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Thread: Tales from Techsupport

  1. #701
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Quote Originally Posted by Branaman Starbinder View Post
    It is in the procedure. Speed to be set at 10 Mbs for all network connections, and we have been using this same manual for 20 years now, so no reason to change our procedures because they always worked.
    That's taking the old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" way too far

  2. #702
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Terry Pratchett: A European says: I can't understand this, what's wrong with me? An American says: I can't understand this, what's wrong with him?
    Torcer Arcana: There are times I really love the Dutch.
    Zedd: Bran, I think you exhibit moonbat qualities at times
    ?????????: Never argue with a stupid man, because he will drag you down to his level and beat you because of his experience.

  3. #703
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Quote Originally Posted by Branaman Starbinder View Post
    I have come across that, People younger than me who have no clue at all about computers.

    As for lawmaking I think to write technology related laws one should be required by law to understand the technology. And of course company policy about technology should be set by people who understand it too and not say HR or the executive board.
    Today we sail
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  4. #704
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Quote Originally Posted by Branaman Starbinder View Post
    It really is interesting. Also explains why I'm still fixing computers for friends with college-age kids living at home.

  5. #705
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    I suppose if you haven't been diddling computers for at least long enough to know what g=c800:5 means, you probably can't diddle computers now.

  6. #706
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Quote Originally Posted by Branaman Starbinder View Post
    Awesome blog. Very entertaining, and slightly frightening!
    Nerkahia
    Retired 85 Wizard of Ascentia, The Nameless

  7. #707
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Quote Originally Posted by Alikat Astrae View Post
    g=c800:5
    Wow.

    That really takes me back.

    Some days I forget how far we've really come in personal computing, from the days of manually assigning IRQ's, then I get a phone call from one of our field techs who is p2v'ing a client network and they need to figure out what to do about the 16 bit app that uses a serial connection to a proprietary ISA slot card because they can't get it to run on a virtualized 2008 R2 box. >.<
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  8. #708
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Quote Originally Posted by Merrick ap'Milandra View Post
    Wow.

    That really takes me back.

    Some days I forget how far we've really come in personal computing, from the days of manually assigning IRQ's, then I get a phone call from one of our field techs who is p2v'ing a client network and they need to figure out what to do about the 16 bit app that uses a serial connection to a proprietary ISA slot card because they can't get it to run on a virtualized 2008 R2 box. >.<
    Tell them its time to replace the app.... we are at what? 64bits standard and ISA is long long gone as an expansion slot. I mean hell I see motherboards today without normal PCI slots and all PCI-E.
    Today we sail
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    For there's much we just don't know
    So farewell with a kiss
    Then it's fast for the mist
    Till we're sleeping in the cold below

  9. #709
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Caller: I need to talk to an IT manager
    Me: Which product is this about, sir? There are different managers for different groups
    Caller: IBM Flash Storage
    Me: Sir, I support Tax software, you have the wrong number
    Caller: NO! I was given this number for my Flash Storage, you need to help me!
    Me: Sir, are you using Tax software?
    Caller: No, I just need an IT manager
    Me: Well sir, I support installation of a specific suite of Tax software. Since your question is about hardware that I do not support, then sir, I cannot help you. Would you like me to look up IBM's Flash Storage group for you?
    Caller: No, I was given three different numbers, I really need an IT manager, I guess you cannot help me.
    Me: Unfortunately no sir, but I hope you do have a good holiday weekend!

  10. #710
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Me: My Windows XP laptop won't connect to the internet, but it worked just fine yesterday.
    Me-Tech: Reboot.
    Me: Did that.
    Me-Tech: Ipconfig /release /flushdns /renew
    Me: Did that
    Me-Tech: What's your DNS?
    Me: Google
    Me-Tech: Change it to DHCP (which pulls Comcast's, which suck)
    Me: Done, same thing. Even re-did ipconfig 1,2,3 and same issue. Rebooted after that too. Same thing.
    Me-Tech: Wow, you sound like you've done this before.
    Me: A time or two.
    Me-Tech: What about proxy?
    Me: What about them?
    Me-Tech: Turn yours off.
    Me: Ain't got one.
    Me-Tech: What AV you using?
    Me: AVG 9 Free
    Me-Tech: Bet it gives you all sorts of trouble
    Me: Yes
    Me-Tech: Remove it, put on MSE, run a scan, call me in the morning.
    Me: Won't scan, because if MSE can't do its post-install update, it doesn't activate.
    Me-Tech: Huh. What about other free AV?
    Me: That I can't get access to without downloading?
    Me-Tech: Uh...
    Me: I do have Clamwin on a USB drive. Let's try that.
    Me-Tech: YEAH! Good thinking.
    Me: Nada.
    Me-Tech: Well damn...
    Me: I just rebooted
    Me-Tech: Okay
    Me: And re-did ipconfig 1,2,3
    Me-Tech: Okay
    Me: And it works now

    *beats head on desk* Sometimes, I hate Windows.

  11. #711
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Someone just called 911 again from inside my office.

    Naturally, the admin assistant brings the cop to ME saying "Oh yeah Mileron can tell you who did it."

    This is the 11th? time in not-even-yet-3-months.

    No one listened to me when I said "using outside line number 9 is a BAD IDEA"

    Let alone "having 4-digit extensions that have 91xx or 911x is a BAD IDEA"

    When they start charging us for police visits, I'll do my best to NOT say "Told you so, could have saved you $x"

  12. #712
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Quote Originally Posted by Mileron View Post
    When they start charging us for police visits, I'll do my best to NOT say "Told you so, could have saved you $x"
    Screw that, you damn sure should say I TOLD YOU SO, DUMBASSES!
    'This world may be another planet's hell.'{Aldous Huxley}
    'After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.'{Aldous Huxley}

  13. #713
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    One of my coworkers is a real technophobe, to the point where he doesn't have a cell phone, has no cable TV, no internet at home. He drives a late 90s Mustang and refuses to drive it faster than 35 (I weep for that car). He's a real "get off my lawn" old fart.

    This is half of a conversation I just overheard.

    Tp: So I need you to send me your dataset.
    Tp: No, you can send it by email.
    Tp: Well, you're in California, and you said it's a big file, right?
    Tp: Well given that information I might not get it til tomorrow.
    Tp: After all, it has to travel across the whole country, and it's 2800 miles from us to you...
    Tp: No, no, I know that email is faster than the Pony Express, but only just!


    It was a 3MB zip file..

  14. #714

    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Quote Originally Posted by Mileron View Post
    One of my coworkers is a real technophobe, to the point where he doesn't have a cell phone, has no cable TV, no internet at home. He drives a late 90s Mustang and refuses to drive it faster than 35 (I weep for that car). He's a real "get off my lawn" old fart.

    This is half of a conversation I just overheard.

    Tp: So I need you to send me your dataset.
    Tp: No, you can send it by email.
    Tp: Well, you're in California, and you said it's a big file, right?
    Tp: Well given that information I might not get it til tomorrow.
    Tp: After all, it has to travel across the whole country, and it's 2800 miles from us to you...
    Tp: No, no, I know that email is faster than the Pony Express, but only just!


    It was a 3MB zip file..
    Step in. Be the supervisor. Make the position of big penis. get paid more.

  15. #715
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Quote Originally Posted by Tinthalas Tigris View Post
    Step in. Be the supervisor. Make the position of big penis. get paid more.
    1-3 are done regularly. 4 won't happen.

    Last month, he was bitching at a customer about how he "hates that tech support is never available", that it takes "hours for us to give a callback", that he "shouldn't need to play receptionist for tech" and "I'm so glad I'm retiring in four months".
    1 guy was on lunch
    1 lady was in the bathroom (not that it matters, she was briefly away from her desk)
    3 remaining guys were on calls (including me)

    After my call, I went to TP's desk and read him the riot act and told him how unprofessional it was that he say those things to the customer. Who cares if someone's on lunch or in the bathroom? Just say "they're not available, I'll have someone give you a call back."

    He starts practically yelling, "I'm getting too old for this shit, I don't have to deal with this shit, I'm retiring in four months" and I said to him, "If you still sit in that seat from 9a to 6p daily, you're going to have to deal with this shit, same as I do."

    Then he starts going on about how he "has been doing this for fifteen years" blah blah... So what, I tell him, so have I, I've dealt with tech people who are on the ball, and I've dealt with computer morons who can't tell if the mouse is rightside up, and every level in between. Whether you're fixing a computer, installing programs, or teaching a CPA that it's not a good idea to write off an asset without justification, we all have to deal with these sorts of calls.

    He's a lot more mellow now.

  16. #716
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    User says "Can't send email".


    Login to users account, send email to 3 different addresses, receive all 3 emails...
    Report back to user - No fault detected...

    User then reports "I mean click 'to' button and no addresses show..."

    Ok, so you've called your phone company and said "my phone doesn't work, when what you fucking meant was I don't have a fucking phone book". Thanks for wasting my time ass-muncher.
    I've got beer to drink and You guys are wasting my time.

  17. #717
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Quote Originally Posted by Melcar View Post
    User says "Can't send email".


    Login to users account, send email to 3 different addresses, receive all 3 emails...
    Report back to user - No fault detected...

    User then reports "I mean click 'to' button and no addresses show..."

    Ok, so you've called your phone company and said "my phone doesn't work, when what you fucking meant was I don't have a fucking phone book". Thanks for wasting my time ass-muncher.
    Why do I also get an image of this person calling GE because they cannot make dinner on the stove... They forgot to go grocery shopping....
    Today we sail
    On the Solar Rail
    For there's much we just don't know
    So farewell with a kiss
    Then it's fast for the mist
    Till we're sleeping in the cold below

  18. #718

    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Quote Originally Posted by FilanFyretracker View Post
    Why do I also get an image of this person calling GE because they cannot make dinner on the stove... They forgot to go grocery shopping....
    Oh jesus. .... Oh jesus.... incoming youtube vid. (just gotta get the kids quiet... or maybe if they talk it'll be even better).

  19. #719
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Well one of our users has apparently decided to burn the building down.

    In spite of our organization's prohibition on personal space heaters several people run them anyways. Today one person managed to melt the insulation on their laptop's power cord... To bad they didn't succeed. That might have finally put a stop to the practice.
    I've got beer to drink and You guys are wasting my time.

  20. #720
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    Re: Tales from Techsupport

    Quote Originally Posted by Melcar View Post
    Well one of our users has apparently decided to burn the building down.

    In spite of our organization's prohibition on personal space heaters several people run them anyways. Today one person managed to melt the insulation on their laptop's power cord... To bad they didn't succeed. That might have finally put a stop to the practice.
    Yeah, we have about 10 of those things around the office, and they let them stay because for whatever reason they just can't get the HVAC system zones correct, which makes certain parts of the building arctic zones and others Hell zones. We try to make sure people at least turn them AWAY from their computers, but I still find them directly facing a computer. A few years ago we had an intern with one and it completely warped the front cover on an older Dell Optiplex PC, we were not happy.
    'This world may be another planet's hell.'{Aldous Huxley}
    'After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.'{Aldous Huxley}

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