geek squad - anyone else experienced this?

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So - I bought a new computer, from Best Buy, and got the Geek Squad as part of the package, to set up the router and put the new computer on line.
My SO set up an appointment with the Geek Squad, for a specific time that was six days after the purchase time.
During the six days, we received no less than fifteen phone calls from "special agents" confirming the visit. Neither of us was at home, so they were just answering machine messages. I called back and confirmed the appointment, but the Geek Squad didn't show up.
So I called them. And i was on hold for, literally, thirty five minutes.
When you call the Geek Squad you talk to agents. Some of them are special and some of them are secret. Secret agents do work for busineeses, special agents go to homes. They always identify themselves as "Agent Sarah", or "Agent (first name)". It's fun, I guess, but not when you really just want someone to fucking install the router
The Geek Squad showed up the next day. "Special Agent Steven" came over and, y'know, did the work that was neccesary. But this is the weird part. I apologized for my home being a little bit messy, and he said "Oh, don't worry about it, I've seen much worse. I once had a goat climb on me while setting up a computer, and some frat boys at UMASS tried to poison me." I said, "What do you mean, they tried to poison you?"He said, "They offered me a drink that was laced with Drano. I could tell it was suspicious, so I only took a little sip." I'm like, "They tried to kill you?" And he said, "Yeah, but it was really stupid, since obviously I was there for a legitimate reason, and of course we always have proof of our visits." I said "What do you mean?", and he took his shoe off and showed me the "Geek Squad" imprint that is on the sole of the shoe. "My footprints were all over their lawn."
I'm not sure which part of the story is the most disturbing - having to call everyone a "special agent", the poisoning attempt, or the very frightening mandated footwear with logo on heel! Or the goat.
Has anyone else had the Geek Squad experience?

― aimurchie (aimurchie), Saturday, 7 October 2006 05:46 (nineteen years ago)

That's the maddest story I ever heard. I wonder if it's just some way of brightening up an otherwise dull job?

― accentmonkey (accentmonkey), Saturday, 7 October 2006 07:05 (nineteen years ago)

perhaps - but I'm still queasy about the logo-shoe thing. And why secret agent steve was so sanguine about the drano incident.
And the goat.

― aimurchie (aimurchie), Saturday, 7 October 2006 07:51 (nineteen years ago)

Perhaps he was making it up. Not the shoe, obviously, because you saw it. Why would they wear the shoes? I join you in feeling a bit odd about that.

― accentmonkey (accentmonkey), Saturday, 7 October 2006 09:38 (nineteen years ago)

I think they have to wear the shoes. They have to wear black trousers, white, short sleeved button down shirts, black skinny ties with a Geek Squad pin, and they drive black and white Geek Squad vw's. It's all some marketing scheme that has gone way too far, I think.
I mean, I avoid restaurants where the employees are forced to wear silly uniforms. I hate the idea of people having to take on a "persona" when doing their jobs.
But...shoes! Corporate logo shoes! That imprint the logo on a lawn! It's beyond the pale.
i got pretty tired of the "secret" and "special" agent part, too. Just install the router, wearing your own damn shoes and using your own damn name.
However, secret agent steve seemed very happy with his job, despite the drano. And the goat.
Is the Geek Squad in Ireland yet?

― aimurchie (aimurchie), Saturday, 7 October 2006 12:26 (nineteen years ago)

I don't think we have them yet. I always assume that companies like this are the result of people not being able to get actual good jobs in computer companies, and that's not the case here yet.

Anyway, if Mister Monkey is anything to go by, most of the geeks here would be thrown by the driving thing. A lot of Irish geeks don't drive.

― accentmonkey (accentmonkey), Saturday, 7 October 2006 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

When I saw their ad in Wired, I thought it was quite ironic and funny. I never thought they'd actually go any further than that, dressing their geeks in uniforms and stuff. It's like a joke taken one step too far, IMHO.

― StanM (StanM), Saturday, 7 October 2006 13:33 (nineteen years ago)

secret agent steve, def just fucking w/you - this the kind of thing you must do to maintain yr sense of humor in a job like that.

― jhoshea megafauna (scoopsnoodle), Saturday, 7 October 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

It's really imbedded - like, you sign a contract for geek squad services that is meant to look like a "dossier". I wish I could scan this thing, but I'll just describe some of it. Rather than putting your name in a normal sounding field, you put your name into a "Mission Background"field. Then there's a "Mission Briefing" field. At the bottom it says : top copy - precinct bottom copy-civilian. anywhoo, the whole thing is just competely weird and yucky. There's a box for "infrared thumb scan".
I guess it's a little bit fun when you see the ads, but it's kind of scary when you actually engage with the "agents".
I'm glad Mr. Monkey is happily being an Irish geek without having to don silly costumes. Your economy is much better than ours, I think!

― aimurchie (aimurchie), Saturday, 7 October 2006 14:36 (nineteen years ago)

that's the point maybe. COMPUTERS ARE SCARY. also, DANGEROUS. don't mess with your computer without spending $$$ to hire a SPECIAL SECRET AGENT to come over and reboot it for you, because otherwise you might BREAK your computer AND send your entire personal identity history through a SERIES OF TUBES over to COMMUNIST CHINA

― dar1a g (daria g), Saturday, 7 October 2006 14:47 (nineteen years ago)

That was supposed to be secret, Dar1a!

*this thread will self destruct in 10, 9, 8,

― StanM (StanM), Saturday, 7 October 2006 14:50 (nineteen years ago)

So - I bought a new computer, from Best Buy

here is your problem. anything associated with best buy is bound to be stupid and full of ridiculous corporate bullshit meant to be 'clever.'

― sometimes my entire life be like DAMNNN! (tehresa), Saturday, 7 October 2006 15:13 (nineteen years ago)

I only recently found out that I have a cousin who's in The Geek Squad. That's all i know about him, other than where he lives.

― Orgy of Pragmatism (Charles McCain), Saturday, 7 October 2006 15:43 (nineteen years ago)

the bad service seems to be par for the Geek Squad course from what I've heard. Not just long telephone waits, but terrible "fixing" of computers.

― Butt Dickass (Dick Butkus), Saturday, 7 October 2006 15:56 (nineteen years ago)

guess he's not the 'secret' agent kind, then?
xpost

― sometimes my entire life be like DAMNNN! (tehresa), Saturday, 7 October 2006 16:03 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, buying the computer from best Buy was just a matter of convenience. THAT was an experience as well, as the salesperson was training someone, but was very clueless and had to have a manager help with the whole transaction. So it took well over an hour to purchase a computer, router, and two f drives. I got an iced tea from the fridge in the store and read People magazine from the magazine rack...and neglected to pay for either thing. I figured I was owed that for the hour plus wait for a box that has a computer in it.
The Geek Squad part just ended up being more and more ridiculous and scary. When I was on hold, for thirty five minutes, I wasn't always on "hold". Like, I could hear everyone on the other end. There were some loud screams and general chaotic background sounds...so, I asked the "special agent" who was trying to figure out where my "special agent' was, "What's going on there? I keep hearing people yelling and stuff, did someone just say 'Hey Koolaid?". To which she replied, "oh, that's the supervisors. They do that to build teamwork, to inspire the team." So I asked "What does Koolaid have to do with it?", and she said they were bumping chests with each other, as if they were the big koolaid pitcher from the commercials.
I really could not make this stuff up, so...
I would definitely work somewhere that yelling "hey koolaid!" and chest bumping was a normal part of the workday.

― aimurchie (aimurchie), Saturday, 7 October 2006 16:44 (nineteen years ago)

this is making me want a new job.

― teh_kit (g-kit), Monday, 9 October 2006 08:12 (nineteen years ago)

did you try to poison special agent steve? i would

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 9 October 2006 10:57 (nineteen years ago)

I would change my name to Dale Cooper and throw rocks at bottles in their/your house.

― got yourself a fish biscuit! (nickalicious), Monday, 9 October 2006 14:58 (nineteen years ago)

how does someone survive a "sip" of drano?????

― am0n (am0n), Monday, 9 October 2006 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

maybe he had a blocked windpipe

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 9 October 2006 15:20 (nineteen years ago)

The Geek Squad didn't used to be owned by Best Buy but I think they are now!! Might explain the insane over-branding...? I've never used them so I don't know if they were any more chill in the early days.

― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 9 October 2006 15:44 (nineteen years ago)

six years pass...

Did Interpol REALLY just lock my fucking laptop for watching a stream of a baseball game? $100 fine I have to pay through a voucher.

― cancer, kizz my hairy irish azz (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:04 (thirteen years ago)

that sounds similar to a bullshit virus i got a while back, def look into it before paying anyone anything

― some dude, Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:09 (thirteen years ago)

look into it like how? I did a full scan on my Admin side, warningscreen is still there.

― cancer, kizz my hairy irish azz (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:12 (thirteen years ago)

i'm not saying it's the same thing or i know what to do (besides obvious shit like googling any phrases in the warning screen to get an idea of whether there's a widely known easy fix), just anything that asks for a fee upfront it's prob a bad idea to pay

― some dude, Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:18 (thirteen years ago)

that's my default position, yeah

― cancer, kizz my hairy irish azz (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:21 (thirteen years ago)

that's def a virus morbs

― iatee, Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:22 (thirteen years ago)

yeah i've heard of this thing, it's bullshit but your comp might be pretty fucked

― call all destroyer, Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:22 (thirteen years ago)

ok i appear to have found it

http://www.2-spyware.com/remove-interpol-virus.html

― cancer, kizz my hairy irish azz (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:23 (thirteen years ago)

"However, if you have some knowledge about system’s architecture or you know someone who has some, you can easily get rid of Interpol virus."

OK, I'm fucked.

― cancer, kizz my hairy irish azz (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:25 (thirteen years ago)

Haven't fixed this.... online instructions ain't helping. (I can't even get System Restore to turn on.)

― cancer, kizz my hairy irish azz (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 20 October 2012 16:59 (thirteen years ago)

morbs how old is your computer?

― 乒乓, Saturday, 20 October 2012 17:01 (thirteen years ago)

like, 3-1/2 years

― cancer, kizz my hairy irish azz (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 20 October 2012 17:09 (thirteen years ago)

the hard drive a little over a year

― cancer, kizz my hairy irish azz (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 20 October 2012 17:09 (thirteen years ago)

trust me, the problem here is my ignorance.

― cancer, kizz my hairy irish azz (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 20 October 2012 17:10 (thirteen years ago)

would u be willing to spend money on antivirus software?

― 乒乓, Saturday, 20 October 2012 17:15 (thirteen years ago)

Some, yeah. More concerned about the damage that's done already though.

― cancer, kizz my hairy irish azz (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 20 October 2012 17:15 (thirteen years ago)

you can try downloading and installing this first to see if it helps http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/security-essentials

― 乒乓, Saturday, 20 October 2012 17:18 (thirteen years ago)

ok, but all the troubleshooting tipsters are skeptical on anything short of deleting files, System Restore, or other stuff I can't master.

― cancer, kizz my hairy irish azz (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 20 October 2012 17:22 (thirteen years ago)

Uninstall the other malware I have? I dunno how to do that. #simpleton

― cancer, kizz my hairy irish azz (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 20 October 2012 17:28 (thirteen years ago)

I admit my first thought was "I knew that band had fallen on hard times and all but..."

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 20 October 2012 17:30 (thirteen years ago)

really if i wanted a device in my life that caused me to pour money into it bcz of my lack of expertise, i'd own a fucking car.

― crazy uncle in the attic (Dr Morbius), Monday, 22 October 2012 00:57 (thirteen years ago)

http://www.2-viruses.com/remove-interpol-department-of-cybercrime-virus

did you watch this video yet?

― iatee, Monday, 22 October 2012 01:00 (thirteen years ago)

yeah. It looks so easy.

― crazy uncle in the attic (Dr Morbius), Monday, 22 October 2012 01:05 (thirteen years ago)

what part do you get stuck on?

― iatee, Monday, 22 October 2012 01:07 (thirteen years ago)

I don't know how to get a "command prompt" for starters ... really let's not go blow by blow.

― crazy uncle in the attic (Dr Morbius), Monday, 22 October 2012 01:23 (thirteen years ago)

OK, now... I can get into my "Owner" side, the fake Interpol screen is gone after a few malware scrubs...

I'm sure it left some shit on the laptop tho. I get a startup warning that filw "xxx.cmd" can't be found, that I should remove its name from my registry. Can I be sure this is crap the virus put on? And where is my registry? (I can probably figure that out...)

― saltwater incursion (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 3 November 2012 14:37 (thirteen years ago)

kabump

― saltwater incursion (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 01:53 (thirteen years ago)

i'd recommend copying your data off and reinstalling your OS to be sure. on older windows you can access registry through the regedit command under "run..."

― Philip Nunez, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 01:57 (thirteen years ago)

I'll tell whoever winds up doing it to do that. thx

― saltwater incursion (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 02:01 (thirteen years ago)

if you end up paying some geek squad over $200 for this, you can get a fine new laptop for about $225-$250 these days

― Philip Nunez, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 02:07 (thirteen years ago)

I think I can get a semicharity visit

(I had to google "OS")

― saltwater incursion (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 02:09 (thirteen years ago)

also I am not of the Replace It Whenever You Can generation. As Woody Allen says, "Change is death."

― saltwater incursion (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 11:51 (thirteen years ago)

It’s a surprise, then, to find our conversation interrupted by a ringtone sounding from Allen’s trouser pocket, and see him pull out an iPhone.
When the call is finished – it was one of the girls – he explains why he made an exception for such a new-fangled device: he needs it to practise the clarinet when he travels.
‘When I go away to Paris, or to anyplace, I have 1,200 jazz records in this. So when I have to practise, I put on my earphones and I can play with all those New Orleans bands.’

― Philip Nunez, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 19:34 (thirteen years ago)

o no, i lose again

― saltwater incursion (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 19:45 (thirteen years ago)

he will die before he has to replace that phone, though.

― saltwater incursion (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 19:46 (thirteen years ago)

he's gonna die in two years?

― Philip Nunez, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 19:54 (thirteen years ago)

I don't nec associate Woody's quotes with how he lives, cept for "The heart wants what it wants."

― saltwater incursion (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 20:06 (thirteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

OK, the fake lock-screen has been gone for awhile.

I still get a warning to delete a registry key. I HAVE found the registry.

I have no idea what subkey contains the nasty file name. There are thouuuuusands of them.

― saltwater incursion (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 25 November 2012 21:40 (thirteen years ago)

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