I had a really fun call at work the other day, and I thought I would share it with you all. The customer was this cute blond freshman living in Marycrest, and the problem was that her computer would not start. On Tuesday evening, I arrived to take a look.
I started up the computer, and it froze at the Windows 2000 splash screen. No big deal, I just restarted it to make sure that the behavior was consistent. It wouldn't start again, but this time it hung at the black text screen before that, with the progress bar. Curious, I thought. Perhaps a hard drive problem.
I popped in my floppy (wow, that came out sounding all wrong) with my hard drive diagnostic tools on it and started the computer ... it hung at the BIOS splash screen! (for the uninitiated, that is just about the first screen you see when you turn the computer on). Wow, I thought, that's f'ed up.
I pondered for a moment, and then kicked the computer. The girl's reaction was kind of funny - "did you just kick my computer?" I informed her that, down in the walk-in center, if we can't tell right away what the problem is, the best idea is to kick the thing. Sometimes you figure out some meaningful information, and it always makes you feel better.
Anyway, when I kicked this particular machine, a large cloud of dust poofed out the front of it, and voila! it booted from my disk! I scanned the hard drive and of course found no errors. Then I shut it down and carried it out into the hall for the real dirty work. Unfortunately, the can of air I always carry in my pocket was empty (that was sarcasm; I don't carry a can of air in my pocket), so I had to improvise. Borrowing the girl's hair dryer, I removed the covers on the sides and blew that machine clean (hmmm ... that didn't sound too kosher either). I took it back inside and, wonder of wonders! it worked fine.
Meanwhile, in conversation, the girl requested my services for anothe project (he he he ... I'm that good, jk) - writing a paper. Unfortunately, I am illiterate, so I had to decline ... but it gave me the idea of launching a new CFdC service ... paper writing! At $5-$10 a page, you can't go wrong ... and we all have plenty to say about conceptualism, World War II and marketing presentations.
I started up the computer, and it froze at the Windows 2000 splash screen. No big deal, I just restarted it to make sure that the behavior was consistent. It wouldn't start again, but this time it hung at the black text screen before that, with the progress bar. Curious, I thought. Perhaps a hard drive problem.
I popped in my floppy (wow, that came out sounding all wrong) with my hard drive diagnostic tools on it and started the computer ... it hung at the BIOS splash screen! (for the uninitiated, that is just about the first screen you see when you turn the computer on). Wow, I thought, that's f'ed up.
I pondered for a moment, and then kicked the computer. The girl's reaction was kind of funny - "did you just kick my computer?" I informed her that, down in the walk-in center, if we can't tell right away what the problem is, the best idea is to kick the thing. Sometimes you figure out some meaningful information, and it always makes you feel better.
Anyway, when I kicked this particular machine, a large cloud of dust poofed out the front of it, and voila! it booted from my disk! I scanned the hard drive and of course found no errors. Then I shut it down and carried it out into the hall for the real dirty work. Unfortunately, the can of air I always carry in my pocket was empty (that was sarcasm; I don't carry a can of air in my pocket), so I had to improvise. Borrowing the girl's hair dryer, I removed the covers on the sides and blew that machine clean (hmmm ... that didn't sound too kosher either). I took it back inside and, wonder of wonders! it worked fine.
Meanwhile, in conversation, the girl requested my services for anothe project (he he he ... I'm that good, jk) - writing a paper. Unfortunately, I am illiterate, so I had to decline ... but it gave me the idea of launching a new CFdC service ... paper writing! At $5-$10 a page, you can't go wrong ... and we all have plenty to say about conceptualism, World War II and marketing presentations.
