Best Buy "Technician"

[BigBlue66]

Hey Howdy,

I bought my son a Radeon 7500 back in March. He's a big time gamer and I figured the 7500 would suffice for now; didn't want to break the bank. Bought the card at Best Buy.

Well, my son unwittingly installed DX9 and tried to play a new DX9 game with the vid card. All of a sudden, the monitor had mostly green vertical stripes that would not go away. :eek:

I tried installing DX8.1b to no avail. I tried a different monitor and the same thing, so I knew it was the video card. Slapped a brand new MSI GF4 Ti 4200 in the machine and stripes are gone. Now my son is happily playing DX8 compatible games.

So, um, I decided I would try to return the Radeon for a replacement at Best Buy. :rolleyes:

It was over 30 days ago and they have a strict 30-day return policy. So while one of the guys was looking on the ATI website for a tech suppport number, one of the other techs piped up with this comment:

"How much RAM do you have in your computer? 'Cause sometimes if the RAM is going bad, you can have these sorts of problems"

Huh? I just had to share that. :D:

Edit: Maybe he was on to something there, but I've never seen vertical lines on my monitor from RAM going bad, or even heard of such a thing.

[jabarnutcase]

Isn't that amazing! :D
Sometimes, when I'm in a place like Best Buy, I love to hang around and listen to a salesman tell a prospective customer why a certain computer is better....And what "upgrades they are likely to need".

And then there's the ol' "extended warranty pitch".

Better yet, go in and tell them you know absolutely nothing about computers, and could they give you a "few pointers and recommendations"....and "explain what certain components do".

Wow! Some of the answers you hear! :p

[Budfred]

Best Buy is planning to have all their tech support done by a group that is local here called the "Geek Squad". They have a good rep and claim that they are going to train their staff well, but they have no control at all over the sales staff. In my experience the sales staff doesn't have a clue even at CompUSA, let alone Best Buy. They aren't bad at MicroCenter though...

[Mark Miller]

Your right Bud the tech staff behind the counter at best buy is not bad,they all stink at Comp USA, which also has the worst return policy [You open it and return 15% restock unless you take same item}
I who know nothing know more than any of these "sales" staff.
I just walk into these stores knowing what I am looking for and not pay any attention to the floor guys Sheeesh.
Mark

[goober]

Have you ever tried Circuit City!? lol According to them , anything I ask about will work GREAT! in my computer..which is odd, because they never ask what kind of computer/system I'm using:rolleyes:

Thank god for local PC shops! When I first got my pc, the guy at the shop had me go home and get all my syst. info before he would sell me anything.


I try to skip big chain stores when possible..

[BigBlue66]

My local CompUSA has started stocking lots of modding parts, mostly from PCToys. I can't believe some of their prices. They must think a round IDE cable is made of gold or something. I just have to giggle to myself, knowing that I can get the same thing for 1/8 the price from BestByte or SVCompucycle. Wish Newegg stocked more modding parts.

But anyways, I never ask for help there. :eek: And the only time I will actually buy something at these places is if I'm pinched for time and can't wait for an online order.

Think I will start keeping a journal for tech support "advice" I hear from salespeople and/or techs at these places. Would be good material for a book.

[saphalline]

Think I will start keeping a journal for tech support "advice" I hear from salespeople and/or techs at these places. Would be good material for a book.Ooh! That's a great idea! :D I'm gonna go try that within the next month...

[BigBlue66]

Originally posted by saphalline
Ooh! That's a great idea! :D I'm gonna go try that within the next month...

I get royalties!!!

[yawningdog]

Okay now, let's be fair. Best Buy has smokin' deals on hard drives, CD-RW drives and monitors. Comp USA has some good deals as well. Just don't ask for tech help, and they're both great stores.

[jabarnutcase]

I agree completely- When my wife is buying "fabric" or groceries or something, guess where I'm hanging out! They're some of my favorite stores.
Like you said though, just don't ask for tech help....Unless you want to have some fun! :p

[Budfred]

I have gotten real tired of CompUSA since the deals that they offer are usually out of stock a couple of hours after they open on Sunday. They never stock enough to even begin to meet demand, but they get people to come into the store by offering what appear to be great deals. At least BestBuy will honor the deal even if they are out of stock with a rain check...

I also think CompUSA's prices on any number of products are ridiculous. I can go to MicroCenter and buy a cable for $5 that would cost me $20 at CompUSA.

However, I still like to drop in and look around when I am near one of their stores, although that urge is much less now that MicroCenter is around, they have a lot more do it yourself stuff....

[Mark Miller]

Hi Bud ,
I am always looking for new stores I don't know if there are any Microcenters near Miami. I am going to check out their site now and see if they are near me
Have a great day or nite or whatever
It's been along day
Mark:D
No none near me, but I do know where the one in St Louis Park MN is.
When I used to travel I used to stay in a Best Western On Hwy 100 & 12
Not there anymore, but they had a great indoor swimming pool.
Anyway, I guess I will check it out online
Mark

[BigBlue66]

OK, so I've seen where other people upgraded to DX9 and have no issues with an older video card that doesn't support it.

So, was this a fluke? Could it be the Radeon 7500 was overtaxed from DX9 or just crapped out from something else?

[pentachris]

I wondered about that when I saw your post earlier, BB66.

I had an old SiS 6326 PCI card on a system with DX 8 installed. When I got a new mobo/cpu recently and did a fresh Windows installation, I went ahead and installed DX 9. The graphics card is an older ATI Rage 128 card. I've never had any problems with newer DX & older video cards.

[saphalline]

Maybe the drivers for the 7500 weren't up to the task of accepting DX9. The 7500 is a great piece of hardware, but until recently, ATI's drivers sucked! I wonder if you could have gotten it to work even with the latest RV250 drivers?...

Ah well, it's also entirely possible that the card just gave up the ghost, and it coincided with your son installing DX9. Stranger things have happened.

[jabarnutcase]

Just goes to show you...Should have listened to the Best Buy "tech".
Must have been the Ram going bad after all. :D

[goober]

Is MicroCenter a chain store or a local place? I would like to find a place around here that has a good stock, prices and help!

Though, with all those poltergeist inhabiting my PC I'm lost anyways:D

[Budfred]

MicroCenter is a chain store, but not nearly as well distributed as most of the chains. You can find the nearest location through their web page:

http://www.microcenter.com/

[goober]

Thanks Budfred! There's one not to far from me, plus the web site :)


Cute pups,BTW!