PC support ads in the papers

[chunkolini]

I saw an ad in the paper a few days back for a online computer support service, I was thinking of buying to for my pa for christmas. Typically I now cant find the ad anywhere.
It as for one of the big chains which I would prefer to some blokey in his shed. Anybody got any idea.
Cheers all, Chunko'.

 

[MrFluffy]

They probably employ blokee in his shed, but sit him in a office and charge you more
I have serious trust issues with letting people touch my pc's and other kit, and I can name you a few people who've been fingered when they took their pc into pcworld or the like for a repair and the technician just had a quick browse round (presumeably to copy all their pr0n and mp3's for their stash!) and the next minute the police are involved. Not that Im suggesting your dad has inappropriate stuff, but he could have had his pc zombied, or clicked on a dodgy link once by accident and *boom* its in the cache...
Me paranoid? you bet, but it is my job...

 

[slim_boy_fat]

If it's online, he'd not be able to use it if he can't connect? [bet it'd be internet problems he'd have most...... ]

 

[chunkolini]

Fair points Mr Fluffy.
Chunko'.

 

[rtbcomp]

Why not buy some software so you can operate his PC from yours, rather than let a stranger do it?

I think AVG offer an on-line support facilty with their anti-virus software.

When I was repairing PC s I always had a look for dodgy stuff for my own protection. For example if PC Plod got hold of a computer I'd fixed the owner could deny all knowledge and blame me for putting it there.

 

[chunkolini]

I think if I took over Pa's PC it would be the end of it. I can just about survive online.
Just.
Chunko'.

 

[putbinoot]

I think you may be better asking around some friends for someone they may have used as I would not hold much faith in online support, you will end up paying a lot for not very much. As has been mentioned it is unfortunate that there are company's out there charging a fortune for basic work.pc cough world.

 

[stucktoweld]

Yeap thr PC cough city will connect your computer on a LAN run Norton scan one of these PC doctor or fix error programs and charge you a lot of money all for things you could do for free. Equally they could by the scan cobble various program and addons for free but charge to fix.
You could download paragon hard disk manager or similar copy on to a seperate partion of your dad hard drive or to a seperate drive a full image of his entire system so when it crashes just reload the image regular backup whilst your visiting your dad so the last good back up is recent. solve most of your problem cost Nada!

 

[M@tt]

check out www.logmein.com

i use it to access my home machines when at work and i've got my mums and brothers pc's on my account so if they have a problem i can connect and sort it out as i get the rage if i have to speak to either of them on the phone about computers as they are both useless!!!, yetthey use them everyday but still have no understanding of them grrrr

anyway its very useful and more importantly free (you can pay for a version that gives you more features such as drag and drop but the free version does me)

HTH

 

[Omniata]

Another one is www.teamviewer.com

It cuts out after about 15 mins if not paid for but is pretty functional...

I'll do stuff for you for free at the minute if you want Chunko, being redundant I have plenty of time on my hands...