i hate fixing computers for friends...

[T_Yamamoto]

I have a friend like this but he is really cool. He always buys me dinner and we hang out while I format his PC.

Lol. If its for dinner its worth it

 

[Jeff7]

Charge $100/hr, with a $100 minimum charge.
If anyone ever takes you up on it, it'll probably be worth your time.


(I know, I know. 7-digit incomes, supermodel girlfriends, etc etc)

 

[ShawnD1]

I charge everyone except very close relatives. Friends get a special discount.

My tech savvy friends always get free help because I know they tried their best. The ones who don't know anything about computers get a simple "I don't know what's wrong with it. I have never seen this problem before." That's not really a lie either since I've never seen any of my computers get that badly destroyed.

What are you doing for 10 hours on a Windows install?

Windows 7 man. It takes a damn year to install. It's so slow. Then it downloads about 2gb of patches. Then those patches take about 1-2 hours to install. The CPU is stuck at 50% or 25%, whichever corresponds to 1 core of the computer. Having a solid state hard drive doesn't help either.

 

[unokitty]

Years ago, I stopped "fixing" computers. Surprised that it took me so long to understand that if its a user problem, changing the computer isn't really a fix.

Now, I just give them a Puppy Linux Live CD. And tell them that they can run that for their browsing and Internet based mail.

Best of luck,
Uno

 

[MotionMan]

I guess if you work in IT, you could feel taken advantage of for giving away ANY of your help.

As for me, I even give away basic legal advice to friends and family, as long as they first acknowledge that it is worth what they paid for it.

MotionMan

 

[PottedMeat]

i only fix my parents & my brothers computers. i think the worst i've had to clean out so far is my dad's and he seems to automatically install browser toolbars. firefox had ~1/2 the screen filled with toolbars.

 

[MotionMan]

Is there some reason you (all of you) cannot set people up on non-admin accounts so they cannot screw things up so badly?

MotionMan

 

[ElFenix]

I never should have let my boss know I know the slightest thing about computers. The guy hates the things and only uses it for email, foxnews, and porn. I have no idea how he manages to lose his menu bars all the time. I try to feighn as little knowledge as possible now. "It's windows 7, I've never used it so I don't know." The other week he asked me about iphones and if I would teach him how to use it. Don't have an iphone so told him no.

 

[ShawnD1]

Is there some reason you (all of you) cannot set people up on non-admin accounts so they cannot screw things up so badly?

MotionMan

phone call at 2am:
"Shawn, my computer is being stupid. It won't let me install bonzi buddy. I'm coming over right now so you can fix this."


The best advice you can ever give: buy a Mac. That way bonzi buddy can't install because they didn't feel motivated enough to make a Mac version. Most people are also too lazy to make Mac compliant viruses.

 

[SagaLore]

i told him 100 times not to download things from the internet that he's not familiar with.

Actually it doesn't matter any more. All the drive-by exploit kits that happen from banner ad redirect kits and poisoned search engine results proxying legit sites through bad pages with iframes is going to get you infected no matter how careful you are.

Your friend's computer needs completely reformatted, including the MBR reset. Its rooted. You can't "clean" it.

He should only use Firefox or Chrome, and if he has firefox then install NoScript. You should also teach him how to run as a limited User and not as an Administrator.

 

[Saint Nick]

I used to love working on my computer. But now, I don't even bother with friends' PCs. I barely want to fix my families' PCs. I don't even want to fix my own.

 

[MotionMan]

I never should have let my boss know I know the slightest thing about computers. The guy hates the things and only uses it for email, foxnews, and porn. I have no idea how he manages to lose his menu bars all the time. I try to feighn as little knowledge as possible now. "It's windows 7, I've never used it so I don't know." The other week he asked me about iphones and if I would teach him how to use it. Don't have an iphone so told him no.

The disappearing menu bars is an epidemic with my group, too. I keep telling them to watch carefully where they are clicking and what they are doing, but most insist they "just disappeared". Clearly they are clicking and dragging without even realizing it, common among older people and generally those not good with computers.

MotionMan

 

[SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

The smart tech would make an image, and store it for ready use ;^)

OP is obviously moran.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I only fix computers for family, and I do it on my time and my schedule. If it means grandma's gotta wait 3 or 4 weeks for her PC, then so be it.

 

[edro]

I tell people I forget how to work on them.
They actually believe me.

 

[MotionMan]

I tell people I forget how to work on them.
They actually believe me.

I will soon become not able to help on Windows as I am still working on XP and have no plans to upgrade as I am all Mac at home. If my office buys anything new (I run XP on Parallels at work), then I can educate myself, but I may feign a lack of knowledge as a ploy to get all my minions on to Macs (which I am better at supporting now).

MotionMan

 

[sourceninja]

My tech savvy friends always get free help because I know they tried their best. The ones who don't know anything about computers get a simple "I don't know what's wrong with it. I have never seen this problem before." That's not really a lie either since I've never seen any of my computers get that badly destroyed.



Windows 7 man. It takes a damn year to install. It's so slow. Then it downloads about 2gb of patches. Then those patches take about 1-2 hours to install. The CPU is stuck at 50% or 25%, whichever corresponds to 1 core of the computer. Having a solid state hard drive doesn't help either.

Last month we migrated from windows xp to windows 7.

I created a brand new gold image, patched it, created application layers and thinapps/msi's, and then created almost 500 desktops on a friday.

 

[Net]

its not going to be easy but what you do is pretend that you don't know how to fix it.

you look around the computer while their there and be like, "dub uhhh hmmmm uhhh." making it look like you don't know what your doing, try a few things that even they know won't work.

waste sometime doing that then they'll step in and start trying to fix it (its a blow to your pride but it will pay off)

your golden if they found a solution (this will be good for them in the long run).

if not this is your fate: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/computers

 

[Modelworks]

The best way to handle repeat offenders , as I call them, is to let them bring you the pc , then you take forever to get back to them about it. Every time they ask, just say 'I might have some time next week to get to it", etc. Eventually they will come and get it and they will not return asking again. This sends the message, I don't mind helping but it will be when I feel like it and that can be a VERY long time.

 

[shortylickens]

The best way to handle repeat offenders , as I call them, is to let them bring you the pc , then you take forever to get back to them about it. Every time they ask, just say 'I might have some time next week to get to it", etc. Eventually they will come and get it and they will not return asking again. This sends the message, I don't mind helping but it will be when I feel like it and that can be a VERY long time.

That sounds better. At the very least make them bring it back and forth. They may still mess it up, but at least they wont bother you.

 

[Bacstar]

phone call at 2am:
"Shawn, my computer is being stupid. It won't let me install bonzi buddy. I'm coming over right now so you can fix this."


The best advice you can ever give: buy a Mac. That way bonzi buddy can't install because they didn't feel motivated enough to make a Mac version. Most people are also too lazy to make Mac compliant viruses.

That's what I do nowadays, and when they buy their iMacs and eventually need help or have questions, I can honestly say, "Dunno, I don't own a mac."

 

[MotionMan]

phone call at 2am:
"Shawn, my computer is being stupid. It won't let me install bonzi buddy. I'm coming over right now so you can fix this."


The best advice you can ever give: buy a Mac. That way bonzi buddy can't install because they didn't feel motivated enough to make a Mac version. Most people are also too lazy to make Mac compliant viruses.

Copied from a post of mine from 5/08:

OMG. I use to do ad hoc computer support for my old law firm and as fast as I could reformat and reinstall the sectretaries' malfunctioning computers, they would install the damn purple monkey.

MotionMan

 

[CraigRT]

Set him up as a limited user and don't give him the admin password.

 

[Griffinhart]

Most of the people I help are like that. They are sorry to bother me, but I always tell them it is no bother.



Whoa. Not counting unattended time for installs or downloads (I usually am doing something else at my desk as the computer I am fixing is on the return next to me), it takes me maybe 2 hours to set up a Windows machine just right (less if I am able to control my OCD).


What are you doing for 10 hours on a Windows install?

It's usually not a simple windows install. Last time, it was my mother's best friend. She's a sweet old lady, but they have a fairly old PC and a total format isn't always an option. It's also a situation where usually I can't have them drop it off, or bring it back to my house. It ends up being a 5 hour minimum "house call" often more. Waiting for the slow system, fixing the problem, and I'm sorry, I can't just leave a system I am working on unpatched.

I do not even accept payment or anything for my work. I do it because they are family or friends and that is just what I do for family or friends. If you go into it expecting to receive equal value for your work, you will always be disappointed.

I don't expect payment from family like that. I always refuse actually. But my Dad always thinks he's doing me a favor by helping me get extra pocket cash, not understanding that even if I took the money it isn't worth the time.

Hell, I don't mind small fixes, but It's never a small fix. it's about 20 small fixes that should have been addressed 2 years ago.

For one friend of my in-laws who was on the border of being abusive, I did two things; 1) I had her come over to watch me work on her computer "so I could ask her some questions as I was fixing things". After about 20 minutes she realized there was more to it than she thought and she made some excuse to leave, 2) I kept a log of each step and created a "Steps to Fix Your Computer" leaflet "just in case" she wanted to try it herself. She contacts me less often and is much more appreciative.

MotionMan

Oh, My sister now knows hom much time it takes. She's my twin sister, so I have no problems letting her know.

When it really bugs me is when the relative calling for help is one I only hear from at weddings and funerals.

 

[PatrickBateman]

I got a call a few months ago on a Saturday afternoon while painting my daughters room from someone I didn't even know asking how to set up his wifi. Turns out, I built this other guy a PC a few years ago, he sold it to someone else and now this guy (whom I don't even know) is asking me to fix it and set up his usb wifi. I gave him some basic things to try and he says, "great, If I have any trouble I'll call ya" ....I said If that doesn't fix it to call comcast
phone number=blocked

Unless it is my grandmother, who doesnt own a computer, they can drop it off at my house if they want the friends and family plan.
Also, I carry a geek squad pricing guide with me so when they balk at my rate, I show it to them and how they can get their dvd drive installed there for $129