CLEVELAND -- When your computer breaks down, the big box electronic retailers and their tech guys promise to fix it right up. But Newschannel5 Consumer Specialist Angie Lau wanted to test the "techies" to see if they could solve a certain computer problem and find out what they'd charge for the seemingly simple fix.

With the help of the I.T. experts at Cuyahoga Community College, NewsChannel5 corrupted a line of programming to create a critical system error, jokingly known as the "blue screen of death". The experts at Tri-C said it could be a common problem with any PC. It's a good test for any tech because anything could have caused the blue screen, from software blips to hardware hiccups. But it is easily fixed by just reloading the system software that came with the computer.

NewsChannel5 took the computer and a hidden camera to the Best Buy Geek Squad to see if they could fix it. Even before this tech knew what was wrong, he delivered an earful. The tech said, in part, "So you're going to end up having to talk to them [the computer manufacturer] if something's wrong with it, so we would definitely be able to find out if it's hardware related. Now, if it's not hardware-related and it's the operating system that decided to say bye-bye to the world, well, it would be total $199 if we reloaded the computer. If the hard drive is healthy, then absolutely no problems at all. But if the hard drive is dying, then the drive could potentially die at that time - which is why I want to know if you have any data that you cannot afford to lose."

Best Buy's technician said backing up the data for this fix would cost $100. That's 9.4 GB worth of data, which is essentially two DVDs. But the expert at Tri-C, Greg Wallace, said, "In IT world, with family pictures, digital music, 10 GB is a drop in the bucket. Consumers need to understand that."

The technician at Best Buy also suggested spending another $129 to $179 on new security software and installation, saying the current software was "kind of out of date" and that "new viruses come out every day now." But experts at Tri-C said consumers can run older software, as long as they keep up with the updates.

Best Buy did figure out what was causing the "blue screen of death" error. When Newschannel 5 went back to pick up the computer, a different technician gave the simple fix the experts expected. But the pitch for more products and the simple solution came from different technicians at the same store.

Next, NewsChannel5 took the computer problem and the undercover camera to Circuit City and its repair service, Firedog. The tech said, "It should take you about 45 minutes to do, but I mean, it's easy."

NewsChannel5 visited two circuit city stores. Both times the Firedog service was upfront with helpful advice on how to fix the computer at home, free of charge.

Despite the same computer problem, NewsChannel5 got a different experience each time. Some charged a fee, but others did not charge a dime. Bottom line: It pays to know your way around your own computer. Tri-C IT department manager Chuck Mackey said, "If you have problem with computer, and much like an automobile where you might not understand, you want to take it to a place that's reputable and help you understand what the problem is."

Best Buy had this to say about the NewsChannel5 investigation: "On occasion, our agents express their enthusiasm in ways that might appear excessive. We regret we may have gotten a bit carried away about suggesting other solutions."

In the end, both Best Buy and Circuit city were pleased that their techs were able to diagnose the problems correctly.

To get tips from experts on how to go about solving your computer issues, click here.