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Random Nonsense / Geek Stuff All those random tech ramblings you can't fit anywhere else! |
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#1 |
Been /.'d... have you?
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Moscow, ID
Posts: 1,986
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These types of topics are always fun, and I'd like to start it with an experience from the weekend.
A neighbor comes up to me as I'm coming home from the laundromat with a bag from a local PC parts store. I inwardly groaned, and spent the next five minutes listening to his sob story about his computer not wanting to turn on anymore, and how he thinks it's because his PSU fan went out (by this time I discerned that the bag contained only a replacement fan). He asked if it was possible to replace his PSU fan, and I told him it was possible, but he might not like the results. By this time his face had assumed the "I know better than you" look, so I hastily told him that since his PSU fan was the only exhaust fan in the rig, he might have permanently damaged the PSU, and possibly the CPU and motherboard as well, and that is assuming that a power surge from the PSU didn't blow out other components as well. He thought about it for a second and told me that he was sure that it was just the fan causing his problem and that the computer was only on for a couple of minutes before the fan went out, so he should be okay. He insisted that he was going to replace the fan, and that would take care of the problem. I told him to be careful inside of the PSU, constantly injecting the phrase "IT WILL KILL YOU IF YOU TOUCH THE WRONG THING" for good measure (the guy is NOT a rocket scientist and has never worked on electronics in his life ... I don't know what possessed him to do this), and to let me know how it turns out ... but not before telling him once again that a burnt fan would NOT cause his computer to not power on. Two hours later he came to my door with his computer so he could prove the computer guru wrong. Not wanting to risk blowing my circuit breakers, I had him plug it into an outside plug, and with a smug look on his face he flipped the switch on the back. No sparks flew, so he pushed the front power button and all hell broke loose. The computer hadn't even posted before flames started shooting out of the back of the PSU. He screamed "HOLY SHIT WHAT DO I DO?!?!?!?" and watched helplessly for about ten seconds as I ran to the plug and pulled the cord (I wasn't getting my hands near that fireball). Since he hadn't bolted the side on his case, I quickly opened it, and upended the case. The fire was out about ten seconds later. After staring at his machine for what seemed like ten minutes, he turns to me and asks if I can fix it. I choked back laughter and told him that if his system wasn't screwed before, it most certainly was now, and that at the very least he needed a new power supply. Odds were, though, that he was going to be spending over $400 in short order if he wanted his machine to work again. I also found out at this point that he left his computer on and was gone for TWO DAYS before he came back and noticed the fan wasn't working. God knows WHAT happened or WHAT fried during that time. He thought it over for a second, still shocked from the fire, and then tells me that I should pay for it because I gave him bad advice (I'm thinking: "WHAT THE FSCK?"). I replied with: "Didn't I tell you that a fan wasn't your problem?" I pointed at the now charbroiled fan and continued: "Did you even know what the heck you were doing in there?" Of course he replied in the negative, so I told him that since I told him earlier that a fan wouldn't fix it and he jury rigged a fan into his power supply that I wasn't responsible for his stupid decisions. Again, he paused and thought about it, all the while staring at his new barbeque kit, and then asked if I could put a new computer together for him if he ordered the parts. I told him that I'd think about it, but that I probably would be busy for a while ... a LONG while, so maybe you should have the folks that sold you a goddam FAN when you told them your system wouldn't TURN ON put it together for you. He was not thrilled with that, and after getting yelled at for a couple of minutes I told him to fsck off, and that he should have listened to me in the first place rather than bringing a firebomb over to my house in order to prove me wrong ... then I went inside and laughed my ass off. Later that day while I was in the neighborhood I stopped by the computer store that sold him the fan and explained to them that they should expect a very angry person to stop by. I told them what happened and they thought it was hilarious, not realizing it was their ignorance that caused the situation in the first place. I hope he gives them the same crap he tried to give me ... they are the ones that deserve it for dispensing bad advice .... It amazes me that people will trust their local computer store over people that they know to be competent. Sometimes I hate being the neighborhood tech support guy ... especially when I deal with bungholes like that.
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#!/bin/sh {who;} {last;} {pause;} {grep;} {touch;} {unzip;} mount /dev/girl -t {wet;} {fsck;} {fsck;} {fsck;} {fsck;} echo yes yes yes {yes;} umount {/dev/girl;zip;} rm -rf {wet.spot;} {sleep;} finger: permission denied |
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#2 |
Responsible for 2%
of all the posts here. Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas, U.S.A.
Posts: 8,302
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Uhhh, that reminds me, I've got a fan to replace
![]() The one on my PSU, which I just changed ![]() Thanks for the reminder ![]() |
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#3 |
Cooling Neophyte
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 22
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Heh my nightmare is trying to get tech support on my laptop, check this out.
In late March of 2002 I bought a Compaq Armada M700 with a P-III 700 CPU, The company I bought it from said It had Compaq Warrenty untill Late 2004. I verified this Warrenty on Compaq's website prior to this purchase. Long story short even freshly refurbished The unit came damaged, I had to send it in 2 times to get it "fixed" one of those times was through CompUSA who kept records that show "verified warranty though Compaq. Warrenty good till 2004" Anyways they replaced the LCD during these repairs even though it was not damaged, the new Refurb LCD came with poor quality back lighting "splotchy" and I actualy called to complain, but ended up keeping the unit as is, because I didnt want anymore down time on my system. Fast forward to over a month ago, The LCD screen Fails, (flickers or dosnt work at all, possibly a connection problem) So I call Compaq to get it sent back for Warrenty repair, Were sorry your Warrenty expired 2 weeks before you bought the unit, Now they have changed the warrenty info to show an end date of June 27th 2002 for my warrenty. I have fought with them a lot and now basicly their hard line "from corperate HQ" is that since I bought the Laptop from DMT computers, and not them my Warrenty was NEVER vaild anyways. If anyone has any advice for me on this one I would love to hear it! |
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#4 |
Been /.'d... have you?
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Moscow, ID
Posts: 1,986
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Most warranties are non-transferrable. Even if it was, though, you'd need a printout from THEIR site in order to have a leg to stand on. What you SHOULD do, however, is contact the retailer and demand compensation from them for a fraudulent claim during the time of sale. Your attorney general can give you help in this. Lying about warranties is a big no-no.
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#!/bin/sh {who;} {last;} {pause;} {grep;} {touch;} {unzip;} mount /dev/girl -t {wet;} {fsck;} {fsck;} {fsck;} {fsck;} echo yes yes yes {yes;} umount {/dev/girl;zip;} rm -rf {wet.spot;} {sleep;} finger: permission denied |
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#5 |
Cooling Savant
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SLO, CA
Posts: 837
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airspirt: Why didnt you break out the marshmellows when the machine went up in flames?? I mean.......you must have know that something like that would have happened and have come prepared
![]() BTW I LOVE the part where the guy tries to blame you for blowing up his machine! Isn't this a wonderful world? Customer burns his equipment to the ground and it is your fault for telling (correction: hinting) to him not to do it..............
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Athlon64 X2 4200+ @ 2.5Ghz (250FSB x 10) OCZ VX 1GB 4000 @ 250FSB (6-2-2-2 timmings) DFI LANParty nForce4 Ultra-D SCSI Raid 5 x (3) Cheetah 15K HDDs LSI Express 500 (128MB cache) OCZ PowerStream 520W PSU ATI X850XT PE (Stock) DTEK WhiteWater + DTEK Custom Radiator Eheim 1250 |
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#6 |
Cooling Neophyte
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 22
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Airspirt, I bought the Laptop basicly freshly refurbished, I bought it from a reseller that was doing business on Ebay (compaq it's self dose business on Ebay now with it's refurbished products)Compaq's webpage showed the Warrenty going to 2004, Compaq has honored that Warrenty for me in the past, Now they say it never exisited at all, they have basicly altered the warrenty information, I dont see how that could be legal, If they had NEVER honored the Warrenty when it came into my hands that would be a different matter. Also the transfer is limited Liability and the laws concerning it vary from state to state, Im pretty sure they are VERY strong in Michigan where I live.
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#7 |
Been /.'d... have you?
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Moscow, ID
Posts: 1,986
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As I said, contact the Attorney General to get information on how to proceed. They deal with these issues all the time.
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#!/bin/sh {who;} {last;} {pause;} {grep;} {touch;} {unzip;} mount /dev/girl -t {wet;} {fsck;} {fsck;} {fsck;} {fsck;} echo yes yes yes {yes;} umount {/dev/girl;zip;} rm -rf {wet.spot;} {sleep;} finger: permission denied |
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#8 |
Cooling Neophyte
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 22
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Thank you for the Advice, I will contact the A.G. soon enough im sure, I just filed a complaint with the BBB, Im intending to take this the whole 9 yards.
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#9 |
Cooling Savant
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Rathdrum, ID
Posts: 380
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This is exactly why my computer mantra is: "If your not willing to research a solution to your own problem first, then it's not worth my time to explain it to you". I got to say airspirit at least you gave him fair warning to the possible dangers of messing with a PSU before he went poking around in it.
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#10 |
Cooling Savant
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Sweden
Posts: 336
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Brrr...
I´m going over to a "friend" this evening to help her with her computer. She has her computer connected to the schools network, maily to access internet, chat, download from peer-to-peer networks etc. I´ve asked her to check if her computer is behind the schools firewall, but she hasn´t found out. Now there is an unspecified problem with the machine. Shouldn´t have chosen this proffession. regards Mikael S. |
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