what kinds of computer questions do you still get?

Post by **Mat Linnett** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 8:09 pm

Had a similar one to you on Thursday, eepberries .

Our admin assistant asked if I could back up her iTunes library on to DVD for her, and make 2 copies.
Of course, I assumed that as she was asking for it to go on to DVD, it was going to be relatively small.

Not a chance in hell.

35GB and she didn't have her own DVDs.
I also discovered there was a load of duplicate shit in there in the form of the original zip files.

Thankfully I had a call-out and was able to ignore her iTunes library, but I'm guessing I'll get harangued about it on Monday.

Post by **tnf** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:10 pm

Got a follow up call from the guy with the slow computer.

"When my wife is logged on by herself, its not slow, but when I'm logged on, then she logs on so we're both logged on, it goes slower. can you fix that?"

Post by **Foo** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:31 pm

'buy more ram' ey.

Post by **AmIdYfReAk** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:34 pm

"My ram is getting full, what can i do? it keeps poping up asking me to make more room on my ram!"

edit: think XP's low disk space warning.

Post by **tnf** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 10:57 pm

Foo wrote:'buy more ram' ey.

Yea, that's what I told him.

Or just log the fuck off when his wife logs on.

Post by **Wizard .3** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 6:04 am

My Dad once asked me where the space bar on the computer is. No joke. Although I really don't mind helping him.. he is desperately useless on a computer and uses one so rarely, that when he does have trouble, it's no big deal (and an easy fix.. ie "the space bar is right there").
Usually if I can't be bothered with crap computer fixes I simply reply I don't know how to do it. Gets them off my back, and they're less likely to recommend me to someone else..

Post by **Berserker** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 11:32 am

AmIdYfReAk wrote:"My ram is getting full, what can i do? it keeps poping up asking me to make more room on my ram!"

edit: think XP's low disk space warning.

This is also one of my favorites. I immediatly stop talking computer talk with anyone who confuses RAM with Hard Drive space, and really thinks they know what they are talking about.

"My computer has 120GB of RAM"

Post by **Yeando** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:31 pm

Just had a good un in now (woman btw)...

Her: If I buy this laptop, could you wipe it and put XP on to it instead of Vista?
Me: Unfortunately no, its all preloaded now and for that model its Vista only. But If you want I can reconfigure it for best performance. Any reason why you don't want Vista?
Her: My old XP has got Word and Publisher built in to it, I need it for them.
Me: :icon27:

Its hard work trying to explain that Office is NOT part of Windows, common thing now.

Post by **Dr_Watson** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:35 pm

i don't really get these problems anymore.
people have learned not to call me until something is actually broken.
i think the last time i did a pc job that didn't require replacing burnt out crap components was > 3 years ago.
the secret is not doing bullshit jobs for people.
if someone that didnt give berth to you calls you up with something that you can diagnose over the phone as not a legitamate problem; throw some ideas and software names at them and steer them toward their own fix.
also i'm not sure where you all find these ungrateful bastards... everyone i've ever done work for has offered me $ without me needing to tell them i should be getting paid for my services.

Post by **bitWISE** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:24 pm

WOW....and people wonder why they get hacked!

Yesterday I had a friend call me up asking about reseting the password on her XP laptop because she couldn't log in. I told her to bring it over and I would try to use my Linux repair CD to hack her machine if we couldn't figure something out. I have her try logging in safe mode and find out her password is only four numbers (and only two of them were unique), well no wonder she got hacked. But then guess what I found out...HER ADMIN ACCOUNT HAD NO PASSWORD. How is that even possible!?

The best part is that she went to college with me to become an IT manager...

Post by **Denz** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:41 pm

[lvlshot]http://docdesign.org/upload/diskcomp.JPG[/lvlshot]

Post by **bitWISE** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:59 pm

I used to have a PC like that first one. Built it in a cardboard box

Post by **Dr_Watson** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:27 pm

ahh.. but was it fully roasted and seasoned?

Post by **Tormentius** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:53 pm

bitWISE wrote:HER ADMIN ACCOUNT HAD NO PASSWORD. How is that even possible!?

Because by default in XP a user account with no password can't be used for remote authentication (eg, only local console sessions with a null password work). It was her other 4 digit account that got her hacked, not the admin one.

Post by **bitWISE** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:03 pm

Good to know

Post by **Kills On Site** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:09 pm

Yea, XP doesn't put Admin passwords on unless you give it on, it doesn't really care. I once had a person give me their computer to fix and all the accounts had passwords, but the person didn't give me any; so I logged on as administrator and got it working. As I recall I was not paid for that job.