Custard3
From DotelTech
- Client: Apartment Dweller
- Problem: Windows Locks up
- My Job: Remote/onsite Tech support
Oh Lord, today I got a call, which I HOPED WITH ALL MY HEART was
a radio show prank. My hope was unfortunately crushed. No prank
just one big sloppy bowl of “custard”
Call starts out normal enough, clients workstation keeps locking on boot, over and over and over again. Just your typical windows is hosed, registry is jacked problem.
I start the normal diagnostic and repair procedures. Walk client through
checking system, safe mode, etc. Nothing will fix problem, I come to conclusion, that we will be running the restore CD. Client claims they have nothing on the computer they want or neeed to keep. All they want is to get computer and Internet back as soon as possible. Great, that makes my life easy. Pop in restore CD and blow the offending OS off the hard drive and start new.
Of course you all know this didn’t end that easy, no, why would I write up an EASY repair? Oh lord keep reading,conversation as follows
I have the client place the restore cd in the drive, and close the door. Client does this, briefly explain the process to the client and tell the client to restart computer. Client tells me to hold. I hold
- !Click! Phone goes dead. I figure the client has figured it out and started the restore process. Would have been nice to have a Thank you at least.
- !Phone rings! I answer phone again, it’s the same client, cd-rom did not load and it locked booking into windows again. Again I go over process and have client restart computer.
- !Click! Phone goes dead. I’m thinking to myself now, “Why not stay on the phone, we can do this over the phone if problems pop up”
- !Phone rings! Client again. So this time I assume her computer is not set to boot from bios I explain the process and have client reboot computer again.
- !Click! Phone goes dead. I’m noticing a trend here.
Yup you guessed it "Phone rings" This time I tell the client right off to not hang up. I will walk them through the entire process while it’s booting. The client tell me when the computer is restarted the phone drops dead because it’s cordless. I’m not sure how to take this, So I investigate further. The Client explains to me that CTRL-ALT-DELETE does not work and the power button will not work either. This isn’t too uncommon for a hard locked computer. So now I have to ask the obvious next question, “How are you restarting computer”. The answer left me in shock. Here is flowchart of clients thinking
- Computer won’t turn off
- So unplug it
- Can’t reach plug
- Have spouse flip the power breaker for apartment.
- Can’t reach plug
- So unplug it
Yes the client was actually turning off power to the entire apartment, in order to restart the computer.
Oh course my immediate response is “Don’t Do that”. I explain the proper way to power down a hard locked computer. (Hold down the power button for 10 seconds). Well after fixing this power problem, I did get the computer back running again.
From now on, I’m going to have a big plaque made to place on my fusebox. It will read “reboot”