Computer Repairs In Chiang Mai - Beware

[Tiger12]

Recently I had to upgrade my hard drive in my computer as I needed more space.

I took my computer to a place called IT-Connect in Pantip Plaza on the ground floor which is part of the Hardware House chain. Making the misgiven assumption that being a large computer chain they would have some idea of what they were doing.

I should have known better as I previously used them to upgrade the RAM in my computer and they failed to put the new card in properly of course wouldn't work when I got home, but was a simple matter of slotting the card in properly. I was prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt on this one. My mistake.

I thought it was a pretty simple operation to install a new hard drive. Simply copy the old one onto the new one, re-partition it to give more space in the C- drive which was down to 1% and away you go. How wrong I was.

Firstly they installed the new hard drive and said its fine away you go. A check revealed that yes they had install the new hard drive, but that is all they had done. Had not copied the other hard drive, no formatting, nothing. I asked them how this was going to help as my C:/ drive was still full. It was so full you could not even download program updates. And yes this was explained prior. My wife who is a Thai native even explained it just to make sure he understood. Oh yes we got it we were assured.

On return a second time I was shown a nice new hard drive, all formatted and partitioned, apparently correctly, but the employee was pretty keen to hand the computer over and have us on our way. A bit more checking of the hard drive revealed that all the material from the old hard drive had disappeared. Firstly he tried to tell me that it was on another drive, but when questioned further admitted that it had "disappeared."

Then he told us that it was our fault as the old hard drive had fallen out so we had mishandled the computer in some way. Again it was pointed out to him that he was the only one who had handled the computer since it being brought in for an upgrade.

The manager was brought into the conversation and he attempted to lay the same blame, and as usual refusing to accept any responsibility. Next step was an email to the companies head office in Bangkok. As expected no response.

Fortunately I have all of my valuable stuff backed up on an external hard drive, but still some material was lost which included all my email addresses, internet favourites and some documentation.

Anyone thinking of using this place I suggest you try somewhere else. There service was appalling, the explaination worse and apologies non existent.

I have since had the computer checked by someone else who could not recover the data and believes that they have deleted the hard drive.

Degrees and weetbix packets comes to mind when considering this experience.

[expatwannabe]

Not trying to redirect blame, but you seem to know an awful lot about computers for someone who isn't willing to do a HD install himself. Why didn't you do it? I think you know how easy it is. And you also seem to know what kinds of problems you're likely to run into with Thai business. So I guess I don't understand why you didn't just do it yourself.

[JuniorExPat]

Backup, backup and then backup again!

JxP

[Blinky Bill]

Might have been a better option to install a 2nd hard drive alongside the original then partition and name both as you please and move stuff from the original to the new as you want.

Very easy to do yourself as mentioned by EPW.

[Donnyboy]

moral of the story......

do your own back up before losing everything to get your back up

[tigerbeer]

i would have happily done it for u for the cost of a pint of beer.

[richard10365]

I would give advice....but enough good advice has already been given.

[jomama]

Recently I had to upgrade my hard drive in my computer as I needed more space.

I took my computer to a place called IT-Connect in Pantip Plaza on the ground floor which is part of the Hardware House chain. Making the misgiven assumption that being a large computer chain they would have some idea of what they were doing.

I should have known better as I previously used them to upgrade the RAM in my computer and they failed to put the new card in properly of course wouldn't work when I got home, but was a simple matter of slotting the card in properly. I was prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt on this one. My mistake.

I thought it was a pretty simple operation to install a new hard drive. Simply copy the old one onto the new one, re-partition it to give more space in the C- drive which was down to 1% and away you go. How wrong I was.

Firstly they installed the new hard drive and said its fine away you go. A check revealed that yes they had install the new hard drive, but that is all they had done. Had not copied the other hard drive, no formatting, nothing. I asked them how this was going to help as my C:/ drive was still full. It was so full you could not even download program updates. And yes this was explained prior. My wife who is a Thai native even explained it just to make sure he understood. Oh yes we got it we were assured.

On return a second time I was shown a nice new hard drive, all formatted and partitioned, apparently correctly, but the employee was pretty keen to hand the computer over and have us on our way. A bit more checking of the hard drive revealed that all the material from the old hard drive had disappeared. Firstly he tried to tell me that it was on another drive, but when questioned further admitted that it had "disappeared."

Then he told us that it was our fault as the old hard drive had fallen out so we had mishandled the computer in some way. Again it was pointed out to him that he was the only one who had handled the computer since it being brought in for an upgrade.

The manager was brought into the conversation and he attempted to lay the same blame, and as usual refusing to accept any responsibility. Next step was an email to the companies head office in Bangkok. As expected no response.

Fortunately I have all of my valuable stuff backed up on an external hard drive, but still some material was lost which included all my email addresses, internet favourites and some documentation.

Anyone thinking of using this place I suggest you try somewhere else. There service was appalling, the explaination worse and apologies non existent.

I have since had the computer checked by someone else who could not recover the data and believes that they have deleted the hard drive.

Degrees and weetbix packets comes to mind when considering this experience.

I can't tell you the number of people I've met who've had trouble and took their computers in and got them back -- with the hard drive reformatted and windows reinstalled. All data lost. Trouble shooting is impossible. Just reformat, repartition and follow along as Microsoft tells you what to do. They must thank god that windows XP plug and play works pretty well now. Then it works...

[tigerbeer]

I can't tell you the number of people I've met who've had trouble and took their computers in and got them back -- with the hard drive reformatted and windows reinstalled. All data lost. Trouble shooting is impossible. Just reformat, repartition and follow along as Microsoft tells you what to do. They must thank god that windows XP plug and play works pretty well now. Then it works...

and the addition of 1000's of thai mp3's, pictures of half naked japanese and korean women, ragnarok online, counterstrike, hello kitty pictures despite telling them that you don't want them.

[earlofwindermere]

There's an IT guy from the UK who just quit his job and is retiring here in the city. I met him two weeks ago and he's just opened up a computer repair shop just off of Mae Jo Road. It's in the moobaan across from Ruamchok Market - just down the street from Cafe Sabai.

I don't have his phone number but his shop is relatively easy to find. Based on my conversation with him, he can do most things including setting up networks for small offices., upgrading computers and repairs. Might be worth keeping in mind for future problems.

[meadish_sweetball]

I have resigned to the fact that Google research and the Internet forum on Thaivisa.com will provide me with the best advice I can get at this stage, and that I am better off learning how to do something myself this way, than to trust computer shops in the fair city of Chiang Mai to do it for me.

Some employees do know what they are doing, but they are few and far between, and it isn't immediately obvious which ones they are, so better safe than sorry.

[solent01]

I agree with Blinky, your a naughty boy for not getting a fellow Farang to carry out this very simple/difficult transplant, hope your medical insurance is up to date.

For the price of a beer or three, one of us would be happy to help.

[Austhaied]

http://cafe.cyberstarasia.com/ highly recommended.

[Rice_King]

...some material was lost which included all my email addresses, internet favourites and some documentation.

I have since had the computer checked by someone else who could not recover the data and believes that they have deleted the hard drive.

Deleted hard drive or NOT! Don't believe it!

Many of us here can tell you that there are applications that may be (easily) able to recover some, if not all of your missing data. Just inquire about those recovery recommendations in the ThaiVisa computer forum.

My vote: GetDataBack Data Recovery Software

Edited June 27, 2007 by Rice_King

[tigerbeer]

...some material was lost which included all my email addresses, internet favourites and some documentation.

I have since had the computer checked by someone else who could not recover the data and believes that they have deleted the hard drive.

Deleted hard drive or NOT! Don't believe it!

Many of us here can tell you that there are applications that may be (easily) able to recover some, if not all of your missing data. Just inquire about those recovery recommendations in the ThaiVisa computer forum.

My vote: GetDataBack Data Recovery Software

even after a full format ??

[Farma]

Yepp you might be surprised at what those programs DO recover. EasyRecovery.Pro is my favourite.

[Rice_King]

even after a full format ??

ABSOLUTELY! Formatting a disk, especially "quick" formatting, will leave most, if not all of the data intact on the “reformatted” disk. It isn't until you start overwriting the deleted / formatted data that it can become unrecoverable.

The software I mentioned earlier, GetDataBack, even has the option, "Recover Data From Formatted Drive?"

Data on magnetic media is more resiliant than you might imagine. The American Department of Defense Standard (DoD 5220-22.M) method, wipes the drive three times using a character (a "1" or a "0"), its complement (the opposite of the first character), and then another random character.

Referenced.

Edited June 28, 2007 by Rice_King

[tigerbeer]

Rice King,

thats for the info. really thought formatting the disc was it. end of every data you had. its good to know though and also the right software to recover data. I actually do use a software called Eraser for everything that i delete. Like you mentioned, it overwrites the data 1, 3,14 times depending on settings and nothing is recoverable.

TB

even after a full format ??

ABSOLUTELY! Formatting a disk, especially "quick" formatting, will leave most, if not all of the data intact on the “reformatted” disk. It isn't until you start overwriting the deleted / formatted data that it can become unrecoverable.

The software I mentioned earlier, GetDataBack, even has the option, "Recover Data From Formatted Drive?"

Data on magnetic media is more resiliant than you might imagine. The American Department of Defense Standard (DoD 5220-22.M) method, wipes the drive three times using a character (a "1" or a "0"), its complement (the opposite of the first character), and then another random character.

Referenced.

[Blinky Bill]

I actually do use a software called Eraser for everything that i delete. Like you mentioned, it overwrites the data 1, 3,14 times depending on settings and nothing is recoverable.

So what are you trying to hide TB? Been visiting some erotic sites or downloading some naughty stuff?