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"Have you rebooted?" - Why do people get so mad at that question?

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I'm not condescending about it, and I think being inconvenienced is probably the biggest deal.

Someone will have open a dozen applications and when asked will say they last turned their computer off 2 weeks ago.

And this is face to face with end users, hardly ever deal with them over the phone. Ug, phone support is a nightmare. I remember a long while back a guy calling from his home cause his kid hit some buttons on the front of his monitor (CRT). Well it shifted the image off the front of the screen. I couldn't get the guy to understand how it was possible, much less explain how to fix it.

And if it's a genuine problem I'll take a look, but the vast majority can just be fixed with a reboot if it's not a recurring thing.

Same folks who get pissed when I ask if they are sure their monitor is turned on. Why you getting so mad? You were the one last week who was complaining about your printer not printing and the yellow blinky light and the problem was you were OUT OF PAPER. Jeez it's got an external paper tray 😛
 
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: Phoenix86
I love when it I call my ISP.

ME: I'm having problems with my network connection. I have rebooted my cable modem, PC and router. I have disconnected the router, plugged directly into the modem and have the same problems.
CSR: Have you tried rebooting your cable modem? Also, we can't support home networks since the router may cause the problem.
Click to expand...

Well to their point they can't support you home network and 99/100 times it isn't the ISPs problem. Everytime a modem goes off line it is recorded (they have a log if you have lost layer1 connectivity). The number one fix to almost any broadband problem is to turn off the modem for at least 5 minutes and the power it on. Just resetting it isn't enough. You can't approach network troubleshooting like you do with PCs - it's a totally different methodology.

Plus making changes like removing the router and plugging directly in can actually CAUSE the problem.
Click to expand...

Do you work at comcast? 😉

I'm just doing the first 5 steps of their troubleshooting before I even call, only to do them again. /head+desk
 
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: Phoenix86
I love when it I call my ISP.

ME: I'm having problems with my network connection. I have rebooted my cable modem, PC and router. I have disconnected the router, plugged directly into the modem and have the same problems.
CSR: Have you tried rebooting your cable modem? Also, we can't support home networks since the router may cause the problem.
Click to expand...

Well to their point they can't support you home network and 99/100 times it isn't the ISPs problem. Everytime a modem goes off line it is recorded (they have a log if you have lost layer1 connectivity). The number one fix to almost any broadband problem is to turn off the modem for at least 5 minutes and the power it on. Just resetting it isn't enough. You can't approach network troubleshooting like you do with PCs - it's a totally different methodology.

Plus making changes like removing the router and plugging directly in can actually CAUSE the problem.
Click to expand...

How can removing the router, plugging directly into the cable modem, and resetting the cable modem CAUSE the problem?
 
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: Bryophyte
My mother-in-law doesn't call me for technical support anymore because that's always my first question. My second question is usually "Have you called (fill in the blank)? I am 100 miles away and they are a half mile away from you and I can't diagnose this over the phone, I need to see the computer."

:laugh:
Click to expand...

I just sent your MIL an email explaining VNC in simple terms.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! PREPARE TO BE TECH SUPPORT FOR EVAR!!
Click to expand...

She's incapable of understanding nearly anything to do with computers, no matter how simply you explain it or how many times you tell her. She forgets how to cut and paste so she has to type email addresses in manually when she wants to send one. My mom has had to teach her how to use her scanner dozens of times (and typed out simple instructions to follow, which are posted next to her scanner), and she still doesn't get it so Mom just has her bring what she wants scanned over to her house.

She has a master's degree in English, but can't follow simple written or verbal instructions. bleh.
 
I don't see what's wrong with a CSR instructing someone to reboot, no matter how much we may know. Aren't they supposed to treat everyone as though they don't know anything about computers?

Maybe people like the one mentioning by the OP get upset because they can't believe something so easy will solve their problems, or they want a 'real' solution in case it happens again.
 
When I did helpdesk stuff in HS and college, I'd always recommend a reboot.. honestly windows problems are fixed a lot of times with a reboot.

I do get pissed however when people tell me to reboot UNIX servers at the place I work now to fix issues.. people just don't understand the difference 😛
 
Originally posted by: spidey07
Plus making changes like removing the router and plugging directly in can actually CAUSE the problem.
Click to expand...
It's a direct line from your ISP to your computer. Unless something is incorrectly configured on your computer, it would work. So, if that were the case, the problem would exist with the router in use as well.
 
The problem is you're using Windows 😛

It's the way you approach the problem.

"Ok, I have a general idea of what's going on and how to approach this problem. I need you to gimme a hand and go ahead and try something for me...."

The difference is you're not asking to do something, you're simply telling him to do it. You're in a position of control, so take it.

I take the same approach when I call the shippers regarding damaged freight. I'm not asking if you want me to forward or return it, I'm calling to notify you that it's damaged and it's coming back. You don't have a say. I'm not asking for your direction. I'm simply notifying you.

Take control.
 
My personal favorite is "My computer wont turn on!" and I say "Is it plugged in?"

People get SOOO mad! But it usually the cause about 50% of the time.
 
Folks really get irritated when asked if they've rebooted. I guess it implies they are dumb or something?
Click to expand...

No, I get irritated because it indicates that you didn't listen to the question I just asked you. If (shudder) I've actually called into your support department, it's because a) I want to know if XYZ is a known issue so I can stop figuring it out further or b) I need you to bounce me up two or three support levels because (trust me) you're not going to be able to help me 🙂


 
Originally posted by: Tobolo
My personal favorite is "My computer wont turn on!" and I say "Is it plugged in?"

People get SOOO mad! But it usually the cause about 50% of the time.
Click to expand...

In cases like this I'd say....

"That happened to me once, guess what happened? I accidentally kicked the power cord loose. "

 
Originally posted by: Alone
Originally posted by: spidey07
Plus making changes like removing the router and plugging directly in can actually CAUSE the problem.
Click to expand...
It's a direct line from your ISP to your computer. Unless something is incorrectly configured on your computer, it would work. So, if that were the case, the problem would exist with the router in use as well.
Click to expand...

You can't think like that. It's not normal troubleshooting. The usual method of trying to replace things just makes matters worse.

There are state machines and addresses that could be running off of old information and haven't aged them out yet (mac addresses, etc). It all depends on how the provider setup their network. Constantly changing thing keeps those state machines running on incorrect information.
 
Originally posted by: Tobolo
My personal favorite is "My computer wont turn on!" and I say "Is it plugged in?"

People get SOOO mad! But it usually the cause about 50% of the time.
Click to expand...

When I was working desktop support I had some user from another location call to say her monitor wasn't working. The first thing I asked her is if it was plugged in. I told her to actually check the connections, because maybe the cord wasn't pushed into the monitor far enough. She insisted she had already done that, no that wasn't the problem, it had to be something else. She wanted me to go over to her location and check it myself. So I finally walked over there (about 8 blocks), looked around the back of the monitor, and sure enough the cord wasn't plugged in completely. Plugged it in all the way, problem fixed.
 
Originally posted by: trmiv
Originally posted by: Tobolo
My personal favorite is "My computer wont turn on!" and I say "Is it plugged in?"

People get SOOO mad! But it usually the cause about 50% of the time.
Click to expand...

When I was working desktop support I had some user from another location call to say her monitor wasn't working. The first thing I asked her is if it was plugged in. I told her to actually check the connections, because maybe the cord wasn't pushed into the monitor far enough. She insisted she had already done that, no that wasn't the problem, it had to be something else. She wanted me to go over to her location and check it myself. So I finally walked over there (about 8 blocks), looked around the back of the monitor, and sure enough the cord wasn't plugged in completely. Plugged it in all the way, problem fixed.
Click to expand...

what was her reaction?

 
I'm surprised to see what a reboot fixes, not only of the PC but in some cases of the printer. IMO a well-made PC image would prevent the need for most reboots.
 
Originally posted by: PeeluckyDuckee
Originally posted by: trmiv
Originally posted by: Tobolo
My personal favorite is "My computer wont turn on!" and I say "Is it plugged in?"

People get SOOO mad! But it usually the cause about 50% of the time.
Click to expand...

When I was working desktop support I had some user from another location call to say her monitor wasn't working. The first thing I asked her is if it was plugged in. I told her to actually check the connections, because maybe the cord wasn't pushed into the monitor far enough. She insisted she had already done that, no that wasn't the problem, it had to be something else. She wanted me to go over to her location and check it myself. So I finally walked over there (about 8 blocks), looked around the back of the monitor, and sure enough the cord wasn't plugged in completely. Plugged it in all the way, problem fixed.
Click to expand...

what was her reaction?
Click to expand...

She said it must have gotten unplugged when she was checking to see if it was plugged in. 😕
 
Cause they're freaking newbies. I hate nobody worse than those who think they know everything. "Wahh but I thought you didn't have to reboo.." SHUT THE Q@EW#@$! up and reboot.

Then again sometimes they have a point. But I'm a step ahead of them. I'm not going to walk them through something that is going to take 5 hours since they have no idea what they're doing when I can just tell them to reboot. I'm evil.

:evil:

I usually like helping people, though. Honestly.
 
Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Originally posted by: ScottSwingleComputers
I love it when they turn off their monitor and think they have turned off their computer
Click to expand...

But I rebooted my monitor last night!
Click to expand...

At my last job, I remember replacing an old man's CRT with a nice new LCD, and he asked if the data on his old computer would be backed up. He pointed at the monitor.
 
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