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

[jumpncrash]

I do alot of PCs for computer illiterate people in my off time. It doesn't really bother me, I'm kind of a tyrant about it though. If I'm going to be fixing your PC, don't argue with me about it, it'll be fixed my way. They all also get the talk about not clicking, and I always charge for service. This has solved most of the common issues, I also have a space for cleaning out the smokers computers so most of the smell/dust is gone and doesn't dirty up my lab.

 

[jjsbasmt]

Hi everyone - after reading ALL the posts on this thread, I am in complete agreement with all of you. Gosh, I couldn't have said it any better and even had few senior moments and some chuckles along the way. Just thought I'd thank all of you for reminding me of all the nuances of taking care of everyone's computers. Jumpncrash, you summed it up best and in the end your words mirror my thoughts.

 

[TeeJay1952]

I have been the Geek Squad for the poor for the last 20 years or so. Many people, too many to remember. I thought I was teaching the masses but in reality it is has you guys have said. You fix it , you bought it! I had clients 20 years later rejoicing in their ignorance. I retired from helping 2 years ago, (failing memory, needed help finding my way home.) I still get calls. I am like the old firehouse dog. I hear the bell but I have to reinvent the wheel each time so I have to let it go.

 

[NesuD]

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.

This^^

 

[BurnItDwn]

I used to be a sucker. But, They have come to realize that I do not like fvcking with other people's shitty computers. Yes, if my cousin or uncle has a problem, I will fix it for free, but, it will be done on my time. They may wait a month or so for me to get to it. If they want fast service, they can go to the fast service place and pay the fast service guy.

 

[Jeff7]

After another day spent enduring the curse of the evil Angel of Competence, I felt that it should be posted here.

 

[Kaido]

After another day spent enduring the curse of the evil Angel of Competence, I felt that it should be posted here.

Magnificent.

 

[xSauronx]

You pretty much nailed it in the OP. People lack any sort of organization in file storage. People who have documents/pictures /etc scattered over 15 different "document" folders with no rhyme or reason drive me nuts.

the place i started at has a G:\ drive for a home drive for all users. and they put folders in the drive for users: word, excel, access, powerpnt.

i fucking hate it. nobody puts 100% of their stuff there.

/prefers redirected documents, favorites and desktop folders
//always checks C:\ anyway. idiots.

 

[andylau09]

Well, teaching my relatives how not to fxxked up their computer, than few months later, they fxxked it up with the method that I told them not to, and blame me that I didn't warn them before...

 

[AMD64Blondie]

Well, teaching my relatives how not to fxxked up their computer, than few months later, they fxxked it up with the method that I told them not to, and blame me that I didn't warn them before...

Oh god.You just reminded me of my dad.he'll intall every stupid "tune-up/fix-it/cleaning" all-in-one software there is.

(even multiple anti-virus software titles at once.about 10 years ago,I caught his PC with Nortons SystemDoesntwork 2004,
MacAfee Itisavirus,and AVG all installed at the same time.3 AV products installed at once,and Dad was wondering why his custom-built 2.4Ghz P4 rig was running so slow.)

He thankfully upgraded to a newer custom-built AMD Athlon X2 5600 PC since then,but his computing habits are still shitty.

 

[JManInPhoenix]

It's probably been beat to death here already: people that don't have their files backed up elsewhere and then tell you all of their music & photos are on that computer and I just have to fix it so they get to them again...

 

[cavemanmoron]

Cleaning the damned thing. With my family's computers that I get tasked to work on its usually a hardware failure I get to debug. They NEVER clean their PCs. I recently worked on my sister's computer and it had at least two inches of dust everywhere in it. All the fans were totally blocked with dust (no wonder the PS crapped out and took the mobo with it). After cleaning when I turned it on it still smelled like her nasty apartment. I worked on it on the patio for that reason.

Yeah and they use air fresheners and or fabreeze ugh.



I stopped trying to help Anyone, I tell them go buy an ASUS with a 3 year on site
warranty or a Dell with an extended warranty. I am retired.

 

[TeeJay1952]

It's probably been beat to death here already: people that don't have their files backed up elsewhere and then tell you all of their music & photos are on that computer and I just have to fix it so they get to them again...

Yep that is the worst. You get the responsibility to resolve their lack of competence to do as instructed. Unless the hard drive is failing the usual fix is to format and reinstall. If there is a separate partition with Data no sweat, one partition to rule them all, and I gotta dig out the jpgs and mp3s before the blowout. We can go from a 2 hour fix to an all day affair.

Tee Jay

 

[TwiceOver]

During training I be sure to inform my users that their user profile is all that is backed up and then show them what I mean. Anything outside that profile would be lost in a catastrophe.

Special thanks to BackupPC for that.

My biggest problem is user AND software related. Every user is just trained to click next until the boxes go away. Now more and more companies are sneaking in what I consider malware on their installs. Even SourceForge, I couldn't believe it when they started adding shit to their downloads.

 

[fire400]

You pretty much nailed it in the OP. People lack any sort of organization in file storage. People who have documents/pictures /etc scattered over 15 different "document" folders with no rhyme or reason drive me nuts.

i ask customers the same thing. you want your sh!t? where did you save it?

customer responds: "i don't know, it's there, i just save it."

then i reply - "i go down a very strict list with some possible subcategories."

customers says "xyz, etc." (they don't know what the fvck they're saying)

...while i say - "we copy everything in this directory as is, you sort out the rest."

customer gets pissed when they lose their google favorites... (I say in my head, "wtf..")

can't explain enough, in twenty diff. ways, if it's customized software and there was a crash without a back up, it's on them, not us.

GG

 

[MotionMan]

aren't you a lawyer?

Yes. So?

MotionMan

 

[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....

I know it creates more work for you, but if, before wiping the drive, you create an image, you can then get back something "important", if necessary (and if you're feeling particularly nice that day).

MotionMan

 

[alkemyst]

For me, it was their wife/SO living there. They always wanted to jump my bones. Most of the time I was up for it.

To clarify my rates were $125-150 minimum call, $50-75 per hour...haven't done this for 10 years.

 

[MotionMan]

Funny, because it is so true:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21OwTUEiGGM

MotionMan

 

[Red Squirrel]

Funny, because it is so true:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21OwTUEiGGM

MotionMan

LOL! That is awesome.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Many, many years ago when I did that sort of work I hated smelling many computers that people owned. You know that fresh smell that most computers have when they come out of the box? The worst was when a computer spent a few years in the home of a smoker or someone who used glade plugins....

I remember opening cases and the smell rubbed off on my hands....

Aside from that, I once found a rats nest in a computer where the PCI/ISA slots were....this was like 1998ish.... Basically, there was a mixture of cotton, acorns, and rat/mouse droppings. My guess is, the rodent was in their car.

 

[Fritzo]

Funny, because it is so true:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21OwTUEiGGM

MotionMan

That's been going around our office all week. It's nearly perfect