Best Buy or Worst Buy

I bought a computer two years ago from Best Buy, with a 3-year warranty (because we had bad experience in the past where the warranty saved our ass). HP with Media Center. The intention was to be able to view TV on it and record directly to a DVD from the computer. Somehow I managed to live with this computer without it ever functioning the way it was supposed to. It would constantly lock up and annoy the hell out of me and my husband.

Less than a year after we bought it we took it back to Best Buy and told them to fix it.

$58 later they told us it was software related and we need to reformat the hard drive. I had a ton of information on my computer (all those porn movies and hot email exchanges with my boyfriends), so I took it back and didn't let them do it. I was told that if I do it and the problem persists, I can bring the computer back within 90 days and they will refund me.

A year later (does anyone want lessons in procrastination? I have a special deal) we took the computer back to Best Buy. That was this past weekend.

As we walked towards the entrance we saw this very old man walking slowly and getting into the store. I told my husband, "What do you suppose he's here for?" My husband thought it just as odd and said "MP3 player for his walker."

So we got to the service department and started the hardware diagnostics on my computer. That's when very-old-man comes accompanied by a VERY young lady working at Best Buy. Very-young-lady turns to a fellow employee in what was clearly an attempt to help the very-old-man in his quest, "Hey, do you know what QuatroPro is?" Turns out very-old-man has some stuff in QuatroPro that he'd like to open up and the young lady didn't know whether Excel would help him with that.

After a ten minute hardware diagnostic it was obvious the hardware was not the problem with my computer. So the guy asked me if I can wait half hour while he runs the more detailed diagnostic. TWO FUCKING HOURS LATER....when I was already past livid because he had wasted my entire afternoon when I wanted to go check up on houses, he tells me - "it's not a hardware problem, it's the operating system. It'll cost you $128, because your warranty doesn't cover software."

I just about blew a gasket at this point and demanded to talk to the manager, who turned out to be very-young-lady. I just rolled up my eyes and dealt with her. I told her it makes no sense to pay a 3 year warranty for something that is not covered. I bought a computer at Best Buy, it never functioned the way it was supposed to - it's THEIR responsibility to fix it or give me an alternate that works! I was just absolutely furious with her over this damn "warranty doesn't cover operating system." The freaking operating system came with the computer! I don't even have a CD for it. HP sells its computers that way.

Anyway, I gave in and signed the paperwork to pay $128. I told them how to duplicate the problem. They had to wait for the following day to do it.

The following day I called in the evening and spoke to whoever answered my call and said I'm calling about the stuttering audio computer. The guy immediately knew who I was (we never met) and sounded all morbid and sad as he broke the "bad news" - "I'm afraid that after we duplicated your problem we believe it's the processor." I don't think he's ever had someone laugh at this type of news before. I told him, "you're kidding me? That's awesome news!!! Thank you SO MUCH!" He was just totally baffled by my reaction, so I tried to explain it slowly, "You see, if it's hardware it's covered by the warranty and I don't have to pay you freaking $128 for you to tell me there's nothing you can do to fix it, like you guys did last year."

So now I don't have a computer for two weeks til they change the processor. Now if only someone could explain to me why it should take two weeks?!

Anyway, no photos or videos til I get my computer back.