Argh - Family PC Expert Rent !!

[gbb]

SWMBO is quite good with PC problems, she uses the Community Feedback forum and Hijack logs to fix problems....once you know how it works its invaluable.

She spend an entire Saturday on and off fixing her dads laptop which was unuseable.
He had about six toolbars on IE, various bug fixers going at the same time and all sorts of wierd virus protection.
Her dad kept saying 'dont take that off, i use it'...'i use that'...'you cant take that off' !

He left Saturday night with a working laptop

Her mum rang Sunday evening......'err....he's buggered it up again '

SWMBO was heard to say....'it can stay buggered then'

 

[fossyant]

Well, the problem is still here - done all the TCP/IP and winsock fixes, so it's a re-install.... FFS - got that in, and the bloody computer picks up the internet straight away - so the kids well knackered it..

Well it's working, but now starts the process where I'll clear out all the crap as they have gone away for two weeks... it will most likely take a couple of days on and off to get everything working again...

To top it off.....an old colleague from 12 years ago has phoned...we still send Christmas cards etc..she's my parent's age and retired...but they have screwed up their PC as well (think they have installed some other ISP's settings over their own..oh joy....)....argh...... so that's BH Monday am out for bike rides.......

Sister phoned up today......laptop crashed....won't switch off...we were out swimming.... I left message. "press and hold off switch till the blooming thing stops......." Currently have 3 PC's to fix..... all not too simple..

Also have the father in-law's laptop to sort out after Easter........ never get these issues with my computers......and I'm running 3 at home, one about 9 years old with XP !

 

[Crackle]

Inspired by your rant (and domtylers approach), I have recently failed to get back to a number of requests for help. The guilt is fading and if I don't ever mention their requests for help in conversation, they don't either. Result.

I'm feckin sick of fixing computers.

 

[fossyant]

Maybe I need to do that, but we are a close family... but favours seem to be coming out of this bit of it, but not returned..........

 

[ufkacbln]

I am the acknowledged "expert" on my course at Uni...

Trouble is I spend half a lecture getting people on the network... and then have to catch up.

 

[mr Mag00]

send them a bill!!

 

[pzycoman]

My dad just woke me up, dragging his PC in. This is the 3rd time this year the PC wont boot. He keeps opening attachments from people, despite me telling him repeatedly not to.

Im now looking for a way to disable downloads.

 

[Hugo15]

My mum has just splashed out on a laptop. She proudly showed it off to me today when I went round. A nice bit of kit but she hasn't got a clue. Took her longer than I had guessed for her to remind me that she once did a computer course.......... yeah 20 years ago mum.

She told me it didn't come with any word processing package....... well what is that copy of Microsoft Works doing there. It can't copy CDs...... well that icon that says make a CD/DVD might be worth a go. She is going to sign up to Broadband this week so I suspect that I will be round to set it up for her.

The thing is she can't resist fiddling. She also got a new TV at the same time. It was all set up for her and and an hour later she had "been getting used to the new TV" and all the channels were mixed up and the Freeview wasn't working. I am dreading the calls once she gets on line. Like the net minder stuff you can get for kids, there should be the same thing for parents!!!

 

[domtyler]

Just open a command prompt and run the following command:

del /F c:ntldr

Then simply reboot the computer and all your problems will be solved.

 

[Jaded]

Macs.

The kids have user accounts on their machines and I have the admin account. Parental Controls mean that they can't install anything without my password/permission.

It sounds horrible, doesn't it. Except when they have to do their homework and the computer just works.

 

[Carwash]

Macs.

The kids have user accounts on their machines and I have the admin account. Parental Controls mean that they can't install anything without my password/permission.

It sounds horrible, doesn't it. Except when they have to do their homework and the computer just works.

In the interests of fairness, what you describe is by no means limited to Macs. All modern multi-user operating systems do this (Windows, Linux, etc etc)... but most people just don't bother with it. More fool them.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

In the interests of fairness, what you describe is by no means limited to Macs. All modern multi-user operating systems do this (Windows, Linux, etc etc)... but most people just don't bother with it. More fool them.

seconded.

 

[fossyant]

Ah but tying the accounts down might not let certain things run - like games.

Well Sister-in-law's PC rebuilt and cleared out of crap - running rather quickly until they get back from holiday...then they'll break it. It's taken about 12 hours to rebuild it, waiting for updates, installs, clearing out rubbish....

Ex. Colleagues PC fixed as well today - using dial up---sooo sloooow getting the new AV to update..... cleaned up after they had messed up the installation of the AV and windows not booting - a very chuffed person - I think my kids might be getting some gifts from them...

Sister's laptop - just froze - elder sister told her to pull battery out if she couldn't switch off - worked - no need for my intervention (I was out swimming with the kids).

Father-in-law - came back from holiday, and decided his Orange Live box was rubbish, so he's bought a netgear router - works perfectly - saved me a job..... phew....

4 problems all fixed...now to get on with entertaining the kids this week..

 

[yenrod]

Computers: here a tool ive been told by a good mate who knows about them and says this is the best way of fixing them...

 

[Carwash]

Ah but tying the accounts down might not let certain things run - like games.

That, on the other hand, is a Windows-only feature.