Custard15
From DotelTech
- Client: Audio Doofus
- Problem: Logic failure
- My Job: Computer Repair
Day starts our with an angry phone call. Always a good sign. I receive this call from a customer complaining that we sold him a sound card that killed his computer. Now I highly doubt this, and tell the customer to bring his computer in, and I will take a look at it.
Customer arrives in a surly mood, He "gently" places the computer on my bench and I open it up. Immediately I smell the very familiar odor of a popped/fried IC. Sharp odor, with metallic twinge to it, and a hint of carbon burning. I ask the customer to explain what happened. Very quickly into his explanation we see the magic transformation from customer to custard.
The customer first explains to me, that the "stupid sound card" caused him to loose a movie he was downloading. He further explains that he was downloading a movie and didn't want to stop the download. He then explains that he opened the computer up, and installed the sound card while his movie was downloading. Upon sliding the card into the slot the computer turned off. This is not surprising, modern power supplies are designed to shutdown in the event of a short, thus trying to save the hardware. The now custard pulls the card out, boots back into windows and resumes his precious download.
Once the custard has determined the download is safe, he attempts for the second time to insert the new sound card into the computer. The same thing happens. Machine powers down, and he removes card, restarts download and tries a THIRD time. On the third attempt at installing card with computer running, the computer powers down.....again. The difference? This time I never powered back up.
I explain this to the customer, since he damaged the main board, he admitted he installed it with the power on, he did not read the directions we were not responsible for the damage. I did offer to test the sound card and hardware, surprisingly the sound card still ran just fine. I found the only damaged part was his main board. I quoted him about $200 for repair. About ~$125 for the main board and about $75 for labor. He did not wish to pay labor because "He knew how to build computers and would do it himself", so custard leaves with his computer and a new main board.
Next day the customer comes in again, because we sold him a "defective" main board. I open the case and find that the custard, couldn't get the boards holes and case to lineup. So instead of remounting the main board headers, he replaced the standard screws with drywall screws, Screwing the main board directly into the case. This not only damaged the case, but cracked the main board. NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I Once again quote the custard about $200 for a new main board and labor. The Custard once again opts only for the main board and he will install it himself.
I dunno what happened to the third main board, but the custard never returned.