Don't you hate it when you build a new computer for somebody...

us3rnotfound

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2003
5,334
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Then they call you the next day telling you it won't turn on. :|

Why oh why do I volunteer to do this?
 

DeadByDawn

Platinum Member
Dec 22, 2003
2,349
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Originally posted by: MrChad
This is why I don't build new computers for people anymore.

I just give people blank stares when they talk about computers to me. I only work on my own because people are stupid.
 

wasssup

Diamond Member
Nov 28, 2000
3,142
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Originally posted by: DeadByDawn
Originally posted by: MrChad
This is why I don't build new computers for people anymore.

I just give people blank stares when they talk about computers to me. I only work on my own because people are stupid.

haha i do the same exact thing at work
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
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You should have learned long ago to just recommend a Dell to them.
 

SSSnail

Lifer
Nov 29, 2006
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86
The only computers I build for other people nowaday are called Dell, with three years support.
 

cubby1223

Lifer
May 24, 2004
13,518
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86
I once built a computer for a friend at cost... very next day it had one of those nifty viruses that attaches itself to every single .exe file on the computer.
 

puffff

Platinum Member
Jun 25, 2004
2,374
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people who dont know how to build their own computer probably dont care if they have a top of the line machine, and would be fine with a dell.

people who know and are concerned that dell machines arent the best should have the technical know-how to build their own computer.

i dont see why a person ever needs to build a friend a pc anymore.
 

us3rnotfound

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2003
5,334
3
81
Originally posted by: mugs
You should have learned long ago to just recommend a Dell to them.

The problem is it's always my parents that say oh my son builds these things all the time, talk to him. Then it's over.
 

thehstrybean

Diamond Member
Oct 25, 2004
5,727
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I quit doing it for people, and I just built a new one for myself...people are too stupid to figure stuff out...
 

I Saw OJ

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2004
4,923
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I will recommend parts and things for people however I will not build or support a new computer for someone exepct my parents. Who are really lost when it comes to the computer.
 

funboy6942

Lifer
Nov 13, 2001
15,368
418
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Maybe if you were better at building computers with better parts this wouldn't happen as much :eek:
I have never had a problem and every one I have ever built still works to this day :D
 

OVerLoRDI

Diamond Member
Jan 22, 2006
5,490
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81
Tech support blows. I only build computers for my close friends who aren't going to bork them.
 

us3rnotfound

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2003
5,334
3
81
Originally posted by: funboy42
Maybe if you were better at building computers with better parts this wouldn't happen as much :eek:
I have never had a problem and every one I have ever built still works to this day :D

Nah usually it's just they couldn't find the power button or the monitor was off. Problem is most problems can't be solved over the phone or through email.
 

Aztech

Golden Member
Jan 19, 2002
1,922
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Originally posted by: us3rnotfound
Then they call you the next day telling you it won't turn on. :|

Why oh why do I volunteer to do this?
Yep. Recently, all I did was hook them up with a hot deal for an Acer desktop. But it died after a couple of weeks and now I'm handling the shipping back and forth of it... I gotta quit doing this.
 

Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
44,296
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Originally posted by: us3rnotfound
Originally posted by: mugs
You should have learned long ago to just recommend a Dell to them.

The problem is it's always my parents that say oh my son builds these things all the time, talk to him. Then it's over.

Then at that point, when those people talk to you, recommend to them that they get a Dell or some other pre-built PC.
 

destrekor

Lifer
Nov 18, 2005
28,799
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Originally posted by: us3rnotfound
Originally posted by: funboy42
Maybe if you were better at building computers with better parts this wouldn't happen as much :eek:
I have never had a problem and every one I have ever built still works to this day :D

Nah usually it's just they couldn't find the power button or the monitor was off. Problem is most problems can't be solved over the phone or through email.

most problems a user will experience can too be diagnosed over the phone or through chat software.
you gotta know how to properly diagnose computer problems and have a flow-chart style of thought.
most computer tech's have books and whatnot that actually have flow-charts..... a good tech won't need to use one.
 

Kwaipie

Golden Member
Nov 30, 2005
1,326
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I trained my brother to build computers. Then promptly retired from family computer expert duty.
 

ManBearPig

Diamond Member
Sep 5, 2000
9,173
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Originally posted by: us3rnotfound
Originally posted by: mugs
You should have learned long ago to just recommend a Dell to them.

The problem is it's always my parents that say oh my son builds these things all the time, talk to him. Then it's over.


hahahahah, me too!
 

WhoBeDaPlaya

Diamond Member
Sep 15, 2000
7,415
404
126
Originally posted by: mugs
You should have learned long ago to just recommend a Dell to them.
QFT. I'm absolutely fed up that every relative crawls out of the woodwork into da newfangled IT age and expects free lifetime tech support and upgrades :|
 

xSauronx

Lifer
Jul 14, 2000
19,582
4
81
Originally posted by: DeadByDawn
Originally posted by: MrChad
This is why I don't build new computers for people anymore.

I just give people blank stares when they talk about computers to me. I only work on my own because people are stupid.

i was the computer wiz in my parents house, and did things for them and close relatives, but everyone else i lied to. id either say it sounded like a hardware problem and i just fix things in windows...or that it sounded like a windows problem and i just know how to replace hardware.

 

D1gger

Diamond Member
Oct 3, 2004
5,411
2
76
Originally posted by: us3rnotfound
Originally posted by: mugs
You should have learned long ago to just recommend a Dell to them.

The problem is it's always my parents that say oh my son builds these things all the time, talk to him. Then it's over.

I just explain to my parents and whoever they have spoken with that they can get a computer cheaper from Dell than I can build because of Dell's buying power. That usually works, because everybody wants to get a good deal.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
20
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That's why I try not to even let anyone know that I know anything about computers. It's like jumping into a swamp, coated in blood after scratching your skin raw - leeches come out by he hordes to suck every last bit of blood out of you. Just like that with computer knowledge - everyone sees someone who knows how to use computers, and they just latch on, and don't stop draining you of knowledge and sanity, until you're just an empty husk.
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
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i used to build all the computers in the family. then they started bitching about how Dell is so much cheaper. now i just tell them to go wiht dell. then they bitch how much they suck. but at least they are not bugging me anymore.

 

ebaycj

Diamond Member
Mar 9, 2002
5,418
0
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Originally posted by: MrChad
This is why I don't build new computers for people anymore.

Dell + 4 year warranty + 4 year accidental damage + 1 year startup tech support FTMFW!!