How do you deal with family members tech problems

[Nathan]

Just curious if anyone has some insteresting stories about family members or friends that make you cringe when they call you up to "fix their computer". Whats the worst thing you've had to deal with? what caused your biggest face palm? 

 

Last time i was at my grandparents house, my grandfather asked me to install this software he had purchased. Easy enough, went through his email to get the DL link, and the software key. It was a registry checker, and driver checker of all things (he uses a HP notebook with some AMD APU). After installing it, he asked me what the software did, and if it would make his computer faster. he had paid 8$ for this.

And of course im leaving out all of the lovely tool bars i had to get rid of

 

[helping]

I usually play dumb

 

It's the best policy, actually. It holds true in almost everything. 

 

I know when stuff used to break in a few of my classes I'd usually be there like everyone else 'hurrdurr idk' and let the one peasant who might know what he's doing struggle to fix things while I sit comfortably in my chair. 

 

In one of my classes there was actually a kid who knew his shit though, and that was kind of nice. 

 

 

Worst thing I've had to do was instruct a 65 year old how to set up wireless networking on a combo router and connect his SAMSUNG smart TV to it. 

 

you never know if he set it up wrong or if the TV was bugged to hell and didn't work half the times. 

[Suika]

It's the best policy, actually. It holds true in almost everything. 

Because if it breaks again, it's your problem again...

 

I only help people I feel bad for or to benefit myself depending on the given situation. I really don't like dealing with people's stuff when I have too much of my own to do.

[Sernyhough]

I suggest a whole new machine, every time. 

[EthanMcL]

Because if it breaks again, it's your problem again...

So true.

[Kiwiandapple]

im pretty careful with it for the above statement. Luckly my brother worked in a PC shop so most stuff goes his way. 

 

I do help my parents and sister when I can tho.

But aside from that, I play the "Way to complicated for me / I don't know, try google! / Did you turn it off and on again?" game pretty often. 

[mc141]

I hand the os dvd to my wife and tell her to fix her own sht or stop removing my security apps and stop using crapsplorer

[JustTooDank]

My parents don't have computers thankfully (they are hooked on iPads), but my dad loves to tell all his friends I'm good with computers. They usually give me $20-40 for my time, and all I do is run a virus scan, ccleaner, and disk defrag. It's awkward though when you can see they downloaded a ton of porn and that's where the issues come from. On one hand, I wanna help them out and tell them a few safe sites to stream, and on the other, I don't want to seem like a "porn expert". 

[EpicGeekonFire]

Depends if I feel like it or not. I usually try to feel accomplished and educated in life so I help them. 

[Phart]

I help them because I would rather fix the problem and be done with it rather than having them make the problem worse.

[Darren]

I made it so they don't happen before I left home. And when they do, it's remote fixes. They need software? I'll install it for them remotely. Keeps them from bugging me when I get there. They want new hardware? I'll get it for them (not pay for, ofc).

[EclipseSkye]

Usually I just say I will help them Google the problem and see if there's a solution.

Sooner or later (the younger ones) would figure out Google has the answers. Problem is sometimes they don't know the symptoms to Google.

[matt12046]

By turning off my phone and drawing the shades.

[IdeaStormer]

I just pick up the tech and fix it, update it, before any questions are asked, they know, they understand, they buy lunch, dinner, or breakfast. End of story, no need to dwell on the obvious.

[mgsstar]

I would just fix it, give it back to them and explain the problem if they wanted to know.

[aidenrelkoff]

My grandma just got a ipad, and she could not get back to the home screen so on the phone for 15 mins i was saying just press the button on the bottom... turns out she was holding it sideways..... *face-palm* 80% of my family are stuck in XP cause thats all they know

[acidydragon]

I generally fix tech if I can.

I even go out of my way most of the time...

 

I've gotten a 780 because I'm willing to help,

I've also been paid...

 

I'd rather help, and normally get nothing,

Than never help, and always get nothing.

 

(Also, I like tinkering, and troubleshooting.)

[terrytek]

I just flip my parents off.

[Almercenary]

I just say I don't know anything about software, I mostly stuff around with hardware.  Even though most the jobs are stupid easy

[Dudenstein]

I just fix it for them. If I have the ability to deal with it why should I avoid helping the family?

[xjohnny3589]

[beebskadoo]

I just stopped answering the phone

[IdeaStormer]

.. snip ...

 

Damn that's dead on :lol:

[IdeaStormer]

I just stopped answering the phone

 

Don't worry everyone knows that I do that as well, funny when a new person calls N-thousand times thinking that's going to get me moving faster, nope, the one call with message gets attention first.

[XTankSlayerX]

"Works for me"

 

 

 

 

Yup.