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Thread: Best Buy to Customers: "Linux voids HARDWARE warranty"

  1. #1
    If you can't hack it, you don't own it! Oneslowz28's Avatar
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    Default Best Buy to Customers: "Linux voids HARDWARE warranty"

    One of my favorite blogs just tweeted this. I thought it would make a good discussion over here.

    My four month-old netbook's touchpad and power adapter all stopped working. I took the machine into Best Buy for service under the Geek Squad's Black Tie Protection Plan on Saturday, and demonstrated its problems. The manager of the Geek Squad informed me that installing Ubuntu Linux on my machine voided my warranty, and that I could only have it serviced if the original Windows installation was restored. Furthermore, he insisted that the touchpad and power adapter had been broken because I installed Linux. Another employee ridiculed me for insisting that Linux couldn't cause a hardware issue, saying "Sure, I don't know anything, I just work for Geek Squad!" The entire department was hostile, acting as if I was now a problem rather than a customer. I waited at the desk to see the store manager, who gave the impression that if I reinstalled windows I could return the computer.

    That night, I bought an external CD drive, dug out the system restore disc for the netbook, and reinstalled Windows.

    On Sunday, I brought the computer back, proudly demonstrating that the machine was in its original state and that the hardware problems still persisted. The Geek Squad manager shot forward, looked me in the eyes, and said that Linux had permanently voided my warranty, and again insisted Linux had caused the computer's hardware problems. I could "lie" to another Best Buy and take it back, but could not do so at his store. I recalled from our previous conversation that he made no claim the void was permanent, and was again called a liar. I asked if the warranty actually said such a thing and, after the manager answered in the affirmative, demanded to see the warranty. At this point, my entire confidence in the $80 protection plan I had purchased for a $300 netbook had been shattered, and I had to know just how flimsy this so-called protection really was.

    I waited forty minutes to get a paper copy of the warranty (note that I received one in five minutes when I bought the plan four months ago). When the manager returned with the copy, he gathered all the geek squad employees behind himself, stood over me, and demanded I leave "his store."

    I left the Best Buy for an hour and perused the warranty. The clause the manager insisted permanently voided my warranty was that "this warranty does not cover damage due to spyware, viruses and ... unauthorized modifications." I returned to the store, asked what an unauthorized modification was, and what exactly caused a particular piece of software to be unauthorized, and received the answer that "Windows is authorized and Linux is not." I also pointed out that software modifications could not permanently void a hardware warranty, and again asserted, since the clause said "does not cover damage," that since the damages to my computer were clearly hardware issues and any software damage from Linux was completely reversed by a reinstall, my warranty could not have been voided. The manager said I was "annoying him" by asking such questions rather than giving any logical answers, and finally, when it became clear that the clause he underlined was deliberately misconstrued, simply said: "Look at the last page of the warranty. We can refuse service for any reason we want, and based on our conversation yesterday, I will not service your computer." He alerted security and ordered me to leave the store.

    I can't believe an entire Geek Squad department could insist that a warranty treated Linux worse than it did viruses and spyware. Even Gateway's hardware warranty, though it's voided by Linux, is reinstated when Windows is restored. Even worse, I had an employee chase me out of the store because I wanted to understand my own computer's warranty and physically threaten me. To be fair, after a call to customer service I have been informed that the geek squad manager "handled the situation poorly" and that the store manager and the district manager would be notified. I also was informed that another Best Buy would allow me to return the computer, and was additionally offered a $25 gift card - small consolation for an entire weekend ruined, and another major time sink because the [redacted] Best Buy is the only store within walking distance (I have no car). Because not a single member of the Geek Squad understood the warranty and several squad members made the absurd and incompetent claim that Linux had ruined my computer's hardware, I feel this matter reflects poorly on the Geek Squad as a whole and even more poorly on the "Black Tie Protection Plan" that the Best Buy website says "goes above and beyond the manufacturer's warranty."
    Here is the link to the original post

  2. #2
    Will YOU be ready when the zombies rise? x88x's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Buy to Customers: "Linux voids HARDWARE warranty"

    Hahaha, yeah...a friend actually just sent me a link to that....that's pretty ridiculous. Oh, and random Geek Squad guy, as is blatantly obvious by the behavior of your department, no; just because you work for Geek Squad does not necessarily mean that you know anything at all...in fact, all too often it means the exact opposite.

    Incidents like this are why I never make any major purchases from Best Buy, and I never ever get their extended warranties. The only reason I ever buy anything from Best Buy is because I want it now (ie, don't want to have to wait for shipping) and am feeling too lazy to drive over the Micro Center (~35-60 minute drive, as opposed to the ~10 minute drive to Best Buy).

  3. #3

    Default Re: Best Buy to Customers: "Linux voids HARDWARE warranty"

    Ha.
    Please read the TOS regarding links in signatures. We don't take kindly to that sort of thing. -The Mods

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    One Eye, Sixteen Cores. Kayin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Buy to Customers: "Linux voids HARDWARE warranty"

    This is why I like making the Geek Squad cry.
    Project:Mithril, sponsored by Petra's Tech Shop and Sidewinder Computers-MOTM Nominee October '08




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    iShot the Sheriff jdbnsn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Buy to Customers: "Linux voids HARDWARE warranty"

    Way back before Best Buy had such a thing as Geek Squad, the techs that worked at the one in Topeka really knew their stuff. I used to take an old Vaio there for occasional repair before I knew the first thing about computers and those guys used to have it together. Then Geek Squad formed, and by that time I had gotten enough know-how to figure out that nearly any computer issue could be solved by typing it into google and stopped going. But it seems that from the get-go these "Geeks" have a very weak knowledge base on their trade. I've chatted with several while shopping at Best Buy and every single time I asked a technical question about a product I was looking at it was obvious that they didn't know the answer. And especially now, having listened to you guys chatter back and fourth about advanced computer issues it is frighteningly clear that they are well below the average TBCS member's level of technical skill. I'd let you guys fix my PC before I'd let them plug mine in.
    "At the midpoint on the journey of life, I found myself in a dark forest, for the clear path was lost..." -Dante Alighieri

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    One Eye, Sixteen Cores. Kayin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Buy to Customers: "Linux voids HARDWARE warranty"

    Their SOP is to get people who know nothing, give them their special "training", and then force them to hard sell until they quit or develop a taste for it, then they promote them to manager. It's a meat grinder for people, but I'm really surprised that they got that far on this one before someone straight showed them that they're idiots.
    Project:Mithril, sponsored by Petra's Tech Shop and Sidewinder Computers-MOTM Nominee October '08




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    Will YOU be ready when the zombies rise? x88x's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Buy to Customers: "Linux voids HARDWARE warranty"

    The biggest problem, from what I've heard, is that they won't actually hire people for Geek Squad; you have to work on the sales floor for something like 2 years (or maybe 6 months...honestly I forget) before they'll consider you for Geek Squad. On the sales side I can see why they do it, because then they're already trained to push Best Buy products, but from a technical side, it keeps a lot of actually competent people from trying to get in because they're not willing to deal with being on the sales floor for so long.

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    Religiously tolerant. Luke122's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Buy to Customers: "Linux voids HARDWARE warranty"

    That just made me angry beyond words. I'm not going to comment further on it.

    \m/ d(-_-)b \m/

    R9 290X+Kraken+Corsair H90, Xeon 5649@4ghz, Asus P6T-WS Pro

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    Vampires are also allergic to bulldozers BerticusPryme's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Buy to Customers: "Linux voids HARDWARE warranty"

    Actually the Best Buy that is closest to me will actually hire people for the geek squad. I know this as a friend of mine got a job with them. I grew up with the guy so I know him fairly well. I worked on his computer when ever he needed anything hardware or really technical software help. The reason why he started working at Best Buy is his job as a CONCRETE POURER for a local construction company was getting slow. They hired him for the job right there on the spot. Just let that sink in for a moment.

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    Mentally Underclocked mDust's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Buy to Customers: "Linux voids HARDWARE warranty"

    Quote Originally Posted by jdbnsn View Post
    ...every single time I asked a technical question about a product I was looking at it was obvious that they didn't know the answer.
    That's been my experience with the Geek Squad and the Best Buy sales people. I was looking at netbooks there yesterday (playing with them in person before I buy it online later) and an employee asked me if I needed any help. I asked a couple questions and ended up stumping him and his coworker. I explained that I could find out really quick for them and I ended up showing them how to go to My Computer ->properties for basic info, the device manager to find out what was installed in the netbook, and disk management. Later, as I was walking out, I noticed the same salesman showing customers how to do that like he knew what he was doing. You're welcome, Best Buy, for the free noob training. Next time if I'm asked if I need any help, I'll ask the employee the same.
    I'm not entirely sure that relevant computer knowledge is required to get those jobs.
    I'll procrastinate tomorrow.

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