Can a hard disk shrink? Or did ****USA steal my HD?

[George L.]

**** Post for FREE via your newsreader at post.usenet.com ****

Do computer repair centers ever replace HDs with smaller ones
and not tell customers? I took my Compaq equipped with
80 gig HD to ****USA but got back a 40 gig. My data wasn't
lost, but the drive is definitely smaler, according to the BIOS
and the label on the HD.

My original problem was that the computer would freeze
or blue screen every other day, and changing the PS didn't
help. Apparently the original PS was bad and the second
one was inadequate because the repair center put in yet
another, and the computer has been rock solid ever since.

The repair center denies that the replaced the drive and said
that they only ran a diagnostic on it. I have the receipt for
the original HD (was an upgrade) and registered its serial
no., but the repair center says that it's not enough proof.

What can I do?





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[Ron Bennett]

Do computer repair centers ever replace HDs with smaller ones
and not tell customers? I took my Compaq equipped with
80 gig HD to ****USA but got back a 40 gig. My data wasn't
lost, but the drive is definitely smaler, according to the BIOS
and the label on the HD.

I'd be surprised if they did...

Only exception I can think of is warranty repair of computer equipment
that uses propretary parts...and Compaq is well known for propretary
hardware.

If the computer you brought in was very old, that may be why...but it
really sounds most likely that either...

A. You're mistaken about there ever being a larger HD in there.
-or-
B. They replaced the HD with what they had then (or got mixed up).

In any event, the cost difference between 40GB and 80GB is virtually
nil these days so I doubt such an action would for cost savings alone.

And lastly, be glad your computer data is fine - very often data is
lost and/or programs don't work properly after computer repairs; most
all computer repair shops strongly recommend users to maintain backups
at all times and further take no responsibility for lost data, etc.

Ron Bennett

 

[justme]

**** Post for FREE via your newsreader at post.usenet.com ****

Do computer repair centers ever replace HDs with smaller ones
and not tell customers? I took my Compaq equipped with
80 gig HD to ****USA but got back a 40 gig. My data wasn't
lost, but the drive is definitely smaler, according to the BIOS
and the label on the HD.

My original problem was that the computer would freeze
or blue screen every other day, and changing the PS didn't
help. Apparently the original PS was bad and the second
one was inadequate because the repair center put in yet
another, and the computer has been rock solid ever since.

The repair center denies that the replaced the drive and said
that they only ran a diagnostic on it. I have the receipt for
the original HD (was an upgrade) and registered its serial
no., but the repair center says that it's not enough proof.

What can I do?

If you got enough proof, take them to small claims court. Go to your
local courthouse and file the case.

Before you do that........
One thing that comes to mind is whether you could possibly have a
partition. Drive C: would be your first partition. I assume you got
a cdrom, so that should be D: (but not always, since you can change
the drive letter). Do you see a drive D: or E: or F: etc?
Maybe they partitioned your drive in half.

 

[Lil' Dave]

If, what you say is true, I doubt if they will put in the equivalent
capacity HD unless they have further motivation.

You can arm yourself with the original specifications of the Compaq on paper
before personally speaking to the manager.

Make a report to your local Better Business Bureau. They usually don't act
on one case, but if it becomes prevalent, the BBB may investigate and
possibly blacklist them.

File a suit in small claims court. A civil case involves less burden of
evidence on the plaintiff. You can recoop the cost of the attorney and
court costs as part of the suit if you win.

Arbitration, if both parties agree to it.

Find others in similar dilemma with same place of business and develop a
class action suit.

Call your local newspaper and TV news, get them interested. Business hates
bad press.

Or, just blow it off because your PC works and you don't feel this is worth
the effort.
Dave

 

[Me]

**** Post for FREE via your newsreader at post.usenet.com ****

Do computer repair centers ever replace HDs with smaller ones
and not tell customers? I took my Compaq equipped with
80 gig HD to ****USA but got back a 40 gig. My data wasn't
lost, but the drive is definitely smaler, according to the BIOS
and the label on the HD.

My original problem was that the computer would freeze
or blue screen every other day, and changing the PS didn't
help. Apparently the original PS was bad and the second
one was inadequate because the repair center put in yet
another, and the computer has been rock solid ever since.

The repair center denies that the replaced the drive and said
that they only ran a diagnostic on it. I have the receipt for
the original HD (was an upgrade) and registered its serial
no., but the repair center says that it's not enough proof.

What can I do?

At first, I thought that your hard disk might be fragmented. If the BIOS
shows a smaller hard drive, then fragmentation isn't involved. Contact
the CEO of CompUSA (go to the top) in writing and explain just what you
explained here and request that you either be compensated for the
smaller hard drive or have a larger hard drive installed. Do not mess
with local store management in this case; go right to the top.

 

[Aaron Davis]

**** Post for FREE via your newsreader at post.usenet.com ****

Do computer repair centers ever replace HDs with smaller ones
and not tell customers? I took my Compaq equipped with
80 gig HD to ****USA but got back a 40 gig. My data wasn't
lost, but the drive is definitely smaler, according to the BIOS
and the label on the HD.

My original problem was that the computer would freeze
or blue screen every other day, and changing the PS didn't
help. Apparently the original PS was bad and the second
one was inadequate because the repair center put in yet
another, and the computer has been rock solid ever since.

The repair center denies that the replaced the drive and said
that they only ran a diagnostic on it. I have the receipt for
the original HD (was an upgrade) and registered its serial
no., but the repair center says that it's not enough proof.

What can I do?

Compare the physical stickers on the outside of the disk with what your
receipt shows. Look for a match on serial number, make and model if
possible. If your positive it's not the disk that was in you machine
before the repair, call the BBB and possibly the State Attorneys office.

If you don't get resolution with those two - go to small claims court. Let
us know what happens. Good luck.

 

[NDF]

**** Post for FREE via your newsreader at post.usenet.com ****

Do computer repair centers ever replace HDs with smaller ones
and not tell customers? I took my Compaq equipped with
80 gig HD to ****USA but got back a 40 gig. My data wasn't
lost, but the drive is definitely smaler, according to the BIOS
and the label on the HD.

My original problem was that the computer would freeze
or blue screen every other day, and changing the PS didn't
help. Apparently the original PS was bad and the second
one was inadequate because the repair center put in yet
another, and the computer has been rock solid ever since.

The repair center denies that the replaced the drive and said
that they only ran a diagnostic on it. I have the receipt for
the original HD (was an upgrade) and registered its serial
no., but the repair center says that it's not enough proof.

What can I do?





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I can't help but wonder if perhaps your machine wasn't mistakenly subjected
to an accidental repair, intended for another machine they were working on.

It would be very easy for this to happen, especially since most branded PC's
look the same across model ranges, maybe a stupid tech picked on the wrong
machine.

Maybe you could contact the manager of the store and ask them to check
against all the repairs being done at the time for some evidence this could
have taken place.

Something else to consider is visually inspecting the drive, checking for
damage and also running the manufacturers "Disk Diagnostics" on the drive
yourself, just to make sure that something isn't wrong with it. "REMEMBER
TO BACKUP ALL YOUR DATA BEFORE YOUR START"

Maybe the tech that did the diagnostic inadvertently changed your partition
size.

Good Luck.

 

[jeffc]

**** Post for FREE via your newsreader at post.usenet.com ****

Do computer repair centers ever replace HDs with smaller ones
and not tell customers? I took my Compaq equipped with
80 gig HD to ****USA but got back a 40 gig. My data wasn't
lost, but the drive is definitely smaler, according to the BIOS
and the label on the HD.

Why would they go to the trouble of replacing the hard drives (the
difference in cost isn't *that* much) with another *working* hard drive, and
then copy over your system and data to the extent that the computer acts and
looks exactly the same as before (same apps, etc.)? It would be more
trouble than it's worth to the repair center, wouldn't it? I wouldn't go to
all that time and effort for a measly $40, or whatever the price difference
is.

 

[JAD]

what size HD do you have...care to trade for one half its size.....ill even copy your system over to it?..

 

[Colin Watters]

**** Post for FREE via your newsreader at post.usenet.com ****

Do computer repair centers ever replace HDs with smaller ones
and not tell customers? I took my Compaq equipped with
80 gig HD to ****USA but got back a 40 gig. My data wasn't
lost, but the drive is definitely smaler, according to the BIOS
and the label on the HD.

Ignoring what the label says for the moment....

Isn't there a limit in Win2K/XP that prevents FAT32 partions beyond 32
GByte? Is it possible that has something to do with it? Perhaps they
reformatted it FAT?

... but I'm no expert in this area and you say the label says 40G.

 

[jeffc]

Don't top post. Let me guess - you're a college kid looking for beer money,
or you make about $4/hr.

what size HD do you have...care to trade for one half its size.....ill

even copy your system over to it?..

 

[NDF]

"What's that you say ? Kettle and .. black ??)

Valid point I think.

Let me guess, you have so much money, it really doesn't matter.

Surely the principle of what has taken place is more important ???

Oops look, I top posted, seems to be a fashion here.

 

[-= ®atzofratzo =-]

Isn't there a limit in Win2K/XP that prevents FAT32 partions beyond 32
GByte? Is it possible that has something to do with it? Perhaps they
reformatted it FAT?

I've had FAT32 partitions larger than 32GB in Win2k.





__________________
-= ®atzofratzo =-

®emove The fleA to reply

 

[jeffc]

Once top posting starts, you have to continue the same. Otherwise,
everything is out of synch. Get it?

No, you don't get it. The point is NOT how much money I have. It's how
much the computer repairers have. They DON'T work for $4/hr., so I
seriously doubt that stealing a used hard drive, replacing it with a
slightly more valuable used hard drive, then copying the system over so it
works, and then selling the stolen merchandise (which includes more time,
and money in fees if sold on eBay etc.), is really worth the 20 bucks or
whatever they will ultimately make on the deal.

Yes, of course the "principle" is what matters. Now stop and reread this
thread and you'll realize what's being said. I'm saying it's pretty
unlikely anyone would bother to do this "crime", and that the OP might very
well be mistaken. So you shouldn't assume that it has, in fact, "taken
place".

Now, when we add to the mix all the time the OP is going to have to spend to
fix the problem, including court fees if it goes to small claims court, is
it really worth HIS time for $40 or whatever? That assumes he wins AND GETS
PAID. Let's say he wins. There is no law that forces the defendant to pay
or go to jail. You've never been to small claims court have you? The
"principle" is pretty much irrelevant, since I seriously doubt anyone here
thinks stealing is perfectly OK.

 

[JAD]

your assumptions are really inaccurate, look for another career path, sooth sayer is not your forte'

 

[JAD]

<Yes, of course the "principle" is what matters. Now stop and reread this

thread and you'll realize what's being said. I'm saying it's pretty
unlikely anyone would bother to do this "crime", and that the OP might very
well be mistaken. So you shouldn't assume that it has, in fact, "taken
place".

Your saying that there is no chance in hell that CompUSA didn't do what was expected? Oh man, your telling me I'm a naive college
kid,, I think you just gave away your secret. And then there's the assumption that it was done on purpose.....could have been a
simple mistake of picking up the wrong replacement drive....or handed the wrong one by a third / fourth person.....


<Why would they go to the trouble of replacing the hard drives (the
difference in cost isn't *that* much) with another *working* hard drive, and
then copy over your system and data to the extent that the computer acts and
looks exactly the same as before (same apps, etc.)? It would be more
trouble than it's worth to the repair center, wouldn't it? I wouldn't go to
all that time and effort for a measly $40, or whatever the price difference
is.>



this is what you said- you said blow it off and let them get away with it.....NOW you say the same thing just added a bunch of
rhetoric. A small claims would be extreme tactics. You have to give someone the benefit of the doubt, I tend to side with the
person posting and ask questions to sort things out.....your more interested in the TOP POSTING... which happens when you start a
argument that strays from the OP....
Oh and please bring up the OE thing next ok?!

 

[bill]

**** Post for FREE via your newsreader at post.usenet.com ****

Do computer repair centers ever replace HDs with smaller ones
and not tell customers? I took my Compaq equipped with
80 gig HD to ****USA but got back a 40 gig. My data wasn't
lost, but the drive is definitely smaler, according to the BIOS
and the label on the HD.

My original problem was that the computer would freeze
or blue screen every other day, and changing the PS didn't
help. Apparently the original PS was bad and the second
one was inadequate because the repair center put in yet
another, and the computer has been rock solid ever since.

The repair center denies that the replaced the drive and said
that they only ran a diagnostic on it. I have the receipt for
the original HD (was an upgrade) and registered its serial
no., but the repair center says that it's not enough proof.

What can I do?

Unless you can actually prove thatt he drive in question was actually
in the box when you took it into the store, you'll be hard pressed to
win any action.
A receipt only shows that you bought the drive, not that it was in the
box when you took it in.

Why would they swap drives? There's no economic incentive to do so;
there's not enough involved to make it worth their while.

 

[Colin Watters]

Why would they swap drives? There's no economic incentive to do so;
there's not enough involved to make it worth their while.

He said his 80G was an upgrade. Perhaps they assumed it was a "standard"
model and replaced it with what they thought that model had? ..or perhaps
they just had a 40G handy and didn't check?

 

[Rod Speed]

At first, I thought that your hard disk might be fragmented. If the
BIOS shows a smaller hard drive, then fragmentation isn't involved.

Fragmentation never affects the size.

 

[jeffc]

<Yes, of course the "principle" is what matters. Now stop and reread this

Your saying that there is no chance in hell that CompUSA didn't do what

was expected?

No, I'm saying what I said. i.e. it's not likely.

Oh man, your telling me I'm a naive college
kid,, I think you just gave away your secret.

"secret"? I'm not following you. I said that was my guess - and it wasn't
that you were naive - it was that if you were offering to swap hard drives
with me and copy all my data over, and then find a buyer and sell the other
hard drive - or however you'd make money on it - then maybe work for about
$5/hr for that to be considered good work.

And then there's the assumption that it was done on purpose.....could have been a
simple mistake of picking up the wrong replacement drive....or handed the

wrong one by a third / fourth person.....

Yes, agreed. But, they claim the drive was never touched. In fact, they
didn't have any reason to touch it, since they diagnosed it and found it
working fine.

<Why would they go to the trouble of replacing the hard drives (the
difference in cost isn't *that* much) with another *working* hard drive, and
then copy over your system and data to the extent that the computer acts and
looks exactly the same as before (same apps, etc.)? It would be more
trouble than it's worth to the repair center, wouldn't it? I wouldn't go to
all that time and effort for a measly $40, or whatever the price difference
is.>

this is what you said- you said blow it off and let them get away with

it.....

I'm not convinced they did it, but... even if they did, the OP is welcome to
pursue it. But then he will be working for about 25 cents an hour by the
time he gets done, and he will be dealing with not only idiots, but
dishonest idiots at that (assuming they did steal it.) How far do you think
you will get when dealing with dishonest idiots? Without going to small
claims court, I mean. If they're bad enough to do it in the first place,
how likely are they to own up to it now? Even if you go straight to the
president, the locals will deny and cover up. He's welcome to try, I'm just
giving him perspective.

Oh and please bring up the OE thing next ok?!

Huh?