need advice on doing some freelance work

[alias elias]

I replied to and ad in a local paper to help a hostel clean up their computer. Apparently, they provide internet access to the people staying there. They seem non-computer savvy.

"When our last one got this bad, we just threw it away."

My hunch is that it will be a mess and that they will need a reformat and virus/adware protection installed (at least) and possibly more work to secure the computer for the future.

My questions are:
How prepared should I be going in? How much should I be willing to do? Should I take his word that they are going to pay me, or bring a mini-contract?

I don't mind doing more support down the road, but I don't want to get stuck doing free tech support because they broke it again.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Keep in mind that you won't be able to *legally* reformat. Almost nobody has the original CDs, and your retail version won't accept the CD key on the system.

 

[MisterJackson]

Man, first off, if you're asking these type of questions you are GROSSLY unprepared.

Secondly, if you don't have recovery cd's use an oem disk and their key code from the side of the pc......if you have no oem cd's quit calling yourself a tech.

Seriously, I'm not trying to be an @ss, I'm just trying to save both you and them a huge headache.