Idiots!

/rant on


I just spent over 30 minutes on the phone with HP tech support for my laptop. I know what the problem is, I just need warranty repairs to be done.

The inverter is going out, or there is a disconnection. I get, periodically through the day, flashing of the backlight, and sometimes it just turns off. You can still see the screen, if you look hard enough, heh.

So I tell the tech this. I just need warranty work. Its not a software problem.


He proceeds to have me take the battery out for 3-4 minutes. I explain to him, I use multiple batteries. Its not a power problem. Its on AC power right now. I swap batteries all the time. The issue is not related to any internal setting.

But....I humor him. Note I said this periodically happens throughout the day. Then he has me power it up, and reset the BIOS settings.

--good idea. I forgot I turned on that feature called, flicker like a bastard and shut off while trying to get work done. rolleyes

But...I humor him. I boot back into Windows.

"So what is happening now?"

Me: "its sitting at the desktop. I told you this is periodic, but it is keeping me from getting my crap done. I also told you that it happens at the BIOS screen too."

Tech: "Does it happen when opening a certain program?"

Me: "NO. It happens everywhere! Can you not just allow me to send this machine in and let them find out whats up with the inverter or connection?"

Tech: "Yes of course. Let me send out"....blah blah blah....


All that time, wasted when he could have done that all along. I've been a tech, I understand the need to reproduce problems, but FFS...this happens to me at the college, at the most inopportune times. I don't have time for this crap.


/rant off

 

I know. I told him, look, I use multiple batteries, I exchange between them several times a week...what do you hope to prove by this?


Tech: Can you just try once more?

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_bxWjWuRMlPs/SUAMBkYmmjI/AAAAAAAAAG4/9clSLdHb2C4/s1600-h/facepalm%5B2%5D.jpg

 

Jeez, intermittents are the worst thing. LOL, I know the script readers well, a tech at my ISP told me to reboot my system after I told him that there is no data light on the external cable modem, what does rebooting Windows have to do with that!http://bestsmileys.com/frustrated/7.gif *sigh*

 

I wish I could say I have never had an ISP tech tell me that. It would be a lie though.

 

omg i hate that! i called Optimum Online to tell them that I had some network problems. So they said, please reset your modem. I said OK. Then they said "OK, it says here that it was reseted. Now let me reset your modem..."
BTW Dramamine is mericile medicine. Im feeling better

 

OMG! i love the new color scheme of the website. and when did my cat get that big?
lol im only kidding

 

Yeah, those cookie or biscuit crumbs get everywhere. They attract the rats you see - never mind your mouse. :-D

 

Get a Mac, nuff said lol.

But yeh I know what you mean, they should have a phone line for advanced users who know what is needed!

 

Wanna hear my Apple tech support story?


"Yeah, that is part of the chassis and isn't covered by your warranty. That will cost you 500 bucks."

True story. Last Apple I ever bought.

 

What was the actual issue though?

 

The stupid little metal hook on my powerbook broke off, and stopped latching.

Should have been covered!

 

I do hate :kissmy 'experts' on the other end when I am trying to help someone on the phone.

This is a true story from today's bag:

Yesterday
I had visited to change over someone's ISP over.

Local Area Expert "I have all the paperwork from the new ISP"

Me "Do you know if the old supplier has cut off and the new is on?"

LAE "Yes the old was cut off immediately I notified them and the new is in the paperwork"

Me "This paperwork only gives the MAC translation number. Where is your Username and Password?"

LAE "they said they sent it to me in an Email"

Me "roflmao"

Today on the phone

LAE " I now have the username and password"

Me " we can do this over the phone, like I showed you yesterday, perhaps I can talk you through it"

Me "fire up your pc"

LAE "that's done, Open My Computer?" (having already opened it)

Me "NO open Internet Explorer. Type in HTTP..."

LAE "Into Google?" (again having done just that) "it says page unobtainable"

Me " NO INTO THE ADDRESS BAR AT THE TOP. YOU SHOULD FIND THE http ALREADY THERE"

LAE " Oh I already deleted that"

Etc Etc

 

:-D:-D:-D sounds hilarious I dont know who made all these PEBKACS but they seem to be breeding LOL lol hahahah:-Drolleyes

There must be a special hidden college or uni' somewhere turning them out like a factory!!!!!learn to speak fluent crap Perhaps they will understand your enquiries then!!!!One would hope so anyway:major:major

 

What metal hook, to keep the lid closed? They've abolished that design. Should've been covered, I've had a the whole keyboard replaced just because of a rip in the plastic casing

 

Actually, if we don't cover the basics we lose Quality Assurance points when the call is reviewed and evaluated, and that affects our Quarter-End bonuses. :innocent

Kidding, kidding... at least at my company. As soon as we realize that you actually know what you're doing, we're happy, because that means we don't have to explain why troubleshooting is vital, and why we are interested in doing that before we send you free stuff. In other words, it makes the phone call shorter and easier to handle, and these are good things.

Here's the thing though... if you have to give me your certifications and your resume as proof that you know what you're doing, then you don't.

 

Post #800
Well, this isn't like this, but
My friend's dad got a call from her grandparents. "Our modems buzzing! Come fix it" then they hung up
So he got there and investigated. The sound wasn't comming from the modem. Actually, you couldn't even hear it by the modem. Turns out it was an electric nose hair trimmer.

 

I did say Powerbook, yeah? Doesn't matter if they dropped the design, the jerks wouldn't cover it.

Original hooks on the Powerbooks hooked to a lip in the chassis. The hook was pulled out of the lid by a magnet. If that metal lip ever broke off, and it does, then it stopped locking shut. Please don't don't defend those greedy bastards, they are just as bad as everyone else, except they charge more.

 

Silly Adrynalyne, calling tech support and expecting help. You know the only help they are capable of providing is connecting you with a supervisor.

I've seen and fixed that problem before. My sister has a Gateway 5300 Solo. The power connection went out, and we had to replace her entire motherboard to fix the problem.

 

i think hobos are better at tech support

 

I'm not losing power. I'm losing the backlight.


That said, if this wasn't under warranty, I'd have done it myself, but seeing how I do, I expect them to do it. I just didn't expect it to take that much work to get them send me out a package and a service number so I could ship it to them.

 

If you say so. Sounds like a power connector problem to me though.

 

I say so


Mostly because I do not lose even so much as the connection to the network. Just a flickering backlight and when it drops off completely, the OS and computer is still running happily, I just can hardly see anything due to no backlight.

 

Although I really hate to agree with Adrynalyne

The invertor/lamp units are the most unreliable part of the system.

That is apart from users of course. The rate of screens damaged by human fists must approach the failure rate of invertors.

 

Sounds like a chronic misdianosis. Like the mechanic telling you the air pressure in your alternator needs to be readjusted.

 

Just don't make it a habit, and you will be ok, I promise :-D

 

confused:confused

 

Never mind. Sounded better in my head.