111
ezpz
4y

Before iPads took over the general population of home computing, I used to do house calls to help people with their computers for some extra folding money. One day I get a call from a regular saying that ever since I last worked on his computer it won't stay on.

He says it comes on for a few seconds, then just shuts down. It never did that before I upgraded the RAM.

So I drive over to his house and turn on the computer. He says, "See, it starts fine, but in a few seconds it'll just shut off. Just watch"

The computer boots up without any issues.

He says, "Well, of course it doesn't do it now that you're here!"

I reboot it a few times, boots fine every time. Suddenly I realize what's going on. I say to him, "Hey, why don't you try turning it on for me?"

He says, "What difference will that make?"

I say, "Just trust me, turn it on."

He bends down, presses the power button, looks up at the monitor and watches it boot. But he doesn't release the button! He just keeps holding it down until it shuts off.

"See!" he says, "why does it only do that when I turn it on!"

I then have to explain to him how holding down the power button forces a shutdown.

But, it never did that before I worked on it!

Comments
  • 20
    This is the curse of IT. I did the same thing for a year in school to pay rent. I made an LLC literally so I couldn’t be sued by someone with a problem like this and lose the little money I had.
  • 10
    @Diactoros LLCs FTW. I don't know why anybody in this line of business wouldn't set one up. I also have professional liability to cover any lawsuit expenses if I ever do get sued. I sleep so much better knowing I have that.
  • 6
    Some people have absolutely no self awareness.
  • 1
    Doesn't it work the same way with iPads? With android devices it does.
  • 10
    Since when did iPads take over home computing? I literally don't know anyone with an iPad 😅
  • 6
    @linuxxx Old people with money in the US love them. They’re in any middle class household with people 40+
  • 7
    @Diactoros Ahh, the US. I live in Europe, that might explain stuff :)
  • 0
    Whatthefuckinghell 😄
  • 2
    @linuxxx By iPad I just mean tablets in general. Where I live most people have iPads. Personally, I'm an OEM unlocked Android with LineageOS kind of guy myself.
  • 5
    @ezpz Ahh fair enough. Don't take it personal but I hate it when people call a generic thing a brand (like calling tables iPads or as for the Netherlands, calling messaging apping/whatsapping) :)
  • 5
    "Hay, why don't you try turning it on for me?"

    "What difference will that make?"

    "Precisely the difference that's causing the issue, probably."
  • 9
    The user wanted to hold the power button down until he saw the POST screen.

    When you said you "upgraded" the RAM, I presume that means you upgraded the amount of RAM installed in the system.

    More RAM means a longer POST time.

    Upgrading the RAM made the computer's POST time longer than 7 seconds, which made the computer restart when the user held in the power button, whereas before the POST time was shorter than 7 seconds, so the user would release the button before the computer reset.

    The user obviously was wrong about holding in the power button until they saw the POST screen, but in a roundabout sort of way their logic kind of makes sense...? Upgrading the RAM made the user unable to turn on the computer.
  • 4
    @duckworld That's a good theory, but he held the power button down even after the Windows logo appeared, and Windows took way longer than 5 seconds to boot. I have no idea what cue he was waiting for to release the button.
  • 1
    love those lightbulb moments
  • 1
    I dont get it. Was not he doing the same thing before r change?
  • 0
    @aviophile He just randomly started doing that.
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