Home computer businesses

[Whedgit]

i'd like to know what everyones favorite live discs are other than the usual bactrack, ophcrack and the such

one of my favorites is one i got from a friend a long time ago: ERD Commander its xp only and has some of the usual disk utilities.

[Netshroud]

I like Ubuntu live CDs and Windows PE. I used to use BartPE.

[h3%5kr3w]

My arsonal:

DrWeb live linux usb stick (virus removal)

BartPE: misc. stuff

UBCD4Win: hdd check, backup, removal, registry tweaking and TONS of utils and uses with this cd

UBCD4DOS: Quick and dirty stuff like hdd checking and stuff like that

Ubuntu: you never know

[foo]

heh, it's crazy to see how many of you charge your family :P

[lazaruswws]

I personally don't usually charge because I don't do it that often but I have never gone as far as building a new computer for someone else. I hate trying to remove virouses and spyware. Usually i just change a seting change and the problem is solved. It is amazing how computer iliterate someone can be and still use a computer. I guess o should be more cut throat and charge an arm and a leg like geek squad though but I couldn't live with myself if I did a half ass job like some places.

[ArkNinja]

Geek squad and the other places have crazy prices. I was looking at a pricing sheet for Staples once and to install a router it was $150, seriously? You have to like plug it in...

[h3%5kr3w]

Well, for mom and pop style computer shops, I can understand high prices because that is their bread and butter. You cant expect to build too many PCs for people, but for places like staples, best buy, and circuit city.. It's really lame because they should be using onsite support as a point of sale, not to just rape people and to top it all off, the company is the only one benefiting from the prices. I heard a computer tech at circuit city get's paid the same as the sales staff.

[jobdone]

Geek squad and the other places have crazy prices. I was looking at a pricing sheet for Staples once and to install a router it was $150, seriously? You have to like plug it in...

...And thats how you get those nice unlocked routers in your neighbourhood or those lame WPA keys, not to mention if you need to set up any DSL. but seriously you are right it isn't rocket science....

[Razor512]

they charge those prices because if someone cant figure out how to setup a router (which are insanely easy to set up) then they wont even know what money is and they can be easily ripped off

I beta test lots of networking hardware including consumer level routers. and one thing I can tell you with out voiding the agreement is that they are easier than ever to set up

many of the new routers coming out have a completely dumbed down install process

it doesn't get any more simple than this

Step 1, select connection type, step 2, enter username and pass if any for the connection, step 3 enter a wireless password, step 4, click finished and the router is set up.

if someone needs to spend $150 to get help with this process, then they need to be ripped off because they cant even figure out how to put in a setup cd into the cd drive, and even worst they don't even know how to use a phone to call the toll free tech support number.

they even come with instructions on how to plug everything up. even a hamster can figure it out.

it is just sad that companies like linksys and netgear and dlink actually have entire teams dedicated to 1 job. making a setup cd to simplify the already simple setup process, and yet people still call support and geek squad and other crap so do a simple setup

[h3%5kr3w]

Well Razor512, while no one can deny the general population that is basically African Mountain Gorillas (see backstory here :P) A lot of people have bought routers and computer equiptment in the past, and in the past they were told it was dumb-ass easy, but ended up with a faulty cd (must like damn near any linksys router cd) or just that it comes with a really craptacular setup program, and what ended up happening there is they had to call tech support and have a nightmare of a time anyways, mostly to the point that they didnt learn jack crap cause technical support (especially pay for tech support) is not designed to actually teach you how to not mess something up but to just get your through without teaching you anything, therefore there is a greater chance of the end user calling back and getting charged *yet again*.

Not everyone knows people like us. Now some just don't care and are happy to spend their money on nothing and to those people well.. Wish I were like them, but at the same time not everyone is like that.

[h3%5kr3w]

WTF is with these double posts? Have I gone bat shit style retarded???

[W4RP3D]

I dont think ive ever charged anyone for any software related problems, most of the time there family or friends in which case i would prefer a couple of beers, or to be able to be able to call on a favour rather than a few quid when the chances are i can fix the problem in a matter of minutes. 90% of the time they pay me anyway in the range of £5 to £50.

Although saying that i do charge for hardware problems, normally i put a mark up of about 20%-30% on what ever i have to buy, manly because if they went anywere else they would be charged almost twice the value of the componet.

[Razor512]

I tend to charge very little for hardware because it is easier to work with, just 2 days ago, I built a gaming system for someone (had them order the parts and I did the rest), also did a small overclock for the CPU and memory and installed windows and and the drivers for $20, (if a system is new and so theres nothing to backup of it is is old and infected to a point where a reinstall is needed and the owner doesn't want any backups or anything, then i will just reformat and reinstall and set up everything, and do some performance tweaks for about $20 due to how easy it is)

[puzOpia]

I generally don't charge friends or family (I know, stupid). I do, however charge the people they refer me to. Usually, 20-30 an hour or I give a flat rate of $100 to back up their data, wipe the system and reload everything from scratch. In those cases I insist I have the PC at my house so I can work at my leisure.

[h3%5kr3w]

well, not just for your own leisure, but I cant stand - Ohhhhh... are you deleting that? Is that a bad file? What if the virus gets saved with the files your backing up? What if I download it again? Where do you think I got it? blahblahblahblah. Fuck that... My house bitch! :P

[joeypesci]

I charge £20 ph and £20 call out, first hour is free. So if I repair it within the hour, I still at least get the £20 call out.

Haven't done much, it got a bit annoying as I prefer to work on peoples kit at home than in their house. Do work for the guy across the road but haven't heard him in ages so he must be doing well :) I had to do a restore on his system cause it died. The backup solution I'd setup for him was working but he hadn't been turning the external drive on so Acronis hadn't backed up the past few months. Lucky it did one good backup before the PC when Pete Tong.

I took it home and started restore when to my horror I realised he only had USB 1. So I put it on in the morning and went to work. 8 hours later and it had finished so I charged him £100 considering it was a data restore. Lots of data restore companies charge £100s.

Did a job for his mate in a shop and his parents. Then one of his other friends who was an arse.

I missed his call so called him back and spent about £20 on a mobile to mobile call giving him free consultation. Then visited him. He mentioned he'd like to get a lot of home automation but I said that's above me you'd need to get a specialist. Although now I think I have the know how to do it.

Gave him more advice looking at his shit PC so charged my £20 call out. Then told him to order the parts I've recommended. He said "And you'll come back and install them?" I said "Yeah but it will be another £20 call out and £10 ph". (was doing it at £10ph at that time, way to cheap). He said "What? So you'll charge another call out?" I explained of course, if it only takes me an hour or less I'd then get nothing otherwise. He moaned it was a funny charging system. Told him most people charge a lot more and if he wants he can just take it to PC World, I'm not bothered, but they will wipe your drive more than likely I warned him.

He kept on all the way to the door. I told him I really don't mind if he just wants to take it to a shop, I've done my part.

He said he'd call me when the parts come in. I said fine. Got home and was going to txt him and tell him not to bother as I wasn't interested in doing the job anymore after his attitude. But he never called back anyway :)

Haven't done much since really. It's difficult. You get arses like that and then others, once you've done one job, expect you to come back shortly after to do another for free as they'll blame it on what you did. And I still don't like working in peoples houses.