My computer won't start.

[jimmy olsen]

They just called me to say my data was unrecoverable and that they'd be refunding me that portion of the bill.

It's unusual for data to be totally unrecoverable.  As them what specifically the problem is.

If it's so bad they're refunding my money, I don't see the point. I'm strapped for cash and can't afford to spend much more than I was going to pay them.

[Caliga]

I interviewed a data recovery guy once who worked for Best Buy at some warehouse center south of Louisville.  He was the angriest man I ever interviewed.  He actually had a short-sleeved shirt with a tie on and looked like Michael Douglas from 'Falling Down' (glasses, same style hair) except his hair was black and he had a bigger nose.

Anyway, he was so angry that within two days of his nonstop calling and yelling he told us to "never contact him again" (even though he was the one who was calling) and that he was going to the media to tell everyone how dishonest we are.  Keep in mind that we never charged the guy a dime for anything.

[Caliga]

If it's so bad they're refunding my money, I don't see the point. I'm strapped for cash and can't afford to spend much more than I was going to pay them.

Ok.  A cheaper solution would almost certainly have been for you to buy a new HD yourself and install it, but that would have required you to have the Windows install discs. 

[DGuller]

I interviewed a data recovery guy once who worked for Best Buy at some warehouse center south of Louisville.  He was the angriest man I ever interviewed.  He actually had a short-sleeved shirt with a tie on and looked like Michael Douglas from 'Falling Down' (glasses, same style hair) except his hair was black and he had a bigger nose.

Anyway, he was so angry that within two days of his nonstop calling and yelling he told us to "never contact him again" (even though he was the one who was calling) and that he was going to the media to tell everyone how dishonest we are.  Keep in mind that we never charged the guy a dime for anything.

Did you hire him?

[jimmy olsen]

I interviewed a data recovery guy once who worked for Best Buy at some warehouse center south of Louisville.  He was the angriest man I ever interviewed.  He actually had a short-sleeved shirt with a tie on and looked like Michael Douglas from 'Falling Down' (glasses, same style hair) except his hair was black and he had a bigger nose.

Anyway, he was so angry that within two days of his nonstop calling and yelling he told us to "never contact him again" (even though he was the one who was calling) and that he was going to the media to tell everyone how dishonest we are.  Keep in mind that we never charged the guy a dime for anything.

The one's I've interacted with seem totally normal, the guy I talked to seemed very apologetic that they couldn't fix  the problem.

[Caliga]

Did you hire him?

I was told by him to "never contact me again" so I'm not sure how I would have delivered an offer even if I'd wanted to. 

Oh, this guy also told me he used to be in the telephony business and had invented some sort of protocol that was worth tens of millions, but a partner stole everything from him and ran him out of the business.  His story sounded fishy, so of course I googled the company name on his resume and nothing turned up.  It's funny how job applicants think interviewers are not capable of, or willing to do, basic research. 

[Caliga]

The one's I've interacted with seem totally normal, the guy I talked to seemed very apologetic that they couldn't fix  the problem.

You were likely talking to one of the Geek Squad desk guys, not one of the data recovery guys.  The desk guys are hired more for their 'customer service skills' than anything else.

[DisturbedPervert]

They just called me to say my data was unrecoverable and that they'd be refunding me that portion of the bill.

That portion, but not all?  Are you sure they actually did anything?

[DisturbedPervert]

Wasn't there a Geek Squad video posted a bit ago, where they unplugged the hard drive and sent it in, and they all said the hard drive was broken and tried to sell them a new one?

[Caliga]

Look, these guys make like $9 an hour and the onsite 'management' maxes out at $12.  What do you really expect to get with that sort of a pay scale?

[jimmy olsen]

Wasn't there a Geek Squad video posted a bit ago, where they unplugged the hard drive and sent it in, and they all said the hard drive was broken and tried to sell them a new one?

They lost $130 by not being able to back up my data.

[DGuller]

Look, these guys make like $9 an hour and the onsite 'management' maxes out at $12.  What do you really expect to get with that sort of a pay scale?

Really?  How can you hire and retain competent workforce at these rates? Don't you need to be at least moderately intelligent to diagnose computer problems, which makes you eligible for better paying jobs?

[Caliga]

Really?  How can you hire and retain competent workforce at these rates? Don't you need to be at least moderately intelligent to diagnose computer problems, which makes you eligible for better paying jobs?

I don't know.  You'll have to ask Best Buy that question.  I think nearly all of those guys are hoping the job is going to be a stepping stone, as you elude to.  Most of the ones I met were working on CompTIA and/or Microsoft certs, typically on the hardware side (i.e. A+, MCSE-track).