The Most frustrating thing you deal with when working on other people's computers.

[MustISO]

When I tell someone to run a program and then UAC comes up they always ask "Should I allow this program to run".

Yes, I just told you to run it!!!

 

[MotionMan]

Are you sure you put all of the files you want to keep in that folder right?

Yes, I'm sure.

*moves folder over to network*
*re images PC*
*downloads folder from network*

WHERE DID MY STUFF GO!?

Well I asked you if you had moved your important data to that folder.

I did do that, but this, this, this and this is gone!

I'm sorry, but I don't know where you keep your important files, thats why I asked you to move them into that folder so I can save them to my network can pull them when I'm done. Everything that was in that folder is what's on your computer.

After the first time this happened, why did you not simply make an image of their drive, just in case?

MotionMan

 

[MotionMan]

I hate working on other people's computers. I think most techie people do for a few reasons.

1) They assume you know how to do everything, and I mean EVERYTHING.
"How do I do this in (insert obscure program here)?"
"I don't know, look it up"
"What?! I thought you were supposed to know about computers"

2) They assume you can repair it instantly
My dad is notorious for this. He'll stand over me while I'm working and keep asking why it's taking so long. Worse is when he becomes the armchair repairman and asks "why do you need to do that? You don't need to do that." Well if you knew how to fix it, why did you ask me to begin with?

3) They refuse to learn good habits, thus keep needing fixes
Backing up important files, not clicking suspicious emails and websites, etc. Or clicking on things randomly when the computer isn't doing what they want, then breaking it even worse.

This is all true, but No. 3 is the absolute worst.

I constantly preach that taking just an instant longer when you are working with your files will save literally HOURS of searching later, but I am usually ignored.

I make those people like complete idiots whenever I have to clean up after them. Just last week one of my family members asked me why I was being so condescending - I told her it was the because this was the third time THIS YEAR I had to do the same thing for her on the computer. She was quiet after that.

BTW, not offering computer help is not an option - I just don't roll that way with my family and friends.

MotionMan

 

[Pardus]

Typical chat overhead at Best Buy

Best Buy Rep: How can i help you ?
Customer: I'm looking for a computer with a gigabyte of ram and at least 500 megs of disk space
Best Buy Rep: Is there a particular model you want ?
Customer: I want a white one
Best Buy Rep: Do you want a desktop or a laptop ?
Customer: Yes

 

[MotionMan]

People who find error messages impenetrable gobbledygook

I love being told there was an error message, but they did not write it down, nor did they recall what it said.

Yeah, I can fix that.

MotionMan

 

[MotionMan]

I learned years ago to never ask my wife that question about her stuff.

My wife constantly complains about the organization of the files on her computer. I do not even bother to discuss organization techniques with her. It will take care of itself when the HD dies

MotionMan

 

[Kaido]

After the first time this happened, why did you not simply make an image of their drive, just in case?

MotionMan

I use Macrium Reflect Free:

http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx

Basically the same idea as Ghost, but you can ghost it live. I have a USB-powered 2TB drive: ($99)

http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Canvio.../dp/B00ARJD56K

I keep a copy of the Macrium software on it. Ghost their drive, wipe & reinstall, and then reinstall Macrium & drop their old drive image back on their desktop with the name "Old Hard Drive". You can simply double-click to mount it & browse, as well as enable access to restricted folders & temporarily make it read/write accessible instead of read-only. That way, 6 months from now when they're doing their taxes and realized they saved their Turbotax files in C: \Program Files\Turbotax\WhyDidYouSaveItHere\mylifestaxes.db, they can still access it. Instant liability saver

I always suggest going with Backblaze online backup as well. $5 a month unlimited backup (per computer) with an automatic backup app - no interaction required after initial 60-second setup:

http://www.backblaze.com/

You can get your files back by downloading them or by buying a USB hard drive & having them mail the file dump to you. Easy peasy. Barring that, I tell them to get a USB backup drive & use Genie Timeline Free 2014 backup software, which is basically like Apple's Time Machine automatic backup software, but for Windows:

http://www.genie9.com/free_products/free_timeline.aspx

Most of the time it's not worth the hassle to fix viruses or do other software-related fixes, because I can clone the whole drive in under an hour (20 minutes in most cases) and just reinstall Windows, drivers, and apps in an hour or two and be done, versus spending 5 or 10 hours fixing issues, removing viruses and spyware, etc. I usually take the opportunity to make a second clone of the fresh install & hiding it on the root of their boot drive so I don't have to go through all of that again in 6 months when they get another virus

 

[OutHouse]

I refuse to work on any PC outside of my corporate life. my neighbor got pissed at me when i told him no, i would not fix his PC. I explained that if I touched it you would consider me your support center and im not going there even if you paid me my hourly rate i get at my corp job.

 

[OutHouse]

I love being told there was an error message, but they did not write it down, nor did they recall what it said.

Yeah, I can fix that.

MotionMan

aren't you a lawyer?

 

[Kaido]

I refuse to work on any PC outside of my corporate life. my neighbor got pissed at me when i told him no, i would not fix his PC. I explained that if I touched it you would consider me your support center and im not going there even if you paid me my hourly rate i get at my corp job.

Yeah, I got around that issue by telling everyone I only work on Macs :awe:

 

[Spydermag68]

I hate working on my in-laws computers.
1) They are cheep and do not want to pay for anything. That is why they hand M$ free anti-virus.

2) They will install any toolbar for the IE browser. I spent one day from 7am to 10 pm removing toolbars, running malwarebytes and cc rap cleaner on just one computer. I even ran bootup CD with a stand alone antivirus on the computer. My father in law was amazed how fast his computer was after me working on it.

 

[Engineer]

The most frustrating part is.....

'Dealing with other people's computers'.....PERIOD.

 

[dennilfloss]

Smoker computer syndrome aka The Stink.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah, I got around that issue by telling everyone I only work on Macs :awe:

Funny, I tell people I switched to Linux, so I know nothing about Windows. It totally works!

And honestly, I barely know anything about Vista and up. Even 7 seems a bit obscure to me at times as I have not gotten very deep into it. 8 is like being in a totally different galaxy. It would probably take me like 5 minutes to figure out how to do anything, without googling it. Been wanting to setup a 8 VM, but just never really did.

 

[lxskllr]

That's easy... someone asking me to help because their PC is slow, and going over and finding 100+ toolbars or some other crap add-on software...

I just scanned a computer at work that had 142 PUPs as determined by Malwarebytes. The computers were shuffled, and no one was there to ask whether they used the crap or not. I decided on deletion. Fuck 'em. If I'm doing IT duties, I'll make the decision whether or not something should be on the computer. I did leave the Yahoo toolbar, even though it made me twitch every time I opened the browser :^/

 

[spacelord]

I just think some (most) people have no common sense with their PCs.
The inlaws pretty much mess up their computer yearly... with a virus of some sort.. and all kinds of toolbars smashed into all their browsers.
ugghh. I don't think I've ever had to reinstall any of my own computers. And I've been in it a while. And that includes the PCs that the rest of my immediate family use.

Another annoyance.. is when I had to redo same persons laptop.. they had not made the image discs that the instructions clearly said to make since many computers don't come with install media any more. It cost a bit of money for them to order a replacement set of OEM discs from the laptop manufacturer.

 

[rsutoratosu]

we solve that issue by redirecting desktop, my docs to the network file share.. yeah prior to that.. you be hunting for files all the time..

at least your user didn't decide to put their personal stuff on the share network drive and thinks just because it says "personal" on it, its automatically secured

 

[Rakehellion]

Are you sure you put all of the files you want to keep in that folder right?

Yes, I'm sure.

*moves folder over to network*
*re images PC*
*downloads folder from network*

WHERE DID MY STUFF GO!?

Well I asked you if you had moved your important data to that folder.

I did do that, but this, this, this and this is gone!

I'm sorry, but I don't know where you keep your important files, thats why I asked you to move them into that folder so I can save them to my network can pull them when I'm done. Everything that was in that folder is what's on your computer.

Ha. Never do a clean erase of someone's hard drive. That's just irresponsible.

 

[SolMiester]

Are you sure you put all of the files you want to keep in that folder right?

Yes, I'm sure.

*moves folder over to network*
*re images PC*
*downloads folder from network*

WHERE DID MY STUFF GO!?

Well I asked you if you had moved your important data to that folder.

I did do that, but this, this, this and this is gone!

I'm sorry, but I don't know where you keep your important files, thats why I asked you to move them into that folder so I can save them to my network can pull them when I'm done. Everything that was in that folder is what's on your computer.

I just image the drive first, I have done the above way too many times....!

 

[IronWing]

Dealing with other people. You want me to fix it? No problem. You want to lean over me and point at stuff on the screen or even worse, insist on driving? Piss off.

 

[88keys]

After the first time this happened, why did you not simply make an image of their drive, just in case?

MotionMan

Sometimes I have installation images for other people, sometimes I don't. If it's the first time I worked on that particular PC, than I probably don't.

And even if I do, it's going to be at least 6 months or more old and of course they have managed to accumulate more data in pics and videos, and I find that Windows back up is really not that great of a solution for people who don't maintain their PCs very well because it inevitably backs up all of the malware that's causing the problems in the first place....

Although, I'm really digging Ubuntu. I'm almost to the point that I might install it on some PCs for my family. The only thing is that I'm not that good with linux and when something does go wrong it takes me all damn day to figure out how to fix it.

 

[88keys]

Ha. Never do a clean erase of someone's hard drive. That's just irresponsible.

When PCs are in dire need, it's usually the only solution. When malware has infected a PC so bad it would take forever to fix all of the crap it fucked up. Better just to re install/image or whatever.

And if people can't keep track of the data that's important to them, then I am only to assume that it must not be that important.

If somebody wants things restored without a re install/image , they can pay geek squad.

 

[Bubbleawsome]

2) They assume you can repair it instantly
My dad is notorious for this. He'll stand over me while I'm working and keep asking why it's taking so long. Worse is when he becomes the armchair repairman and asks "why do you need to do that? You don't need to do that." Well if you knew how to fix it, why did you ask me to begin with?

Ick

 

[Soundmanred]

What baffles me more is why people keep doing it.
Unless it's your job, you just stop doing it.
Once they take it somewhere and realize how much it actually costs to just have someone look at it, they will learn a valuable lesson.

 

[deanx0r]

Dont Windows computers have a time machine feature?