Seriously, what more can I do?

[Tel_Tech]

I'm kinda worn out at this point, having spent days trying to find the fault with a customers PC.

Nothing funny to report, just unsure how to proceed. He's adamant that the PC crashes and/or freezes every few minutes it's in use. Doesn't matter what he does it's constantly going wrong.

Bear in mind, he's had the PC 6 months and it's been in twice before for the same fault and each time we've been unable to get it to go wrong.

This last week I have done many things:

1: Memtest86 soak test for 12 hours.
2: Complete Virus and Spyware scan, on his PC and through the virus bath.
3: Powermax HDD soak test for 6 hours (3 complete read/write checks).
4: Prime95 Torture test for 48hours
5: Prime95 plus looped 3DMark demo in the background for 48hours.
6: Complete wipe and reload of the OS (at his request).

After all this the PC has not crashed, frozen or even given an error message.

Seriously, what more can I do? I've told him it's likely one of his external devices causing the problem but he's just gone into the "I should have bought from PCWorld and gotten a working PC" etc.

Depressing really

[XA04]

What happens when it crashes? Does it just reboot? Turn off? BSOD? (if BSOD what is the error? google it)


If you can't replicate it, it probably is some sort of external hardware? Maybe suggest telling him to plug in the basics.. like monitor, keyboard and mouse.. and if that works add one device at a time to find out what the problem is?

Maybe he has a faulty kettle lead? Could be anything I suppose.

[Tel_Tech]

What happens when it crashes? Does it just reboot? Turn off? BSOD? (if BSOD what is the error? google it)


If you can't replicate it, it probably is some sort of external hardware? Maybe suggest telling him to plug in the basics.. like monitor, keyboard and mouse.. and if that works add one device at a time to find out what the problem is?

Maybe he has a faulty kettle lead? Could be anything I suppose.

Basically the fault cannot be replicated in the workshop. But he says it happens within minutes of home. We've suggested trying each external device individually and he says he's done that and it made no difference.

So far we've just not been able to find anything that causes the problem, infact, we haven't seen ANY problem so far.

[nope]

what about in Event viewer or dr.watson?
It looks like application confilict if you cannot see any hardware fault.

run> msconfig> start up , disale unimportnat things , at least this will decrease chances of it being a background application

[wombar]

If it were me, I'd ask him to bring in everything he plugs into the PC (external HDD, any USB devices etc) and plug them into the PC while he's there.

Although he says he's plugged stuff in one by one, we all know that there are some people out there who can't be told anything. Best thing to do is prove it to him while he's in the shop that the PC is fully operational.

It's bound to be a problem with something that is being plugged in via USB or a dodgy power lead.

[MadduckUK]

something up with the plug socket? weve got one at work that either spikes or loses power (havent fully checked which) every half hour or so. made the comp restart tho rather than freezing up but worth a look?

[nope]

your right wombar , probably just the mouse or the keyboard , that said you should have some sort of result in event viewer

[kalniel]

So this is Tel Tech@Hexus now?

Do we get a cut of the fees?

[Stringent]

He might just be trying it to get a newer PC.

But it is probably best to tell him to bring everything he has into the shop. If you can get HIM to plug it in and set it up.

[[GSV]Trig]

Take a UPS round, plug it in and when it sits there with the "boosting low voltage" light on tell him what that means, then let him use the PC for a week or so and when theres no problems with it go from there...

[Tel_Tech]

We've been down most of the routes suggested. Sadly I think he's just somone who won't be told.

Last time we gave it him back he used to for 6 weeks without a hiccup then came in saying "It game me an error this morning".

I suspect he's one of these people who thinks every minor "Program has stopped responding" error is a critical fault with the PC.

[ACiD303]

Seriously, what more can I do? I've told him it's likely one of his external devices causing the problem but he's just gone into the "I should have bought from PCWorld and gotten a working PC" etc.

Laugh

[ikonia]

do you actually post anything thats not a story about a customer being stupid ?

[[GSV]Myocardial]

Bear in mind, he's had the PC 6 months and it's been in twice before for the same fault and each time we've been unable to get it to go wrong.

Send it back to him and debit his card about a tenner for the cost of inspecting and postal charges for sending it back

I'd initially ask him to bring in all peripherals so you can test them with the machine.

Alternatively can you get round to his house? maybe take it round there and plug it in and see if it goes wrong, tell him that if the error that he is reporting comes back not to touch the pc and call you so you can come round and take a look (alot of people have bad wiring in their houses from lack of proper earthing to dodgy old fuses that kept blowing and have been replaced with thicker wire etc etc)

Alternatively use offer him a refund less a percentage for age/wear and tear (think ebuyer state the percentage that they will give you so might be able to use their model). Sometimes you can be too helpful and the only thing that makes people listen is when you hit their wallet but this is last option and is definately not going to get you any recommendations.

[Fabula]

See the system the way he has set it up at home.

Chances are, he decorates the side with loads of magnets to make it look pretty.

[greektony]

When I worked in a PC shop we people like this all the time. I can almost guarantee that the bloke is either trying to get a newer PC out of this, or that as someone said earlier, any time Windows says an illegal error has occured he thinks that there has been a fatal error with windows/the pc.

If you have had they guy come in and plug in all his peripherals and it works perfectly I dont really see what comeback he has. I would be tempted just to give him a refund (minus wear and tear) and call it a day. Maybe suggest he gets a 'working' pc from pcworld and see what he thinks of their customer support as you seem to have gone beyond the call of duty in his case.

Unfortunately there are a lot of muppets around who think they know about PCs and actually know jack