Worst computer you had to work on.

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
62
91
I had to crack windows NT 4.0,'s admin password, update software, and at some places add a new cd-rom to about 40 computers at an Arby's chain. Some were ok, but others were greasy!!!
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
how about pretty much every pc i work on here at work?

always covered in black soot-like substance. well, pretty much anything you touch in the factory is like that. I don't know how those computers still work...
 

walkur

Senior member
May 1, 2001
774
8
81
Had to fix my parents' PC

PSU was burned out => new PSU
HD also fried => new HD
Ready to install windows=> they lost the CD (still had the key however)=> DL-ed XP

Wrong language version, truns out the had the Dutch version => Finding the correct dutch version.

Formatting and creating partitions on new HD, reboot => PC locks up. no response

I think the MoBo had died as I don't get any signals but it still gets power...
Just ordered a new S478 mobo... *sigh*


 

iwantanewcomputer

Diamond Member
Apr 4, 2004
5,045
0
0
mine...flakey asus socket 754 mobo that has stuff randomly not work...and their support/drivers/website are near impossible to navigate
 
Jun 19, 2004
10,860
1
81
I worked on this one with a Glock......... 40 :D


The "worst" one I've ever worked on was a roach infested one. I had pics, but can't seem to find them. When I cracked that one open I saw right away that it was COVERED in roach feces.

worse yet is there were a hundred or so little baby roach carcasses throughout the PC, even up in between the hs and processor and in the powersupply. I IMMEDIATELY bagged that machine and put it out back outside of our shop.

I called the lady and told her what was up and she tried to tell me it got that way in our shop......yeah right, you just dropped it off an hour ago lady :roll:

Cat owners (multiple cats anyway) PC's are the best. One lady brought one in and as I picked it up off the counter to move it I noticed there was something slimy on the bottom, and I sh1t you not she just shrugged and said "Oh that's where Mr. Whiskers likes to go." and continued on filling out her paperwork.

I almost threw up right there!
 

Patt

Diamond Member
Jan 30, 2000
5,288
2
81
Any computer belonging to a chain-smoking MMORPG player ... tobacco residue is disgusting to clean. I charge triple for that :|
 
Jun 19, 2004
10,860
1
81
Originally posted by: Patt
Any computer belonging to a chain-smoking MMORPG player ... tobacco residue is disgusting to clean. I charge triple for that :|



God those are the fvckin worst.....I usually will er more on the side of telling the customer to get a new one if I see one like that.

I had a newer Compaq model that we took in and I totally disassemble, cleaned case and parts and put bad together with a new power supply (no cleaning those things out from a smokers machine) and it STILL smelled of nicotine after startup when it got warm.

I smoked for 10 years too (quit 3 years ago!) and I can't stand it!
 

Pacemaker

Golden Member
Jul 13, 2001
1,184
2
0
The worst in terms of design would have to be the Compaq Presario 166 pentium with MMX my dad gave me when I was a junior high. I mean when you opened the case all you could see was metal covering everything. It made you wonder why it had a case at all.

Then I look at the bottom of it and see an arrow that says pull here. I pull thinking this will open it up so I can see the card slots. Instead I pull out all the card slots as they are on a daughter board that plugs into a very long slot on the motherboard. I actually said out loud "WTF". Well at least it worked decently well, but my god who thought that would be a good idea. Not to mention you couldn't do anything else in the computer without completely taking appart the case.
 

amddude

Golden Member
Mar 9, 2006
1,711
1
81
Oh I have this one down. Two PC's, different customers. One was from some guy that ran a bait and tackle shop right on the water. I shoulda took pics--but there was rust ALL OVER the inside of the case, on the hard drive, cd-drive, power supply, even some on the board itself. It was fvcking crazy. It had rtm 95 on it...ancient. IT was running too slow he said. I warned him, even if I added more ram, something might rust loose on the trip back to his shop. He still wanted the ram...he even got clearwire with it. Go figure.

The other one was an old beige compaq. It has this yellow film all over it. When I saw it, I figured it was just some kind of coffee stain, it was pretty dark. I couldn't get over how it just smelled kinda weird. I started wiping off with a moist paper towel...then the smell came to life. You guessed it, pee. All over it. A lot. It was really disgusting.
 

ForumMaster

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2005
7,792
1
0
probablly my grandparents old computer. pentium 2 with windows ME and 64MB of ram. they had all this crap on it and probablly never opened it. i took it outside and used about two cans of air to clean the dust. then i saw actual damage. just told them to get a new one. i also had this friend who had an old dell. it was slow as hell. took it apart and just like the former computer, tons of dust. it had not viruses cause i put av on it but it had problems. reinstalled windows and good as new.
 

TeeJay1952

Golden Member
May 28, 2004
1,532
191
106
I am in Detroit (suburb) and the UAW got everyone a "free" computer. These were Hp mini's with ME & 64 meg ram. No room to work. Every thing had to be just so or cables wouldn't reach. The machines split in half and and cables held it together.
 

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,920
2,162
126
I had a Win 98 computer that came from a nasty 10 pack a day cat collecting slob, and the cover had never been removed. We took it off to install a network card and the computer was FILLED with yellow sticky globs of hair. GAG. I still get stick thinking about it :(
 

Randum

Platinum Member
Jan 28, 2004
2,473
0
76
Windows machine p3....heres the catch...it was at a farm...opened it up...no lie, about a half inch of dust on EVERYTHING!!!!! took that puppy out with the spray can...w00t w00t
 
Jun 4, 2005
19,723
1
0

Have you never heard of drag and drop? :confused:
 
Jun 19, 2004
10,860
1
81
Originally posted by: TeeJay1952
I am in Detroit (suburb) and the UAW got everyone a "free" computer. These were Hp mini's with ME & 64 meg ram. No room to work. Every thing had to be just so or cables wouldn't reach. The machines split in half and and cables held it together.



Yeah, i refuse to work on those if I can help it just because of the extra time it takes. I just tell my customer to buy a used or new PC.

Also, those have "riptide" modems, the combo sound and modem card.....I think every aspiring tech should be made to install drivers for one of these things and get it PROPERLY working in order to call themselves a tech. It's a true test of ones skill.
 

Sentinel

Diamond Member
Jun 23, 2000
3,714
1
71
My Dad's 386 laptop was slower than any computer I've been on, other than my Apple II.
 

marvdmartian

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2002
5,444
27
91
Just finished putting together a computer system from old parts that a friend had, who wanted a computer for his son. Old Asus mobo, socket A, that at one point in time was one helluva motherboard.......but is now just a PITA!! I had to flash the bios to get it to recognize to boot from the hard drive (a first for me). About the only thing it didn't have onboard was a network connector, and trying to install a nic put me into fits, since the stupid onboard firewire kept thinking that IT should be the network connection! Geez, I really do hate firewire sometimes!! :roll:

Finally got everything working good, hope it lasts him a long time, cuz I don't ever want to work on that POS again!