Update: All my woes are due to a refrigerator magnet that somehow found its way onto the outside of my computer box. So I know the cause, but not how to fix or even what-all it damaged besides the 3D graphics and System Restore.
Best Buy Geek Squad Rant:
Don't even bother trying to get real help from these guys. Once upon a time, they would actually help, but apparently not any more.
Last night I went to their website. It promised 24/7 assistance, so I called the toll-free number. The machine voice promised a person if I just stayed on the line. (There was no fine print explaining that person did not mean techie.)
Some woman who didn't sound too educated came on and wanted to know if I had a service plan. No, mine had expired. She assured me she'd transfer me to an "agent" who would help me with my problem. Said agent made it clear she wasn't a techie either, and all she could do was schedule an appointment for one. What happened to 24/7 availability?????
I noticed that the website said it could cost as little as $19.99 to take it into the store, so I gave up for the night.
Found the magnet this afternoon and removed it. Magnets can damage hardware as well as software, I'm told. Lovely (not).
I called the local Best Buy store and talked to another uneducated sounding person, but this guy assured me he was a Geek Squad techie. So I told him the problems and asked what they might be able to do and how much it might cost. He assured me that they'd at least look at it for free, and I've experienced that kind of helpfulness before, so I brought it in.
The uneducated-sounding guy didn't seem to be there. The shlub who was there barely glanced at my baby and said he'd need to "run diagnostics" on it to determine the problem(s). That would be $69.99.
Now, okay, that does make sense, but then why couldn't they have said that on the phone and saved me (and Baby) a trip? I can't afford $69.99 right now for them to just end up telling me I need to wipe my hard drive and start over. (Which ain't gonna happen, as I have high-end software on here that can't be replaced.)
And what happened to that so-reasonable $19.99? What does that cover?
I am disgusted. Well, I'm not at all sure what I'm going to do. I can try replacing the graphics card for the $69.99 it would cost for the diagnostics. I can make do without games and online video. I am posting my questions on tech boards, but why couldn't someone just have listened last night on their 24/7 toll-free number and said, "we'd need to run diagnostics." ????
Naturalmama, I sure hope you're faring better than I am. :|