it for storage / access the files.
However, I -highly- recommend seeing if someone in your circle can assist you, since nearly all of this post is basically BS to me for what they did. (Diagnosis, pricing, policies, etc). Heck, even I’d help if you DM me.
Can I have the link to the OF? you know, for a friend….
next time just ask a friend to do this kinda PC tasks and buy them a beer or pizza or something for payment. all the local PC shops start at like 10k just for looking at the problem and only goes up from there. a simple data copy off job from a working/ non damaged hdd/ssd is very simple, same goes for OS reinstall. PC shop i was helping out at in early 2000s was charging 30k to reinstall windows and they probably still do…