EddScott

I've been asked to remove Vista from a work colleagues computer and re-install XP. XP and office are provided as well as other software but I have to find all drivers and make it all work properly - its a sony vaio laptop.

It takes a few hours to uninstall vista, load XP and all drivers and software. All fine.

I then run into an issue. It will only play one sound then the soundcard refuses to play anymore sounds and throws up an error.

I do a search and find I require a hotfix which is available on its own or with SP3. I install SP3 which is from Microsoft and the thing BSODs and now requires reformatting (won't roll back, no safe mode etc etc)

Would you charge for the extra time this is going to take? I'm basically having to start again.

I was thinking of £20 per hour but is it fair to charge even though a) these vaios obviously have an issue with XP and their soundcard (lots of ref to it on google) and b) SP3 is from Microsoft so you would expect it not to completely trash the build.

Bodgit

No I wouldnt charge for that, you should be able to carry out the work correctly first time. Thats what a customer is paying you to do.

In my book it's a definate no no to charge for what is an error on your part. Most companies would charge their customer a maximum of 3 hours for that work.

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

think you have sort of answered it yourself by saying the Vaios obviously have an issue. Didnt actually know that SP3 had been released yet anyway? I know my laptop and home desktop dont pick it up on the update site (both running media centre but it is basically xp)

RichB

I think its unfair to say 'You should have known...."
You can't plan for every eventuality.
I think you should share the unforeseen 'risk'.

EddScott

The work was carried out correctly the first time. The supplied drivers from Sony don't work with certain models of Vaio. The hotfix required is part of SP3, SP3 wrecked the build.

Fortunately its not going to take as long again but I am going to charge "an" amount for my time although not the full amount for say another hour to two to get it just so.

I do think its a bit unfair to charge when for the most part your waiting for the machine to install, download etc and all you do during that time is make sure it doesn't throw a wobbly and shut down altogether.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

Work colleague or friend ?

I don't charge my friends

fitzscoob

Hi Edd,

I suppose you really need to decide if this is something you want to do again and again. Which will make word of mouth customer satisfaction important.

You say that some of the drivers dont work with the vaio laptop, now if I was a paying customer, I would expect the person doing the work on the pc for me to know this in advance.

In essence they are paying for your expertise, not for you to learn on the job as it were. In future, when loading up XP on a vaio laptop, this will be in the forefront of your mind.

Dont take this the wrong way, I'm not having a pop, just saying how it would work for me here. (totally different jobs)

If I quote a customer and have all the information at hand, and something unforseen goes wrong, thats down to me and not my customer.



I'd charge him what you quoted.

Bodgit

It's up to you, all I know is that as a business if I went back to my clients saying it went wrong first time round so i'm charging you even more they wouldnt be customers for long.

If you are going in to business then you will be able to recoup this by having recommendations. If you are just dabbling dont charge out as if you are an expert.

In my business I come across others who are dabbling all the time and I am forever mopping up their mistakes. So if I sound as if I am coming across a bit negative I am sorry.

spectrum48k

Perhaps a check on the Sony site for the latest BIOS might solve a few headaches.

I've just had to do the same thing you're doing on a Dell laptop supplied with Vista.

Incidentally this sound card issue you're having with XP is probably bollocks - I was told the same thing with the Dell, and Dell didn't supply any XP drivers for the laptop at all, yet they DID have another laptop they sold with the same spec sound card and video card, that they DID supply XP drivers for. I'd take this route with the VAIO - check Sony' support website for laptops of similar spec, that they do perhaps have XP drivers for.

Sonic'

We charge a rate, and if it runs over because of our fault, or unforseen fault then we stand the cost, we only ever charge additional if it is the customers fault

We have a reputation and word of mouth counts for one hell of a lot

It would also depend I guess if you gave a fixed price for the job or told them it was an estimate with an hourly rate, we do that also and we inform our customers before we start the work to ensure they are happy with the charges

If I sent my pc for repair I wouldnt be very happy if I got asked to cough up more money because of an unknown problem, thats why you pay someone else to do the work, for their expertise & knowleadge

EddScott

Cheers for the replies. I see the point in being fair to the customer. I guess I was just annoyed that after putting a build together it then goes belly up. As it was it didn't take too long to get it up and running again so I won't charge.

As for the soundcard issue, the hotfix I needed can be obtained seperate to SP3 but it involved alot of digging to find it. Why they don't put them on the updates page I've no idea.

BlkKnight

I usually charge £100 for a rebuild - regardless of how long it takes.

That includes backing up docs etc & installing all software & drivers.

re the sound card

You can prove that it's a documented computability problem. Suggest that:
- They shove another sound card in
- Wait for SP3 to be officially released and get you back in to sort.

Putting a pre-release version on is asking for trouble.