The Bad Kind of Geek.

In the time since my last post, my computer died and we have bought a replacement. Not only that, but we bought a Mac replacement. I hadn't been having so much luck with the PCs and Jamie and I finally made the switch. Ironically, I still spend most of my time on the PC side of my new Mac since all of my old programs are not Mac-friendly. The greatest thing, though, is that there is a PC side of my new Mac. I can actually boot up in either operating system and it runs both of them super-fast.

It kind of makes me regret not having made the switch earlier.

To tell the truth, we had actually already ordered the new computer before the old one died. I dutifully went to Costco and purchased a big hard drive to back up all of my digital pictures and any important files for the switch. I am not kidding when I say that I was just about to plug in said hard drive when the blue screen of death came up and I never saw my computer desktop again. I am convinced my computer wanted to screw me over just one more time.

So long pictures.

As I don't care for the computer anymore I would be perfectly fine just recycling it if not for those pictures. So I took it to Geek Squad. I had heard good things about the service and I tend to enjoy Geeks. Unfortunately, they apparently are not actual geeks and do not know how to fix my computer. What they do know is how to charge me a ridiculous amount of money to "diagnose" my computer. The result of the diagnosis? "It's broken. $200, please."

After having the computer for over a week, they let me know it's ready. I head over, wait in line for a couple hours only to have them tell me I need to bring in the Restore CD so they can Reinstall everything. Naturally, I was upset that they did not give this information to me over the phone so I could have brought the CD with me and not had to wait two hours for nothing.

As I am quite the geek myself and am perfectly capable of erasing the hard drive, I opted to just forgo all that and have them just back up the folders with all of my picture. This, they say they can accomplish "in a few hours". Since I did not have hours at the time I leave it there with the intent on picking it up when they call me. I had to call them a week later to inquire on it. They inform me that they are working on it now and that I'll be able to pick it up that night when they call. They do not call.

Finally, today, they do call. Not to tell me that my computer is backed up, but that they need me to purchase a hard drive so they can start the back-up. I dutifully take a hard drive there, wait in line, and he tells me to shop around for one hour and the computer should be ready. When I return an hour and half later, they backup will now take THIRTY FIVE HOURS.

If my stupid, crap computer is not backed up on my FIFTH and FINAL trip to Geek Squad -- so help me -- the air will be filled with the sound of breaking eyeglasses and snapping suspenders.

Another interesting note: the Geek Squad website option that would allow me to check the status of my repair has been out of order. Also, the link they sent me for a customer satisfaction survey doesn't work either. Touche, "geeks".