The Geek Doctor blog

Written for the moment of need: the frightening screen, the renewal email, the quiet suspicion that you're paying for something you shouldn't have to. Every post is useful on its own — prices linked and dated, firsthand marked as firsthand.

• Is Best Buy Total worth it in 2026? The honest math

  Best Buy Membership is $19.99 a month in Canada; My Best Buy Total runs US$179.99–$199.99 a year in the US. What you actually get, line by line — and when it's genuinely worth it.

• That "virus" pop-up is lying to you — here's the 2-minute proof

  A loud pop-up says your computer is infected and shows a phone number. Two minutes and two checks prove it's a web page in a costume — and how to close it safely.

• What Geek Squad's virus removal actually removes

  Virus Removal and Operating System Repair is US$149.99 on Best Buy's own US page. What that service actually does, step by step — and which steps your computer already does free.

• Why the technician didn't teach you the fix (from someone who trained them)

  Firsthand, from the Geek Squad counter: the fix took minutes, the explanation was the part that never got sold. Why the structure — not the technician — kept you coming back.

• 5 questions to ask before you renew any tech membership

  Before any tech membership renews for another year, ask these five questions on the phone. What the answers tell you — and the one to ask before you ever cancel.

• Bluetooth stopped working? The 6 checks, in order

  When headphones or a mouse stop answering, it's usually one of six small things. The checks in Microsoft's own published order — the same ones a good technician runs.