Is this something that causes brain tumors?

[pastafarian]

Got home from work yesterday and received a panic call from a close family friend that they had a virus on their computer and could I help. Like many here, I fill the MIS needs of many of my less computer literate friends and family. These friends in particular were there for us when we need help after Hurricane Sandy, so saying no was out of the question. I went in knowing that I would be doing a wipe and fresh install. Whether they ever had a virus I'll never know. What I found was a non booting Dell laptop. Everyone is freaked out because all their construction company quick books files are on there...no backup!!! I popped in my Linux based rescue disk and noticed it made a strange noise. It wouldn't read at all. No problem, I go to my key chain and get the usb key version. I'm able to gain access to the drive and copy off their documents, good to go for the wipe. I had asked if they had win 7 before coming over and had a win7 disk and usb with me and they said yes. Of course, it had a Vista license . Back home to get my old external DVD. After much fumbling, I get the drive to work. In the process I move the the laptop around and hear something moving inside. Open the DVD drawer ad give it a good shake. A poker chip falls out. Now the drive works. Go to install Windows, their Vista disk has a deep gouge in it. Pull out my laptop and proceed to download the files to put together a Vista iso (no pre-made iso available like for xp and 7!!!). Finally get the job done, re install some of their apps along with AV and a backup solution (both cloud and one of my old usb keys). Look up at the clock and it's 12:25...I started at 6:00! And now I probably have brain tumors, at least it feels that way. Why, why do I have to be the neighborhood geek?

Ahh, vented...that felt good!

 

[Howard Hopkinson]

I know exactly where you're coming from mate. The number of times I have helped family and friends out with their computer problems, only to discover what I thought would be fairly straight forward to be a long and tortuous few hours.

I feel your pain lol.

 

[davoid]

Lol, I know what you mean. I'm like people's tech support phone line. I can't count the number of hours I've talked my brother through stuff over the phone. It takes skill to visualize what the other person is seeing, and describe things to look for over the phone. I'm amazed I pulled it off.

I even talked him through upgrading hardware and... flashing his BIOS over the phone!

That was funny. He's learned a lot through hands-on doing it himself with my remote guidance. Once he had flashed his bios he was doing it all the time. I had to tell him to stop! It was like, "I had a bit of a problem this morning so I flashed my BIOS again." He was flashing his bios like nobody's business. The Phantom BIOS Flasher.

 

[9to5cynic]

Poker chip?! That's a new one for me.

 

[SiempreTuna]

You all need to learn the phrase "Sorry! That's hardware*: I'm a software* guy."

* switch as appropriate

"appropriate" including, would they know the difference?

 

[BabyBlues]

I don't give much help with computer stuff but my friends and family come to with their phone problems and send their friends to me too....even for apple products

 

[Liamo_210]

I'm contacted when ever there is a phone computer or any kind of technological problem in the neighborhood. I kinda like being the go to person.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Got home from work yesterday and received a panic call from a close family friend that they had a virus on their computer and could I help. Like many here, I fill the MIS needs of many of my less computer literate friends and family. These friends in particular were there for us when we need help after Hurricane Sandy, so saying no was out of the question. I went in knowing that I would be doing a wipe and fresh install. Whether they ever had a virus I'll never know. What I found was a non booting Dell laptop. Everyone is freaked out because all their construction company quick books files are on there...no backup!!! I popped in my Linux based rescue disk and noticed it made a strange noise. It wouldn't read at all. No problem, I go to my key chain and get the usb key version. I'm able to gain access to the drive and copy off their documents, good to go for the wipe. I had asked if they had win 7 before coming over and had a win7 disk and usb with me and they said yes. Of course, it had a Vista license . Back home to get my old external DVD. After much fumbling, I get the drive to work. In the process I move the the laptop around and hear something moving inside. Open the DVD drawer ad give it a good shake. A poker chip falls out. Now the drive works. Go to install Windows, their Vista disk has a deep gouge in it. Pull out my laptop and proceed to download the files to put together a Vista iso (no pre-made iso available like for xp and 7!!!). Finally get the job done, re install some of their apps along with AV and a backup solution (both cloud and one of my old usb keys). Look up at the clock and it's 12:25...I started at 6:00!

Sounds like way too much fun for one person. :laugh:

And now I probably have brain tumors, at least it feels that way.

Having survived a brain tumor and its removal, I can assure you that end-user stupidity, even of the magnitude described above, will NOT give you a brain tumor.

Why, why do I have to be the neighborhood geek?

Some of us are just born that way. I proudly display my status as a geek with one of my favorite t-shirts, Geek by birth. Linux user by choice.

 

[palmtree5]

I know how this feels as I'm usually called upon to help with something.

 

[pbf98]

I know where you're coming from! haha I am a .net developer which means I basically do work with websites and do their coding... but to my family and friends, it means that I know everything there is to know about computers. Sure I know more than the average user when it comes to a computer, but its non stop for me, I am constantly volunteered to do work for my parents' friends, or my church.. I am basically the IT guy for the church since I know everything

But I try to look to the positive, I get to put some of the things down as experience on my resume

 

[Davdi]

I've got a laptop awaiting a new screen and HDD (Daughter 's - it fell off the passenger seat of her car onto concrete. Still boots OK with a live Linux disc and a monitor plugged in to the VGA). And a desktop coming for a good kicking and a fresh Win7 install (It has a license key apparently, but no disc.)

 

[SamuraiBigEd]

I have taken to giving people a blank stare for about 10 seconds and changing the subject right after.

It can't cause tumors but physical trauma is a distinct possibility either from beating your head against the wall or theirs!

 

[pastafarian]

Having survived a brain tumor and its removal, I can assure you that end-user stupidity, even of the magnitude described above, will NOT give you a brain tumor.

WOW! :dong: Congratulations!

Did you really think I was serious about the brain tumor thing?

 

[MoodyBlues]

WOW! :dong: Congratulations!

Thanks.

Did you really think I was serious about the brain tumor thing?

No!

 

[MoodyBlues]

I have taken to giving people a blank stare for about 10 seconds and changing the subject right after.

Love it!

It can't cause tumors but physical trauma is a distinct possibility either from beating your head against the wall or theirs!

Yes, indeed...

 

[argedion]

I just love it when I'm called to save a failing hard drive's contents because they have such a wonderful backup plan. If able to save it your a hero and if not then they have that look like well what do I do now? You have to smile and say well a good backup plan can solve this problem from happening in the future but for now all your data is toast. I'm generally pretty successful for getting their data back but on occasion the drive was just toast and not much could be done from this end. I always recommend an external device for backups.

 

[NightAngel79]

Been there! Personally would have just pulled the HDD and hooked it up to my SATA/IDE USB adapter, then installed my enterprise version of 7

 

[Mehta23]

Wow. You guys have it bad. For me, I just get given the simple things, and also questions which are so badly worded that I have to reword them first, and then answer them