Post noob computer skills

fuzzybabybunny

Moderator<br>Digital & Video Cameras
Moderator
Jan 2, 2006
10,455
35
91
Getting the power switch / reset switch wires backwards when you hook them to the motherboard, and the system doesn't turn on.
 

Paratus

Lifer
Jun 4, 2004
17,770
16,127
146
my mother in-law

Whats a left click..........

Even worse

Her mouse did not have left or right mouse buttons :eek:
 

her209

No Lifer
Oct 11, 2000
56,336
11
0
Not turning on the computer/printer and complaining that its Microsoft's fault.
 

HN

Diamond Member
Jan 19, 2001
8,186
4
0
so some time back, martha stewart had a guest on to show how to set up a computer station at home. the desk was one of those that had the space at the bottom (off to the side) for a computer tower. stewart goes on about "look how pretty the monitor is" or "a good place to have the desk is at such and such an area". All the while, the guy is trying to setup and explain some basic things about the computer...mouse, keyboard, printer, etc. The cables have not been attached yet.

Stewart, seeing the cables hanging down towards the tower, bunches them all up:

Stewart: we're just gonna take all these cables and place them neatly up here behind the monitor and out of the way...

Computer guy: :confused:

Stewart: ...it makes for a neater appearance and a tidy work area.

Computer guy [pulls cables down]: we're going to need to connect all these cables to the tower to get everything to work.

 

natep

Senior member
Sep 27, 2005
527
0
0
that thermal paste is pretty hard to top.

i always think that i do something terribly wrong, and then realize that i haven't turned the PSU switch on, after i am struck with fear when the power button does nothing.
 

LordMaul

Lifer
Nov 16, 2000
15,168
1
0
/me gets a phonecall from across the building

Her: The computer at the center office doesn't work!
Me: ...what do you mean, it "doesn't work"?
Her: Well, it's not showing anything on the screen.
Me: Turn it on.
Her: I've pressed the on/off button a bunch of times! It makes a noise, like a short buzzing noise, then the screen just turns kinda gray.
Me: OK, I'll look at it.

/me shows up, presses power button on PC tower, computer boots right up

Me: WTF?
Her: Ooooooooooooooooooooh. THAT button. I always just press THIS one. *points to on/off button on monitor*
Me: :(
 

yobarman

Lifer
Jan 11, 2001
11,642
1
0
I know of a "web designer" that is in a business group i'm in. She calls links "clicky things." How she makes money, I don't know.
 

gsethi

Diamond Member
Feb 28, 2002
3,457
5
81
Originally posted by: LordMaul
/me gets a phonecall from across the building

Her: The computer at the center office doesn't work!
Me: ...what do you mean, it "doesn't work"?
Her: Well, it's not showing anything on the screen.
Me: Turn it on.
Her: I've pressed the on/off button a bunch of times! It makes a noise, like a short buzzing noise, then the screen just turns kinda gray.
Me: OK, I'll look at it.

/me shows up, presses power button on PC tower, computer boots right up

Me: WTF?
Her: Ooooooooooooooooooooh. THAT button. I always just press THIS one. *points to on/off button on monitor*
Me: :(

haha...i have gone through the same when my cousin told me that his computer wont turn on...the worse part in my case was that i had to take a 40 mile trip (one way).

another one is where they were doing some house cleaning and disconnected all the power cables and their computer wouldnt start again :( ......atleast this time I was at their place
 

themusgrat

Golden Member
Nov 2, 2005
1,408
0
0
Was water cooling for the first time, spilled water all over my video card while the PC was on........ I have done this 2 3 cards now, and luckily, as long as I let them dry for a couple of days, they are fine. :)
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
One day I got a new video video card and installed it. Went to turn the PC on and nothing happened. I got really worried. after about an hour of messing with it i called a local pc shop to see what mobos they had because i thought mine was dead. not quite believing it could have died from just putting in a new video card i messed around a little while longer.

here i was pressing the reset button instead of the power button. DOH!
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
52,472
7,694
136
This one goes to Dell...have a friend who just bought a new Dell and complained that she couldn't install her old Scrabble game on it. I drove over and lo and behold...C:\ was H:\ :Q
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
52,472
7,694
136
Originally posted by: gsethi
Originally posted by: LordMaul
/me gets a phonecall from across the building

Her: The computer at the center office doesn't work!
Me: ...what do you mean, it "doesn't work"?
Her: Well, it's not showing anything on the screen.
Me: Turn it on.
Her: I've pressed the on/off button a bunch of times! It makes a noise, like a short buzzing noise, then the screen just turns kinda gray.
Me: OK, I'll look at it.

/me shows up, presses power button on PC tower, computer boots right up

Me: WTF?
Her: Ooooooooooooooooooooh. THAT button. I always just press THIS one. *points to on/off button on monitor*
Me: :(

haha...i have gone through the same when my cousin told me that his computer wont turn on...the worse part in my case was that i had to take a 40 mile trip (one way).

another one is where they were doing some house cleaning and disconnected all the power cables and their computer wouldnt start again :( ......atleast this time I was at their place

Honestly, I think the majority of people should own iMacs...all-in-one design, single power button, mouse with ONE button. Tech support would be SO much easier, lol.
 

Safeway

Lifer
Jun 22, 2004
12,075
11
81
Originally posted by: pontifex
One day I got a new video video card and installed it. Went to turn the PC on and nothing happened. I got really worried. after about an hour of messing with it i called a local pc shop to see what mobos they had because i thought mine was dead. not quite believing it could have died from just putting in a new video card i messed around a little while longer.

here i was pressing the reset button instead of the power button. DOH!

Ouch.
 

timosyy

Golden Member
Dec 19, 2003
1,822
0
0
I was swapping a couple of drives in and out of my friend's computer (testing, since his CDRW drive didnt work, trying to isolate the problem)... One time I swapped it and all of a sudden the computer didn't turn on at all. Fiddled with it a bit, was kind of confused, then I realized I had brushed the connecter from the power button to the motherboard off while I was replacing the IDE cable.
 

Mr Pickles

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2006
4,103
1
0
Corporate guys convinced they need the latest and greatest even thought they have no idea how to use their hardware (Blackberrys, etc.) are the worst. Name any retarded question and I've had it. Just the other day I had a hancho ask me why his cursor was racing across the screene when he typed but there were no letters. It took longer then it should have to figure out he had changed the text to white.

Welcome to my life as Desktop Support.