Geek Squad MRI BDE Toolset Information

Operating Systems & Open Source Windows
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I've done a little bit of research on the Geek Squad's toolset, and have listed all the information I can find on my site here. (http://tylerwire.tk/file/geeksquad/)

 

 

Before I begin...

I WILL NOT BE PROVIDING A LINK TO OBTAIN THIS SOFTWARE! This is HIGHLY ILLEGAL and you could face legal action from Best Buy. The software sends a "call" upon opening out to Best Buy giving the details of your PC so they can find you. O.O

 
 

So.... My father purchased an Asus G46VW ROG Laptop from Best Buy. It was the display model, so it was relatively cheap ($696 compared to $1,200 MSRP) and used. We brought it home and almost instantly had problems with it. So I (resentfully) took it back to Geek Squad™ to try and fix the problem.

While I was waiting I was researching the kinds of utilities they use for debugging issues. Several places and websites stated the software & boot disk they use is basically the Ultimate Boot CD on steroids. The Ultimate Boot CD, or UBCD, is a CD which contains several diagnostic tools for the Windows OS. I researched more and found probably the only YouTube video on this utility. 

A little Google searching led to this image of the disk:

MRI BDE Disk

A little more searching led to this post here and another here.

A simple description would be this:

The disc they use is called the MRI BDE. BDE (cocky enough) stands for Best Disc Ever.

Diagnostic tools, standalone virus removal tools, cleaners, scripts, fully automated diagnostic, virus removal, and optimization tool. It can be used in Windows normal and safe mode, it's exclusive "MRI PE" mode, and all the DOS diagnostic tools and hard drive tools for re-imaging, backups, etc.

Every tool on the CD has a legal agreement with the tool/script/software's owner so we're legally allowed to use everything for our purposes. In Windows mode, the CD recognizes what version of Windows your using and adjusts the tools available accordingly.

Another description of sorts is [CENSORED].

This is the Best Buy Geek Squad™ repair disc - Code Name MRI - for internal use only, confidential, and a trade secret. The disc has tools to help fix computers - it has AntiVirus, AntiSpyware, Disk Cleaner, Process List, Winsock Fix, etc, all a graphical user interface. Essentially it's a tool that makes removing spyware and other issues with Windows a breeze.

This tool has been cracked by [CENSORED] since version 4.8.1. Ever since 5.0.4.0, all of the Geek Squad™ propaganda has been replaced with [CENSORED] propaganda. The tool was originally cracked by [CENSORED], but 5.0.4.0 and above were cracked by [CENSORED] and edited by [CENSORED].

The latest public release is [CENSORED]. The latest private release is [CENSORED]

 

I found what appears to be the application software itself on someones website.

Site Containing MRI BDE

I've found the manual PDF for the disk, and it's simple but useful. It starts the basics of resolving most issues, and gives a good outline on how to professionally handle the process.

Sample Manual

Many people seem to think that having these utilities on a boot disk for a tech support group to use is unethical and a waste of their money. Well, I say "good for Geek Squad™!" They've found a pretty effective way to simplify their job, increasing profit. I promise you this type of software utility was used long before Best Buy bought Geek Squad, and I also guarantee your local computer specialist developed his own tools to increase turn around times for work.

Granted, most people at Geek Squad aren't trained, but who needs to be to to use this software? Simple computer knowledge is all that's needed.

However, I do wish they were trained for other purposes and issues that their boot disk can't solve. Hardware stuff is a big one. They obviously have zero hardware training at all.

But I did find a guy who apparently worked for Geek Squad™ and an article he wrote here...

From day one, I was absolutely amazed at what Geek Squad really does. They are absolutely NOT technicians. Agents are not certified in computer repair or diagnostics! They are certified in sales, customer profiling, and situational tactics.

So here is what I have say about Geek Squad:

1. DO NOT take your computer to Geek Squad for a software issue!

Reason: Geek Squad charges $70 for a diagnostic (which is a program built into every computer's BIOS, it's nothing special). A "Repair" (which is just removing virus infections or reinstalling the OS if needed) is $130. A grand total of $200. And that's only if you don't care that they wipe the hard drive clean! If you have ANY files that you want backed up, even 2-3 pictures, it will cost you AT LEAST another $100. And the "Advanced Data Management Transfer" that they mention is just dragging and dropping your files onto a DVD and burning it. If your OS is corrupt and you can't get to your files, move the HDD to another computer and drag-&-drop your files over. DON'T take it to the Geek Squad.

2. Geek Squad CANNOT do ANY hardware repairs in-store.

Reason: Any client with a hardware issue must send their unit to service; A: for liability reasons and B: because no agent is trained in hardware repair. It takes AT LEAST 2 1/2 weeks to get a response from service and again, you will be charged to backup files.

3. Never have an "Optimization" done by Geek Squad.

Reason: Whenever you purchase a new computer from Best Buy, you are pressured into thinking that the computer already has issues. Best Buy's salespeople will say: "Oh this computer really needs a new PC setup to create a user account and an optimization to speed it up, oh and you HAVE to get an anti-virus program, and you won't be able to type anything without Microsoft Office". It's absolute bullshit.

Here's what we do for an optimization:

-Open up the control panel and uninstall trial software
-Remove unwanted desktop icons and shortcuts
-Run Windows Updates

That's it.

4. Agents DO lie to customers!

During my fist interview, I was asked by our SSM how much I normally charge to backup someone's files and install an upgraded operating system on a computer with a virus. I said $50, because that's what I always charge. It's not difficult and it doesn't take very long. Well, I was told that the store would charge $600!!! Here's the layout:

1. Diagnostic and Repair (to find and remove the virus) - $200
2. Backup Files (drag-&-drop) - $150
3. Perform a clean install of a new OS - $130 (which would format the HDD and remove the virus anyway)
4. Purchase the operating system ($120 for a standard edition of Windows 7)
-If you just want a restore, they HAVE to have your original recovery discs (that aren't included in 50% of new computers) and all they do is put the discs in and hit "Run".

All for a whopping $600... the price of a brand new badass computer with every bell and whistle available. It's insane, absolutely insane.
 

... and another ex-employee here...

I would like to start off saying I have worked for this company for 3 years; in my early college years. When I first started working at BestBuy I was in Geek-Squad, (the real geek-squad) where you actually needed certifications to work.
there was no MRI, or Customizer at the time you actually needed to know how to work a computer, and be a geek. Now this is where I would like to warn the customers to never use Geek Squad services, it has come down to a bunch of high-school kids pushing buttons letting a program called MRI run all the Diagnostics & fixes for them. Now you might ask this is good, and saves time; well it's not and here's why.

1.) It's not stable or 100% accurate, yes they (or i should say MRI) might fix a simple issue but do not know anything about what's really going on in the machine, where software can't tell you.

2.) When you bring your machine into GeekSquad they will go through all your data I promise you and upload them to their flash drives if they find things they like. I have seen a lot of inappropriate pictures, and video's of customers engaging in "activities." My DCI at the time made it mandatory to watch and save these inappropriate files and show them to everyone; and laugh at customers behind their backs. Now you say i'll just delete that off my computer; don't be nieve they can still go and retrieve deleted data off your sectors. I know they still have not changed their way's because I tested their courtesy with a fluke laptop loaded with a bunch of junk; scripted a program to run a video recording in the background through a built-in webcam when they accessed inappropriate (folder specific) files on my machine & take a screen shot of what they were viewing. (keep in mind I did not ask for a data backup just a Diag, so they had no reason to go through anything to begin with.) I now know who these employees are and have video evidence.

3.) Employees aren't knowledgable about virus removal, in fact they will most likely make it worse. I had a buddy run another test with location 473 loaded a virus on his machine to see how effective and knowledgeable they really are. Now remember they use flash drives and external hard drives, and this specific virus was designed to jump to the flash drive and infect anything it gets plugged into. The very next day his machine was repaired and ready for pickup while the issue was no where near fixed; it was humorous to see 50 other angry people in line claiming they now have infections out of nowhere.

4.) 75% of the time the employees will not be able to solve a complicated computer issue and they will remotely plug into a service called Johhny Utah. This allows some (extremely underpaid, yet knowledgable) Indian I.T. guy to remotely access your machine and fix it off-site. Geek Squad always forgets to remove the remote files off your system; this is a great way to get your credit cards and bank info JAKED from some guy overseas (and then you can't do anything about it.) I've seen it happen to many customers; be warned.

5.) They will always try to up-sell you services that are not needed. They will claim it could effect your machine negatively if you don't; this is just strategic marketing in its own way; and VERY ILLEGAL may I add.

Now product wise BestBuy is great, they have a good selection and reasonable prices outside of sales. There return policy is pretty good as well. But keep in mind when you order electronics the shipping team in the back unloading the truck like to have fun and knock over mound of boxes that could ultimately damage equipment, but I guess that's okay they have a good return policy if it bonks out on you within 30 days.

The staff seems to be extremely unknowledgeable about their departments, especially Digi Cam's and PCHO (computers).
 

I've listed below many useful tools that may or may not be contained in the boot disk. Many I found myself, others are used in older versions of the disk and some newer...

THESE MAY OR MAY NOT REPRESENT THE CURRENT SOFTWARE USED IN THE NEWEST VERSION OF MRI BDE.

 

COMPRESSION UTILITIES

 

DIAGNOSTIC

 

SPYWARE

 

VIRUS

 

This list took all day to populate. Some I got a peek of while at Best Buy, others are ones I've found and the rest are official. I hope that these utilities may be of use to all you wonderful tek people.

I will continually update this page as I uncover more information about the MRI disk and Geek Squad™ utilities as a whole.

1 Like
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WANT A COPY

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Heirens boot disk.

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Yeah, I can't do that. :p Maybe if I get this job at my local Geek Squad then maybe I can get a copy for myself. :D

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Yup. In fact it's probably better... http://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd

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UPDATE: I've added all of the web page content into the main thread. 

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I used to work for BB back before they bought out GS and then for a couple years after. basically while I was going to college and shortly thereafter. My experience wasnt nearly as horrid as the 2 descriptions of ex-employees above but GS is a joke in the sense that they charge a fortune and most of their employees have no training and very little real computer knowledge but they only pay their techs about 9 or 10 bucks an hour so you cant really expect much. I worked in about 4 different stores and was even an in home agent for awhile and basically what you would end up with is one or two people in each tech bay who had a decent/excellent understanding of computers (usually people more like myself who were just working their while going to school) and everyone else was just a body. This is one of the two reasons the MRI disk was very much needed. You still have to know what youre doing with a computer to really utilize the MRI. Yeah sure any schmuck with a tie on can put the disk in and run FACE to check or remove malware but beyond that the rest of the tools may be lost on you to a great extent if you dont know what youre doing. At any rate the know-nothings would usually handle all of the simple stuff like running diags and malware removals using the MRI and anything they couldnt fix was left to the one or two guys that actually knew what they were doing. The main reason that the MRI was created though was for automated malware removal in order to save time (The less touchtime you have on a PC the more you can get done while waiting for things like diags and removals to run), a common place to store all the tools you needed, and to cut down on people using stuff they would bring in from home that was fine to use at home but wasnt licensed for commercial use. BB got sued a couple time over that.

At any rate Im not saying BB or GS are good places and you shouldnt take your computer there because of the reasons I stated above but in the area I worked no one was stealing or even really browsing through people personal files, although sometimes you couldnt help but stumble across some stuff...but most of the time if personal items like that were on there, they werent of people you even wanted to see if you get my meaning,  let alone stealing them. I mean lets face it all it would take is one persons pic or video to escape out on the internet and if they could trace it back to BB somehow they would be in for a huge lawsuit. Thats why there were a lot of rules where I worked about specifically not messing with peoples data. Speaking of peoples data, It was also top priority to repair peoples PCs without having to wipe the machine and potentially loose someones data, unlike one of the prior ex-employees claimed where they just went straight to wiping and reloading the OS. Im not saying these things didnt happen where those people worked, Im just saying the picture I have of BB and GS isnt anything so ridiculous as the prior quotes.

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Not sure who's running these GeekSquads everyone's talking about but I worked there since before it became GeekSquad and we certainly do hardware repairs in-store as well as software repairs. I was paid $16/hr and worked while the store was not open to repair and update all the machines without customer interruptions.
This is a bit old but still relevant it seems.

I can tell you from personal experience there are a great deal of people that cannot handle ANYTHING technically related and do way more harm than good when they try to "fix" problems on their own. I can get behind saying the prices are a bit steep..but some of these people...$200 for a repair or $800 for a new machine because they're incapable of not making a situation worse is a pretty easy decision.

With all the venomous things other people say (not you specifically) about the company and how things work...and knowing how they worked for us..I have to say I can't believe it..I think they're just pissed they got fired for being an idiot. Half the shit they're talking about happening would land you in JAIL not just fired.

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$16/hr? I need to move where you are...I only made $9.50/hr as an in store tech and only made $13.76/hr as a double agent O_o

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Worked there during the "decline," (Early 2010's) so I saw them running the truly knowledgeable techs out of the building by pushing sales tactics, and not caring about repair quality. The changes were extremely drastic between when I started (admittedly in sales) and when I left (As the only FT tech in the store) @ ~$12/hr....

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Dunno what's up with other stores then..we're not even in a high cost of living area...in fact..one of the lowest in the country. I started at $12/hr to be fair but raises were often. I'm wondering if it's a combination of poor leadership AND disgruntled employees then..perhaps?

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