QOTD: Are You Always Fixing PCs for Others?

[xoier]

Most common problems anyway are.

1.) Virus (CONFICKER INFECTION) hehehe.
2.) Fried PSU.
3.) Defective Coolers.
4.) and a lot more....

 

[Cache]

Yes, but fortunately they almost all see to it that I'm well fed, and include me in every social activity that goes on. So, it's not a bad gig. Still, I feel bad when I get a plate full of fresh cookies when all I did was click the volume icon in Windows so that it was no longer in 'mute'. Sometimes.

 

[bone squat]

I am always fixing other people's computer problems. I do it for free for family and friends. They always find a way to help me out someway and I do free lance work here and there.

 

[Frodaddy6]

I get people with 800mhz P3s with 256-512mb of RAM, who want me to clean off their malware in 20mins, mind you that they have 35 apps running at the same time. Also, they want to play games such as Crysis with this same computer. I also get people who think they can build a powerhouse computer for $300. I hate when people want me to babysit their artifacts for 10 hours for a Hot-and-Ready or $10.

 

[Zenthar]

I do it now and then, but on a voluntary basis. I think the only one I sometimes get fed-up of helping is my father ... he is just technical enough to be dangerous. To his defense, he WAS able to build PCs from scratch in the old 386/486 days with the various IRQ, I/O adesses, 3-4 different bootdisks for various tasks, ... It seems his brain never actually understood networking tho.

 

[eddie84]

Always.. even on my vacation, I'd get text like "My HD crashed! what should I do?!?". Oh well, it's the price we pay. lol

As for the t-shirt, I'd recommend this one:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/unisex/itdepartment/a651/zoom/

 

[lucuis]

I fix computers quite frequently for friends or friends of friends, family and family friends etc. I enjoy it.

 

[turboflame]

I only help certain people who I already know well.

I've had bad experiences with fixing people's computers only to have them break it again and then blame me for it. There's also the people who refuse to let me anywhere near their computer because they're afraid I'll "hack it" for whatever reason. Oh, and the people who beg me to fix their computer but then stand behind me to watch and yell "DON'T DO THAT YOU'LL BREAK IT" when I open the task manager or something.

Overall the most common issues I've seen are viruses, dust, fried PSUs and a couple of weeks ago a SATA cable that somehow got disconnected.

 

[metanoia]

Well, I used to, until I started telling everyone to buy Macs. Now, I have no computers to fix, because they don't have issues! (at least as much as a peecee).

 

[Hellbound]

Although I can fix anything when it comes to computers. I never claim to anyone in RL that I can. Everytime I get asked "do you know how to fix computers", I normally reply with "you kiddin me? I never learned how to program my VCR"...

 

[maigo]

I'll do a little tech support and hardware fixes. But when they want their lagged down box cleaned, its instant format or nothing.

 

[IronRyan21]

I have PEBKAC ppl stress.

 

[Robert17]

Yes. And more often than not it's software related because they don't use protection: no firewall, no AV, not anti-nor-preventative anything. Even after I've told them. I'ts gotten to where I've almost become a pariah because I don't drop everything and rush right over.

 

[Guest]

never tell anyone you're good with computer, especially the elderly. people take the work we do for granted. geek squad charges 200 dollars for virus removal services.

 

[solymnar]

It often feels like 50% of the time when a family member contacts me its to either fix a computer they have or help them get a new one.

 

[shadowryche]

The only time I hear from family is when they need their computer fixed, or wanna buy a new one. I make suggestions and offer to build them one as parts typically come with better warrenties than propriotary desktops, but they still end up buying the crappy Dell. That I end up fixing repeatedly for them, or upgrading because it doesn't meet their needs. So I have built of a reputation of he who farts A LOT with in my family circle.

Probably the most common issue with family is fixing what they've attempted to change, or just simple malware removal. Even though I show them repeatedly how to use AVG or Malwarebytes.

 

[Guest]

I've been building and working on computers since I was 10 and have had the reputation throughout my life as the guy that can fix anything that plugs into a power outlet... That's over 19 years of fixing people's broken computers. Sometimes it's frustrating to me how little people understand about their computers (and all other technology in their lives).
Nothing surprises me anymore about what people do to their computers, but the most common problems I deal with are "my computer's gotten slow," and malware infections from emails, thumb drives, and dodgy websites. (These often go hand-in-hand.) Of course my personal computer never has problems like this since I'm a control freak and nothing runs besides my OS at startup. I don't even use AV except to scan promiscuous thumb drives. I haven't had a significant hardware failure or malware issue since 2002 when a couple of RAIDed Maxtor drives burned themselves up. 😛
I can't blame people for not understanding their computers since nearly all hardware/software is designed/written by engineers for people that think like engineers. I think like an engineer, but most people don't.
The irony is that software which is written for the average non-engineer (such as Office 2007 and MacOS) are *loved* by my non-tech savvy friends, but completely confound and frustrate me. >.<

 

[B-Unit]

No, I sleep at night...

 

[afrobacon]

Thankfully I don't have a fancy title or anything that makes too many strangers ask me for help; but I'm usually the "go to tech guy" to fix all the ID:Ten-T errors.

 

[cablechewer]

Oh yeah - I am forever fixing or consulting on some problem. For some reason I don't understand I can do a 10 hour call with a customer with complete patience and even good humour. But 10 minutes of helping relatives is almost unbearable and I have zero patience with them. Anyone else have that problem?

Of course I probably caused the problem by building their computers in the first place... *sigh* Foolish me

 

[The Schnoz]

Help fix, help pick one out, help upgrade, build, set up, install.....I WANT THAT FUCKING SHIRT!!!!!!

 

[shadowryche]

[citation][nom]cablechewer[/nom]Oh yeah - I am forever fixing or consulting on some problem. For some reason I don't understand I can do a 10 hour call with a customer with complete patience and even good humour. But 10 minutes of helping relatives is almost unbearable and I have zero patience with them. Anyone else have that problem?Of course I probably caused the problem by building their computers in the first place... *sigh* Foolish me[/citation]

The phrase "Money talks, bull**** walks.", comes to mind.

 

[christop]

I make good money doing it.....

 

[QEFX]

Fix / upgrade computers, buy parts and install them for people, installing software, telling people how to do something using various software - even if I don't have/run that software ... basically anything buy turn the machine on/off for them.

I've never even been to Bangalore, so I don't know why people now think that I'm tech support or why I'm expected to drive 2/4/8+ hours to fix something (for free of course) that they messed up. I've got to get an unlisted number.

 

[Raidur]

Yes, quite often. It usually ends up being extremely old PCs with bad ram or PSUs that people want to keep for as long as they can. Fun fun. Anyone notice that there are no PC repair places that offer a fair price? Why haven't any of us grouped up and started this? We could make millions! What would people think if computer work was actually possible at 25% of the cost of Geek Squad?