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'Could you take a look at my PC? It's running slow..'
- Thread starter mxgt
- Start date
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SteveWinwood
Member
i just tell my folks to download literally nothing
it usually works out
it usually works out
John Kowalski
Banned
#babybackground
Aquamarine
Member
Pretty much.
I just tell the completely oblivious ones to not download anything that I don't approve of....on the basis that every program is a virus.
Once you tell them "That program that's supposed to fix viruses...is actually a virus," they usually wise up.
FelixOrion
Poet Centuriate
you're telling me all those ads and tv spots are lying to me?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
BlackGoku03
Member
System Admin here. I get that question all the time. I charge for it too.
And yes, I'm tired of seeing that shit.
Also, OP, I wouldn't bother fixing it. They need to upgrade to Windows 7.
And yes, I'm tired of seeing that shit.
Also, OP, I wouldn't bother fixing it. They need to upgrade to Windows 7.
CarpeDeezNutz
Member
John Cheese over at cracked wrote a good article about this.
The Website is Down webshorts are my only way to laugh at these absurdities.
Haloid1177
Banned
Java is the problem.
Well probably not but that's what the last guy told me whose computer was fucked up.
Well probably not but that's what the last guy told me whose computer was fucked up.
Multiple toolbars
Homepage and default search changed to delta toolbar, searchnu or some other garbage
Millions of extensions causing pop ups
I tell everyone I encounter this with to read every page of an installation extensively and uncheck/check every box accordingly or decline every offer. Or just not to install anything other than commonly used software.
But it doesn't help. For every 2 people I help, 3 more come in with this shit everywhere.
It's like an infestation and it feels like it's getting worse.
every time I told someone what I was taking in college, "hey if I drop my laptop off here can you..."
my favorite was when my sister said she got a call from Microsoft saying her computer was full of viruses, and for 30 bucks they'd fix it for her. She then told me that even though she paid them, she still had malware problems. I didn't even know where to start, other than by laughing really hard.
Also, I have had this conversation roughly seven hundred times:
Me: "Did you install anything recently?"
Relative: "NO I NEVER INSTALL ANYTHING. I HAVE NEVER INSTALLED A SINGLE THING IN MY LIFE. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE THAT ANYONE HAS EVER INSTALLED MALWARE ON MY COMPUTER"
Me: " What about this poker shit that installs tons of spyware shit if you just blindly hit 'next' over and over during installation, which I have warned you about the last 15 times I fixed your computer?"
Relative (who plays online poker every night): "THAT WASN'T ME I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THAT GOT THERE"
my favorite was when my sister said she got a call from Microsoft saying her computer was full of viruses, and for 30 bucks they'd fix it for her. She then told me that even though she paid them, she still had malware problems. I didn't even know where to start, other than by laughing really hard.
Also, I have had this conversation roughly seven hundred times:
Me: "Did you install anything recently?"
Relative: "NO I NEVER INSTALL ANYTHING. I HAVE NEVER INSTALLED A SINGLE THING IN MY LIFE. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE THAT ANYONE HAS EVER INSTALLED MALWARE ON MY COMPUTER"
Me: " What about this poker shit that installs tons of spyware shit if you just blindly hit 'next' over and over during installation, which I have warned you about the last 15 times I fixed your computer?"
Relative (who plays online poker every night): "THAT WASN'T ME I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THAT GOT THERE"
DJ_Lae
Member
There are people at work who do this. I die a little inside every time I walk past their desks - two perfectly good 1080p monitors and they have them running at 1324x768 or something equally painful.
PumpkinSpice
Banned
I just bought my mom an ipad. Easier that way.
There's a difference between clicking the "YES I AGREE TO INSTALL ALL YOUR SHIT" button and troubleshooting a network connection issue, for instance.
Omegasquash
Member
I'm that guy to family, not necessarily friends (they're all pretty savvy).
As time has moved on and I've convinced everyone to do things like not open weird email, look at the sender address, not download anything and apply certain protections to their PC's, requests have slowed down significantly.
At a previous job I was the defacto IT person. "It's running so slow" was a somewhat common thing. It made me want to rip my eyes out every time. Pretty much got someone fired for looking at porn on the job. Didn't feel bad about it either.
As time has moved on and I've convinced everyone to do things like not open weird email, look at the sender address, not download anything and apply certain protections to their PC's, requests have slowed down significantly.
At a previous job I was the defacto IT person. "It's running so slow" was a somewhat common thing. It made me want to rip my eyes out every time. Pretty much got someone fired for looking at porn on the job. Didn't feel bad about it either.
terrisus
Member
You make it sound as if that first group of people isn't responsible for much of the need in the field.
terrisus
Member
A hypothetical for those who work in the field (and thus are getting paid for it, as opposed to people just fixing relatives' computers). Which would you rather have?
A) 4 people come in with computers "running slow" due to things like in the OP, where it's generally simple and easy to fix, where you can set some stuff running and kick back and relax for a bit while they do their thing? And they'll probably be happy just seeing you got that junk off of there.
B) 2 people come in with computers "running slow," which don't have any obvious issues, and so you have to constantly bounce back and forth all day between them, trying different things, seeing what the problems with them are? And they're going to test it when they pick it up to see if they notice a meaningful improvement due to what you did.
I know situation A was much more relaxing for me.
A) 4 people come in with computers "running slow" due to things like in the OP, where it's generally simple and easy to fix, where you can set some stuff running and kick back and relax for a bit while they do their thing? And they'll probably be happy just seeing you got that junk off of there.
B) 2 people come in with computers "running slow," which don't have any obvious issues, and so you have to constantly bounce back and forth all day between them, trying different things, seeing what the problems with them are? And they're going to test it when they pick it up to see if they notice a meaningful improvement due to what you did.
I know situation A was much more relaxing for me.
Allez Phill
Banned
My brother does stupid shit like that. He installs everything that he thinks would be useful. He used my moms computer for a while and loaded it with all sorts of malware and now it's even slower. My mom asked me why my computer is so fast (it really isn't an amazing computer, but it works really well for everyday tasks)and I told her that I just double check what goes into my computer and delete software that I don't use. In addition, I make sure that my computer doesn't have any background applications running constantly. I hate having to explain this shit to people. They need to make computer technology classes mandatory in schools.
Fudgepuppy
Banned
My dad was too cheap to use Netflix, so he went for some streaming-site that forces you to install a certain webplayer. Well, whaddaya know, two weeks later and 3000$ is missing from his account.
I've never said "I told you so" with such a shit-eating smirk.
I've never said "I told you so" with such a shit-eating smirk.
A is more relaxing but I've seen it about 600 times so at this point I'd rather do anything else.
Almost every time.
I often have people try to haggle with me and get a reduced price. It's pretty hilarious. I bet they don't go into a supermarket and try to get money off their groceries so why do they do it with us.
'I could get it done for half that price at x company'
'That's our price, you're free to go elsewhere if they can do it cheaper'
Customer ends up going with us anyway. Your ruse will never work on me, mister.
Cymbal Head
Banned
I have seen things like this before on people's computers I have cleaned up.
Burn it! Send it to hell!
terrisus
Member
I don't know, the fact that it's the same thing I've seen 600 times just makes it easier.
And I'd rather that, then not have anyone coming in/not having many people coming in, and them deciding the position was unnecessary and letting me go.
GifGafIsTheBestGaf
Member
even though im not an IT just the grandson that fixed the router i have this problem with my granddad. im always his go-to guy and it is the same shit over and over. he always click links, install blindly and hit "OK" to everything.
Cosmo Clock 21
Banned
They do. Consider that they'd be even worse off without them.
actually java is the cause a lot of the time. older versions have a bunch of vulnerabilities that malware loves to exploit.
Kccitystar
Member
My life as a tech has changed dramatically since discovering TRON which is a script that bundles a shitload of anti-malware apps and cleanup tools to run automatically
I try as much as I can to minimize downtime for all of my clients, but if shit hits the fan and it takes WAY too long to resolve any issues, fuck that, a reimage is in order
I try as much as I can to minimize downtime for all of my clients, but if shit hits the fan and it takes WAY too long to resolve any issues, fuck that, a reimage is in order
I like these cases actually (as someone who does a lot of help desk support) it's an easy fix and I get to book a lot of time in my timecards for it.
The worst is when people call in with an XP laptop with 1GB of RAM and complain about their PC being slow...I just want to yell "NO SHIT!" through the phone.
The worst is when people call in with an XP laptop with 1GB of RAM and complain about their PC being slow...I just want to yell "NO SHIT!" through the phone.
terrisus
Member
Exactly.
-Plasma Reus-
Service guarantees member status
How can you send hell itself, to hell?!
Princess Viola
Member
Double Hell, duh.
Mister Wilhelm
Member
This is the opening line of the horror movie my life becomes every Christmas.
FelixOrion
Poet Centuriate
"This is not your average, everyday hell. This is...advanced hell."
And just like a horror movie protagonist you return sequel after sequel
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