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What do the average non-technical people do when they have a computer issue?

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What's worse than someone that doesn't know about computers?
Someone that thinks they do but "doesn't have time to do it themselves" and lies through their teeth about the situation.

Practice manager at doctors office calls me at work at lunchtime a month after I installed and setup up 10 new stations:

PM: The computer won't turn on, the screen was solid red and then nothing! I think its a virus, didn't you install AV software?
ME: Hmmm Sounds like the cable came loose, when did it turn red and when did it last work normally?
PM: This morning, I dont get it, these are brand new computers!
ME: Can you make sure the cable with the blue end is firmly plugged in on back of monitor and also to the back of the computer?
PM: I did that already, these are brand new computers! It wont turn on!
ME: Ok hold on, let me put down my sandwich and try something (remote connected to computer in question). Ok the computer is on and working fine I can see it. Maybe the monitor went bad? Can you make sure power cord and VGA cable are connected one more time?
PM: OK I can't get the cable to plug in
ME: You mean it's not plugged in?
PM: I think you'll have to come down, I don't understand why these are not working for us anymore
ME: plug the cable back in. it only goes in one way so don't force it
PM: I can't believe this, we just got these things....ok hold on.....I can't get it
ME: really?
PM: hold on let me try again....ok it works, how did this happen????
ME: Maybe someone kicked it loose?
PM: well they shouldn't just come loose like that
ME: I know, I screwed them in when I set them up
PM: well we moved them last week to change ithings around
ME: It's working now?
PM: yes, thanks
ME: you're welcome.....(im going to go smash something)
 
I still don't understand why my family won't just call when they have problems.

First, they click on "Yes," "Install," or "Execute."

Only then will they call me, when they've already paid three times and the messages still haven't gone away...
 
If I cannot fix it, I might ask my brother-in-law who actually does it for a living. I will also post questions here.

My family and friends usually call me. When they don't, they either go to Geek Squad, or something similar or they buy a new computer. Either way, I get pissed at them.

MotionMan
 
I would say it's actually rarer these days for somebody to know NOBODY that could help. Between family, neighbors, and coworkers there's usually somebody. Odd to call them the "normal" ones. IMO people who pay for PC support anymore are weird.
 
WhoBeDaPlaya said:
Thank God for UltraVNC. I can't count the number of times I've fixed problems with my folks' systems / shown them how to do something via VNC.

Kinda important when they're 10,000 miles away 🙂
Click to expand...

Teamviewer is even better, because then you don't have to worry about configuring port forwarding on their routers and hope that they never accidently change the internal network IP address of the machine.
 
My mom calls me, stands over me while I work, and wonders out loud if her computer has been hacked because it's "running a little slow". She also complains about my dad "downloading" stuff. I tell her to change her password to keep him off but she won't. He has his own computer but my mom's is a lot newer than his.

Windows is still beyond my parents but they don't want to pay for Macs despite claiming to like them better.

I really hate doing tech support for people. If you do a good job, they'll keep pestering you. If you can't fix it (or if it requires a long time to fix, in the case of replacing parts), they think you're an idiot and just take it to a shop anyway. I just tell people I just do hardware. I don't fix software problems, which is what they always have.
 
In my case family, friends and close neighbors go to me. I have to find time to fix which is sadly limited.:\

Latest fix, mobo swap for a 2 year old HP AMD Phenom II X4 910 system, pardon the crappy pix. Cable management not so good.
Had to use another PSU since original didn't have the 8-pin CPU 12v cable.

moboswap.jpg
 
PatrickBateman said:
What's worse than someone that doesn't know about computers?
Someone that thinks they do but "doesn't have time to do it themselves" and lies through their teeth about the situation.

Practice manager at doctors office calls me at work at lunchtime a month after I installed and setup up 10 new stations:

PM: The computer won't turn on, the screen was solid red and then nothing! I think its a virus, didn't you install AV software?
ME: Hmmm Sounds like the cable came loose, when did it turn red and when did it last work normally?
PM: This morning, I dont get it, these are brand new computers!
ME: Can you make sure the cable with the blue end is firmly plugged in on back of monitor and also to the back of the computer?
PM: I did that already, these are brand new computers! It wont turn on!
ME: Ok hold on, let me put down my sandwich and try something (remote connected to computer in question). Ok the computer is on and working fine I can see it. Maybe the monitor went bad? Can you make sure power cord and VGA cable are connected one more time?
PM: OK I can't get the cable to plug in
ME: You mean it's not plugged in?
PM: I think you'll have to come down, I don't understand why these are not working for us anymore
ME: plug the cable back in. it only goes in one way so don't force it
PM: I can't believe this, we just got these things....ok hold on.....I can't get it
ME: really?
PM: hold on let me try again....ok it works, how did this happen????
ME: Maybe someone kicked it loose?
PM: well they shouldn't just come loose like that
ME: I know, I screwed them in when I set them up
PM: well we moved them last week to change ithings around
ME: It's working now?
PM: yes, thanks
ME: you're welcome.....(im going to go smash something)
Click to expand...
😀
 
I just skimmed the responses so someone may have mentioned this already...

The first thing they do is try to fix it themselves... which usually turns something simple to fix into an all day project. lol
 
ultimatebob said:
Teamviewer is even better, because then you don't have to worry about configuring port forwarding on their routers and hope that they never accidently change the internal network IP address of the machine.
Click to expand...
Not a problem. I always have one system (usually the print server) on with a fixed IP and have 5900 forwarded to it, so I VNC into that, and use it to VNC into whatever other system I want.
Sephire said:
The worse is when their internet access goes out. Most of the time they don't even know what I'm describing (router, modem, switches, ethernet, lan cables, etc.)
Click to expand...
This is why I bloody insist on putting the same build of DD-WRT across all my routers. Aside from performance / additional features, at least I know I have the same interface across all of them and can guide the folks through it. Nothing gets older quick than "Look for something that kinda says DHCP. You mean D-Link decided to call it Magical Unicorn Sex0r in their firmware?!?"
 
Last edited:
I have to say I really can't stand the relatives that play all of those free games, that end up loading all of these search bars and other crap onto the system.

My girlfriends mom for example is paranoid about her web searches being tracked, but has no problem using a third party search addon on her browser.
 
I'm sure a lot of them just end up looking online and find bogus solutions to their "computer problems". Installing some stupid spam application on the computer, etc.
 
Updating my mother's Ubuntu system over Teamviewer right now. Very easy. She hasn't closed her Thunderbird menu bar in awhile("I can't use my email"). Life is good :^)
 
Multiple blue screens at startup. Computer running dirt slow when it does come on.

I was out of the country.

She took it to Best Buy and paid over $100 to have some hoard of imbeciles "fix" it.

I came back.

Malwarebytes finds trojan messing with hard drive controllers.
 
ultimatebob said:
Teamviewer is even better, because then you don't have to worry about configuring port forwarding on their routers and hope that they never accidently change the internal network IP address of the machine.
Click to expand...

I used Hamachi, but switched to OpenVPN to ensure I don't have to worry about IP changes. Then, I can use Remote Desktop or SSH or another non-VNC administrative solution, which I prefer.
 
PatrickBateman said:
ME: Can you make sure the cable with the blue end is firmly plugged in on back of monitor and also to the back of the computer?
Click to expand...

This is a better way to word that question: "Unplug the blue cable from the back of the monitor and plug it back in. Now unplug the blue cable from the back of the computer and plug it back in."

The customer will at best say that the cable is plugged in, and at worst be insulted that you think they're so stupid to call you for help when the problem was an unplugged cable.
 
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