So the other night I bought a brand new Seagate Free Agent Pro external backup hard drive. The price was just under $200 and what sold me on it was simply the five year warranty. I figured that anyone willing to offer that long of a warranty, the product had to be good.

Man talk about Deception.

To begin with, it did install easy. Course there simply isn’t any manual with it, merely some instructions on installing the software. Doesn’t tell you that the small fold out booklet has the product key for the autobackup utility, so you get this screen telling you its a trial version, unless you have a key. After some hunting I found out where to look, but had already considered purchasing the software.

I mean what good is a backup drive without the utility?

Fortunately I am cheap so I kept hunting, but I wonder how many don’t do that?

No instructions really for blond folks like me on how to set up. For example it appears you have to shut down the two programs BEFORE you turn the computer off. Doesn’t do it automatically so this morning I had nothing but grief. Machine wouldn’t recognize the new hdd.

I spent an entire day trying to get it working. Finally I did, no thanks to their customer support toll free help. First off the guy on the other end could barely speak English, so that added to the frustration. Secondly he seemed unable to understand me either. Didn’t even ask the right questions, in my opinion.

When he asked my operating system, after I told him, he had me go check to verify it, making it seem like I was clueless or lying. I didn’t like that, then when it came to unplugging and plugging in, it was a nightmare. I even asked about switching to another USB port but no, don’t do that, then after a few seconds, sure try it. Gee thanks, after already at another step.

Eventually it went to go try it on another machine. It worked there, and he then said well my machine was at fault, go check with Microsoft for help. Like what?

See, it worked at first, then stopped. Sorry not his problem, its my machine and they can’t help find out why it worked then stopped.  Such nice support after wasting over an hour on the phone with him.

Eventually I got the computer to recognize the hdd, on my own. It then popped up telling me the programs that run needed repair, or did I want to re-install? DUH!..  Yeah repair and so far its working. We’ll see, but you know what, I WILL NEVER BUY SEAGATE PRODUCTS AGAIN.

Maybe they can’t help, but they can make you feel like they tried. This guy didn’t, it was like a total waste of my time, and he made me feel like it was a waste of his time too. That isn’t what I expect for service. It is a nice looking unit, should have solved my immediate problem, but I will find a way to make it work, if it craps out again. Still, it pisses me off that a company like this, is so totally uncaring.

Maybe if they had proper documentation with the unit, some of the goofs I made last night might not have caused all this headache. I admit, I goofed during the set up of the program, however in my defence, I’d say that with a lack of any documentation, not really my fault. I am not a tech, nor a geek, just a fat ass writer who is blonde.

So what did they expect?

Posted on June 2nd, 2007 by Gaystoryman
Filed under: Blowing Off Steam