What's the worst piece of computer-related advice you've ever been given and why?

Question

What's the worst piece of computer-related advice you've ever been given and why?

Answer 1

Got an email from Company IT Dept. saying "Please log-off now, the email server is going off-line, don't try to use it because we are running tests and you will ruin our results".



The next day I rang them up to ask when email would be available again = they said "Oh, it was back on yesterday" ...



I asked "why didn't you tell anyone ?" ...



They responded "we did - we sent everyone an email" !

Answer 2

Delete System32.

Answer 3

Microsoft Works!

Answer 4

Have you tried turning it off and on again!!

Answer 5

Upgrade to vista--- Why did I do it LOL

Answer 6

Usually anything coming from Virgin Media is a good source of bad advice.

Answer 7

buy a computer with vista o/s

Answer 8

you need to disable your internet security to view this page

Answer 9

upgrade to shiny new vista

Answer 10

Worst advice ever!!



Install Norton Antivirus...if not, then Try Mcafee..TWO OF THE WORST ANTIVIRUS PROGRAMS IN THE WORLD.



NOD32 RULES!!!

Answer 11

Me = "My laptops frozen"



Them = "Well turn it off and on again"



Me = "I have important work on it"



Them "Start it again"

Answer 12

Writing google in google; It can break the internet.



My brother went into pc world once. The tech guy turned it on and the speaker whined with feedback. He looked confused and had to ask what it was. Then after the guy had had a look at it he told my brother it was a right off! It had cost my brother a grand to buy so rather than ditch it he tried an independent store. He fixed it for free in 10 minutes.



Our first computer also cost a grand and the motherboard blew. The shop guy (elsewhere) told us it would cost more to fix than the whole thing cost. We didn't know any different at the time so we just left it there.

Answer 13

Its truly funny reading some of the answers that you've received.



To the intelligent people who are offended when asked if they have rebooted their computer, or have been asked to turn it off and back on again, or other similarly obvious questions, I say to you: For every person who thinks that's an obvious question that didn't need to be asked, there are 50 people who never thought to try that. I once had a customer pay me for two hours of my time to drive 60 miles round trip to TURN HER COMPUTER OFF because she wasn't comfortable doing it herself. And then returning the next day to turn it back on for her. I have visited customers who very indignantly assured me on the phone that their computer was plugged in and that THAT wasn't the problem, only to discover upon my arrival that their computer wasn't plugged in, and it was indeed the problem.



But to answer the question at hand. Years ago, before I owned my own computer consulting business, when CD burners were first coming onto the market, I bought a Philips CD Burner for nearly $400. Generally, I discovered that when it worked, it made more coasters than actual burned CDs. But at that time, that was pretty typical of the early burners. Unfortunately, this burner had other problems. Its drivers weren't fully compatible with Windows.



I could turn the computer on, and the CD burner wouldn't work. If I uninstalled the drivers and reinstalled them -- a process that took about 30 minutes at the time -- I could use the burner, reboot the computer, turn the computer off leave it off for up to 3 hours and turn it back on, and the burner would continue to function. But if I turned the computer off and left it off overnight, then the burner wouldn't work in the morning without having to reinstall the drivers. Clearly something on the hardware maintained a charge of at least 3 hours so even a cold boot was somehow a warm boot.



I called Philips technical support, several times. In the end, their advice to me was to leave the computer on and never turn it off.



While there are lots of reasons to leave computers on and not turn them off, none of those reasons have anything to do with the fact that the computer won't work without reinstalling the software when you turn it back on. The idea that their best answer was to just leave the computer on so I didn't have to reinstall the drivers was clearly a tribute to the fact that they didn't have a clue or they did and didn't want to have to fix it.

Answer 14

Asking a non-english person to 'shutdown' his computer.



Because it turns out he came from the military and he shot-down his PC, instead

Answer 15

The scary thing is some of the people giving, and heeding, this 'shotgun' approach to a problem, actually believe they are doing the right thing! ☺

Answer 16

When I used AOL as my ISP I had to contact them on several occasions as I couldn't connect to the internet I was on dial-up at the time (they knew this) and they had already established that I had one line only, but the assistant said try connecting to the internet (I did ask if we would be cut of (low and behold we were) so I did we were cut of this happened several times. I came to the conclusion they had no idea what they were doing so I eventually moved ISP's.

Answer 17

Not advice I've received personally, but I see it hundreds of times every day here on Answers...

Re-format/install the OS!



Talk about a hammer to break an egg! This gem pops up in the most unlikely of situations. I once saw it given to resolve the problem of browsers opening in full screen, when a simple tap of the F11 key would have done it?!?



The scary thing is some of the people giving, and heeding, this 'shotgun' approach to a problem, actually believe they are doing the right thing! ☺

Answer 18

the only piece of computer-appropriate advice I even have ever have been given is going appropriate lower back to 1982. it fairly is whilst the abode desktops the place being bought and there have been maximum of categories to chosen from. 3 of the main nicely familiar the place the Spectrum (16K and 48K , comparable device merely distinctive memory length), the BBC B and the right advertising abode computer of all time the Commodore sixty 4. i offered a Spectrum 48K and did no longer like it in any respect, the rubber keypad replaced into adequate to place me off yet there replaced into greater to it than that. I point out this to a pal of mine whilst i replaced into in my community pub and that they stated taking it lower back and replacing it for a Commodore sixty 4, so I did. by employing right this moment's standards the previous Commodore sixty 4 is rubbish, on the time it replaced into staggering. i'm fairly chuffed I took my pal's advice, it replaced into and nonetheless is a dazzling piece of hardware and that i actually prefer desktops have been outfitted to be greater like the previous abode computer. I do mean a popular version of a house computer. you spot contained in the Eighties very few human beings knew something approximately desktops as a consequence those which have been bought as abode desktops have been outfitted to be fool info and you may could examine the instruction manual just to set it up. you are going to be able to desire to no longer ask a pal to help through fact they did no longer comprehend what they have been staring at no longer to point a thank you to set it up and turn it on. I nonetheless have a Commodore sixty 4 and a 1541 diskchronic (alongside with 3 computers), in assessment to any of the computers I even have absolute administration over the sixty 4, that's what i like maximum approximately it. i think of that through fact i began my computing previous time with one in each and every of those primitive device and the certainty that no person knew something approximately them I actually are transforming into to be use to analyzing manuals and text textile books approximately what ever computer i'm employing right this moment. If i'm getting caught with something I merely examine the help documents. there is numerous computer idiots accessible who won't have the ability to be worry to envision their help documents. i think of a popular version of the previous abode computer is right now transforming into to be a necessity.

Answer 19

Buying A PC from BestBuy When Vista Came Out.

Geek Squad : Do you want us to setup your pc and install windows for you?

Me: Um whats the difference if I went home and installed myself with the OEM disk?

Geek Squad: With Vista , If you don't install it right you can mess up your computer and harddrive.

Me: ....... umm sure i guess? (I just wanted to see what difference they would have made if they installed it)



1 hour and 30 mins later .... Got Home and turn on my pc and HELLO to bloatware ! trails, macfree 60 day trial.. Turn off my computer and within 15 mins I installed Vista Again with OEM Disk...



Last Time I Let Geek Squad Install Windows For Me.....

Answer 20

To be honest, God lord there are ALOT of con-artists out there and they aim for dealing the rubbish at the people who don't have a clue about pc's... I have met a few of them.. But it's the real people like me and differ from a common problem to Microsoft's stupid help website pages.. they are even worse than the people who have to be paid and write them.



If some one knows how to actully fix some thing by hand, it actully means they know it because they've done it. but if you have some one that blaggggs away then... kick them from your home and call the police straight away ^_^

Answer 21

Hewlett Packard told me to remove the memory module, the dvd player and the hard drive, put them in an anti-static bag then refit them. This was a laptop under warrenty with what proved to be a motherboard fault.

Answer 22

Buy a Mac. This was the recommendation of a few people I spoke with. I find it to be counter-intuitive (despite all the ads) and unable to do the simplest task in the way I want it done. I really wish I hadn't.

Answer 23

My Virgin Media B/Band modem broke. I rung up about ordering a new one the person on the phone line told me "Are you sure it is plugged it at the wall?" ..





Or another from a few months ago before moving to VM B/Band. I woke up to find my net was not working so I rang them and the guy told me "Ok, just going to send you an email. Follow all the steps & if still not working, ring me back" *Cough*

Answer 24

ALL ARE REAL!

Problem: Internet Explorer 8 opening and closing



Advice: Just leave it, it will be fine.



Problem 2: Windows not logging in



Advice: Have you tried rebooting the computer?



Problem 3: My display monitor is inverted!



Advice: Can't help you with that. Sorry. Have you tried calling out customer service at 08...(turns out it is the exact same person I called again that told me to call that number)



The list goes on and on...

Answer 25

I brought a brand new computer, got it home, set it up, didn't work. Obviously phoned the shop a number of times throughout the day to complain, I was spoken to in a patronised manner. "Have you plugged it in properly love?" "have you put the coloured leads to the corresponding colour sockets love?" and the best "have you screwed the little screws in tight enough love?" at the end of the day I took the computer back, just before closing (to frustrate them a little) and he said "Well I haven't got time to fix it now" I replied "I don't want a fixed brand new computer I want my money back" so then he proceeded to plug it in and voila! it didn't work! so he looks at me perplexed and asks the question "Did it do this for you love?" I was now at the end of my tether and replied "No! not at all, it booted up, up came the welcome screen, I just thought I'd waste my time phoning you with complaints and bother myself to bring it back because of course it did EXACTLY that!" idiot!

Answer 26

"You'll need to re-format your hard disk". This was what the Sony help desk told me when my computer reported a "missing operating system". It was also when I discovered that Sony not only did not supply OS restore disks with my model when I bought it (the restore software was on the hard disk), but they had discontinued stocking them! In practice I only needed a utility to recover my MBR, and after that my PC worked as well as ever.

Answer 27

This isn't about advice so much as a rip-off.

I don't actually believe that Norton 360 is a bad bit of software - it's prevented a LOT - I do mean a LOT of problems in the past, and it continues to do so from time to time. I don't rate their customer support though.

I had a problem with my laptop, where two programs were conflicting and my laptop was throwing toys out of the pram, having kittens, fits and headaches all in one go, and screaming virus left right and centre. The silly (undoubtedly foreign) guy at the other end said "i can pass you on to our technicians to see if we can fix it but there'll be a charge for it". I was like "er....what?". So in the belief that I had a virus - a frikkin virus mind you(!) - they were going to CHARGE me for a service I'd already PAID for! What kind of cr@p is that? In the end I solved the problem myself by just uninstalling the programs that were giving me grief to begin with.

Answer 28

About 10 years ago, when I knew nothing about computers - I asked an acquaintance to help when I had a BSoD.

"Oh, let me fix it for you...I can get another copy of Windows, no problem...it'll only cost you £400".



He replaced bits and pieces(supposedly) and Windows...after a few months. Total cost of parts and labour would have cost about £40. We ended up having to buy a new keyboard and monitor as well.

Lesson learnt? Find out enough to do it yourself!

Answer 29

Advice from a dell support person a number of years ago on increasing the performance of a PC running Win 98 SE, You'll find Windows ME much faster and easier to use, and it's much better than 98 SE. However I was young and soon became familiar with the now comforting blue screen of death... It's not windows if there's no BSOD.

Answer 30

This gem pops up in the most unlikely of situations. I once saw it given to resolve the problem of browsers opening in full screen, when a simple tap of the F11 key would have done it?!?

Answer 31

had my first email address registered almost 10 years ago. then later forgot the password and because on that time I had only one I wanted to get back in so I phone the company if I can get acces so the best answer was. don't worry we will send you your new password in an email to my email address. hm OK so how I can get in?

Answer 32

Advice from a Microsoft tech. One was when waiting for the computer to reboot we were talking about the rise in oil. He mentioned he was going on vacation soon and would be flying. I remarked the price may go up because of jet fuel. He then seriously asked if jet fuel was made from oil.



The other one was a Microsoft tech who spoke in a Dexter accent, the cartoon character.

Answer 33

We had some internet related problems, and the person I was speaking to, asked if it was a computer.

Answer 34

I asked VIRGIN for a solution and they connected me to India for the answer....might as well have been Tim-buck-three, in the end a clever scouser had the complete answer in my home accent and I slept happy knowing that what he said was pure gold.

Answer 35

Never go a purchase branded pc - you can save lots of money by assembling a pc with branded parts.



ALWAYS build your own computer .

Answer 36

"It's not worth fixing. Buy a new computer."



Why? Because it is actually true most of the times. Especially with laptops, they are prone to malfunction and cost so much to repair.

Answer 37

Buy a Commodore Plus 4.



This was from a primary school friend back in about 1985. I have long since learned to ignore the advice of others on this topic.

Answer 38

Heres one that Ive overheard @ PC World



Id definitely recommend for you to purchase Norton 360 along with this PC, to protect against all the latest threats



Other ones are cheaper, and just as/ even more effective than Norton 360!

Answer 39

Delete system32

Answer 40

To install an usless software containing a virus which afterwards made me reformat the pc.

Answer 41

"If you are running a Windows version older than Vista, you don't need antivirus protection because virus-writers don't write viruses to attack older systems." --Seaside Computers, 2006



Needless to say, I didn't follow their "advice."



('Seaside' is now out of business due to lawsuits -- I don't wonder why.)

Answer 42

"Give it a couple of days and it will sort itself out." Cool. In the meantime I'll just deal with the BSODS.

Answer 43

"Don't get windows 7" Speaks for itself

Answer 44

Because it turns out he came from the military and he shot-down his PC, instead

Answer 45

i did this to someone who was stealing from me ( i do neighborhood repairs for near free, and sometimes free)



setup, he said that his computer was running slow as molasses



me: open tour tower

them: ok

me: you see where the big white or grey ribbon is connecting the hard drive... not the dvd player

them: yes

me:disconnect that from the drive and the power cable connected to it then i want you to shake it for me and listen for something making noise

them: ok i heard nothing

me: ok that means the arm is froze up, hit it in the table good and hard for me and let me know when you can hear something rattling inside.... once you do this place it back and start the computer up...

Answer 46

From a bt broadband tech support call centre , my home hub phone wasnt working so i was told to do a hard reset of the hub , the phone didnt power on at all and it was the phone at fault as i had just used the internet to look up their number, the man then became cheeky then transferred me to someone else who was lovely and got the problem sorted.

Answer 47

I agree with "Microsoft Works!" Classic oxymoron.

Answer 48

How to make a Yen sign - I did that and my screen turned sideways LOL I had to do a system restore to get it back.

Answer 49

My Broadband wasn't working so I rang the bt broadband tech support call centre. I was talking to the man for 15 minutes and then he told me to go to my telephone and pull out the cables. I did and the phone went off.

Grrr Bt thanks for wasting my time.





Another time I was talking to my friend he said:

"Try forcing it in"

*CRACK*

"Yep, it's broke"

Answer 50

Reboot.

Answer 51

I did that and my screen turned sideways LOL I had to do a system restore to get it back.

Answer 52

Turn the computer on.

Answer 53

" BT Option 3 is for heavy downloaders"

Answer 54

I can remember being told to upgrade the hard disk in my amstrad (running dos 3.1 upgraded to dos 5) from 10mb to 20mb......lol.....as if anybody would ever need all that space!

Answer 55

Be nice to your computer so it calms down. Give it a hug...

Answer 56

My Internet wasn't working so i was on the phone to the ISP and "Abdul" told me to re-boot my computer in safe mode, then he said "can you access the Internet now?" i said "no" so he said "your computer is faulty and needs repair" and hung up. anyone who knows anything about computers (and i do as my job is fixing them, hence the reson i was on the phone to the IDP coz i knew it wasnt my pc thats faulty) knows that a computer in safe mode CANNOT connect to the internet. thats the whole point of SAFE MODE. safe mode WITH NETWORKING connects to the internet, hence the WITH NETWORKING part.

Answer 57

ctl + w, when on internet explorer, makes ur computer do an awesome trick that most people dont know about.....my girlfriend believed me....

Answer 58

To right click C:\ drive and Format

Answer 59

All the virus protection I need is a free virus scanner! Stupid load of crap cost my novice butt my very first desktop

Answer 60

virgin media assistant!



your virgin internet isn't working because one of your pc's are too slow!

Answer 61

Worst piece of advice:

When i try to watch unsubscribed progams in the catch-up/on demand menu, that are supposed to be free, i'm asked to enter a pin code. On entering the correct pin, it tells me I need to subscribe to watch the program, and ring 150 to subscribe.

Why:

Coz it's unsubscribed and free, and my box gives random and stupid advice like that 2 or 3 times a week. Also when we got the silly thing they never told us we would have to pay £50 for one that could pause and rewind live tv until they installed it. So i went a week later to a virgin shop to request to pay for the upgrade and they told me after one week i was not a new customer and i would have to pay £99 now. ARRRGGGH! so i'm left with a rubbish box that plays up when i want to watch something.

Answer 62

Buy from Dell. I never knew how to build my own.

Answer 63

FAO Lilrathe:



You can put your keyboard in the dish washer, I can even bet you £100 that it will work agin as soon as it is dry.

(I use to clean my fans like that)...

Answer 64

When the sales rep sells you a computer that is over speced and over priced for there needs

Answer 65

Computer Noob: Okay, so, first of all, go to Start > Run, and then type in "MSCONFIG"



Me: No.

Answer 66

"upgrade your ATI 5870 to a nVidia gtx 210" - pcworld

Answer 67

Press enter when the computer is turned off :S

Answer 68

Symantec and McAfee works. :-) I do like Sophos though.

Answer 69

To format my C:/ drive to make Windows run faster.... Lol

Answer 70

If it doesn't work try cleaning out the motherboard with WATER.

Answer 71

From companies like you Virgin Media and Dell.

Answer 72

"Just make a new admin account if you forgot the password-everything will be saved!"



Right, dad. Right.



Luckily I could revive all my stuff.

Answer 73

«Delete system 32»



I knew better thatn to do it, I just hope no one else ever tried.

Answer 74

Check the keyboard is plugged in - Obviously it is, or i wouldn't be typing.

Answer 75

'Take out the hard drive and place a fridge magnet on the platter.'

Rather than sorting the HDD out, it made it go into relapse.

Answer 76

"You should play a Microsoft CD backwards; it sends out satanic messages. But whatever you do, don't play it forwards..it installs Windows.."



That and "Take it to PC World".

Answer 77

Restart ur computer

Answer 78

it normally is in broken indian "english". I cannot relay what they were trying to say. I assume it was English.

Answer 79

'download free anti-virus software from this website!' (instead it turns out to be a virus, really helpful!)

Answer 80

I was once told that a processor (a 486) had no cache, and that a cache isn't important anyway.

Answer 81

I don't exept other peoles advice, unless i can see the understand the basics of computer archiecture and how and OS works.

Answer 82

It could be your own view. However, though the information we provide to someone who is in trouble and need some help from us is very small, it could be a great help for him. Hence, I don't think that even if we are answering some funny or non-value things, just by sharing our views and thoughts, we can teach other and raise their levels of understanding. Hope this attends your question fully. thanks!

Answer 83

Don't go for AMD, Intel's better...

Answer 84

switch to a mac

Answer 85

Me: My computer wont switch on

Technical Advisor: Have you plugged it in?

Me: I'M NOT THAT STUPID!!

Answer 86

restore. restore. restore. I swear i've never restored in my life and solved every problem i've had thanks to google - and that's the only thing tech support know how to suggest.dicks.

Answer 87

"Don't fvck with the fvking computer"

Answer 88

"Have you tried looking on-line for an answer?" - Bloody Cosmic!

Answer 89

though i do not believe it~i was once told you can actually turn a PC off.whatever next~a talking PC !!!!!!!

have a nice day

Answer 90

Some years ago, someone, an ' expert ', obviously, told me:

In order to make your computer run faster, you should try turning off the antivirus .

Answer 91

Buy an Apple...

Answer 92

Windows is the best OS.

Answer 93

he says: 'so..your computer has frozen while doing some important work'



'yes'



he says: 'well, just take the hard drive out...find the nearest hammer, then hit it'



'you what!'



he says:'if that does not work, try chucking it out of the window. if you see some motors and some disk's, its a good sign. After this, carefully place and plug the harddrive back into your PC...problem solved!'



'ermm....cheers'

Answer 94

Please wait for our support team to come and fix this problem... they never came.

Answer 95

Reformat it.

Answer 96

Being advised to buy one

Answer 97

"You will have to format the drive and reinstall!" that answer shows they CBA sorting your problem out!

Answer 98

Delete your System32 folder.

Gee, that sounds legit. Do it guys!

Answer 99

go pc-world





stupid mistake :D

Answer 100

"Have you tried turning it off and on again?"

Answer 101

"Did you try setting it to wumbo?"

Answer 102

"Have you tried turning it off and on again"

Answer 103

Become a programmer.



(Become a retired programmer would have been much better advice.)

Answer 104

"You need to reboot your system" Dell support told me this when i had hardware failure. Lucky im computer literate and didnt listan to them

Answer 105

use norton

Answer 106

Dell: "Does it work?"

Me "The motherboard is broken"

Dell: "Does it work?"

Me: "............"

Answer 107

all advices I get are great and helpful

Answer 108

is your battery in

Answer 109

Click that!!!

Answer 110

Well I don't get 'advice' as I'm a PC tech. BUT.... someone suggesting that you partition your C drive into two (C,D) so that if the disk goes bad you won't lose all your stuff.

Er..... it's all one physical drive, if it dies, it dies.

Answer 111

None

Answer 112

y

Answer 113

" get a mac "

Answer 114

I was told to buy a Windows PC... need I say more?

Answer 115

Is it plugged in?

Answer 116

My worst piece of advice was to try to get everything for free in the PC world. A few examples are free domain, free hosting, free software (apps), free computer, and on, and on.



And I believed this (stoopid) after 25 years mainframe experience.



Fact is, anything you get for free is worth about what you pay for it. Another thing is, folks who produce "free" stuff are working stiffs, too (or are in competition with the paid-for stuff produced by working stiffs) and need to make a living and put food on the table and pay for the house and electricity and so on... Motivation to produce robust quality helps.



So, while there is some good free stuff (and in fact, some stuff you can get ONLY for free), it doesn't hurt to contribute a few bucks for quality.

Answer 117

That you can wash your keyboard in a dishwasher.

Answer 118

Try running it as root (Sudo)::

Maybe they should just sudo rm -rf /* their computer!

Answer 119

None ..

..because it is ..

Answer 120

quite a few from so called talk talk experts.....................

Answer 121

"Check if it's plugged in."

Answer 122

"Don't use a Mac"