Knowing very little about computers but thinking a company like Compaq would be a good one, I purchased a Compaq 2 years ago. Approximately 4 months ago I started having major problems. I kept getting error boxes saying Windows was not a valid image and it finally reached the point where I couldn't get on the internet at all.
I thought I was having a problem with AOL so I called their tech support, and luckily got someone I could understand, who tried for over an hour to help me figure out what the problem was. He was very helpful, but as it was NOT an AOL issue, there was nothing he could really do. He suggested I put it in the shop to be repaired.
I took it to Best Buy where I'd purchased it and they wanted $60 to even look at it. Hoping it was something minor, I paid them. A week or so later they called and said I had a "compromised registry" and that yes, they could fix it, but it would cost at least another 60 bucks and more if I wanted them to re-install everything they were going to have to remove. I asked several people about this, and everyone said this was not a hard problem to resolve and I just needed to run a restore CD, which was supposed to have been included when I bought the computer.
I called Compaq's tech support several times, which was a joke. Half the time I couldn't understand what they were saying, and the other half they were telling me things I'd already tried and knew would not work. I asked if there was any way I could get another restore CD, told them the problem I was having and they were more than happy to charge me $20 and send me one.
It came with directions and seemed fairly simple to understand. I put it in, Task Manager came up on my screen and nothing else happened. I tried following the directions that came with it, and nothing happened - none of the things that were supposed to be appearing on the screen showed up. So I took it out and did it again, and again. Nothing happened.
I called Compaq again and was informed that my computer was no longer under warranty (like I didn't already know this) and there was nothing they could do unless I wanted to authorize them to charge my credit card ($40) and that would put the warranty back into effect for 7 days and then he would be happy to connect me to "troubleshooting" where they could help me. They refused to do anything else and just kept repeating the same thing over and over about the money. I was so frustrated, I just hung up.
I will NEVER, ever buy anything from Compaq again. I signed up and paid for a computer class at the college and had to cancel it as I now have no computer to work on. Thanks a lot Compaq.
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