Best Buy: 'Sorry, We Sold You A Laptop, Not An Operating System'

My husband and I purchased a Toshiba laptop from Best Buy in August 2010. In early October, the laptop wouldn't boot. My husband took it to the Best Buy we purchased it from. They said they would send it to Toshiba for warranty work. (Later in this story, that turns out to be important)

10 days go by. Best Buy calls and says the laptop is ready. They replaced the hard drive. Husband picks it up and brings it home to discover it wouldn't boot because there was no OS installed.

Back we go to Best Buy, where we are told *we* need to install the OS. We said we wanted the device back to the way it was when we purchased it. No one knows for sure the new hard drive works until we have an OS. Thus the repair was not complete. We were told over and over that it was up to us to install the OS.

More: Best Buy: 'Sorry, We Sold You A Laptop, Not An Operating System' - The Consumerist

They sure "bit back"

That's what they get for trying to return the computer to the retailer. They all have stickers on the box AFAIK that say "STOP! DO NOT RETURN THIS PRODUCT TO YOUR RETAILER!"

Thanks for the entertaining read, Captain.

Bill2 said:

Best buy are a bunch of retards. But this couple isnt smart either.

1) Why would smart people buy from BB??!!

I buy from BB when stuff is on sale and if I need something right now.

Another lovely adventure to the Barnacle Booty store. Aaaargh!

Office Depot is similar on electronics but so is Walmart etc. Office Depot is 14 day return on most electronics.
Manufacturer after that. Should have arranged RMA to Toshiba.

Though once BB accepted it they broke their own rules. After 14 days it is factory warranty unless you buy the Geek Squad add on warranty.

Caveat Emptor!

Return and Exchange Period

You can return or exchange purchases within the timeframes below.

• 14 days for computers, monitors, projectors, camcorders, digital cameras, and radar detectors

Actually in the case of something like this, the copy of Windows that was installed on the box is an OEM copy which as far as I know must be supported by the manufacturer that sold the laptop. HP really needs to be the one who comes forward with the install discs or provides the image to get the laptop back in working order.

If I were a independent repair person and a person brought in a laptop and I discovered that the hard drive went bad..I would replace the drive, but would not automatically install a copy of an OS for them. I would inquire from them whether they had the original install discs and if so, I would be willing to either install it for a charge, or ensure they were comfortable installing it.

I think the mistake here is that Best Buy went ahead and fixed the unit rather than sending it back to HP. And I read the story...but it doesn't seem right that an authorized repair center wouldn't have been able to put that image back on.