My Friend's Computer.

Shermie

Well-known member
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I have a very dear friend who just bought a brand new laptop pc a few weeks ago. I went with him to help him choose and buy a computer with all the latest features for the amount of money that he wanted to spend.

Two days later, he had another friend of his help him get it set up. But this other friend never taught him how to do preventative maintenance checks with it, such as defragging, Disk cleanings, virus scans and so fourth.

I began helping him with that last night. This is his very first computer, and I'm trying to help him set it up right so that he won't run into any problems later. He has little knowllege about computers, since this is his first one.

He recently signed up with T-Moble for new cell phone service, which he also got a wireless stick for internet service.

He was having problems tring to get online, and then he became frustrated and was about to sell the computer! I talked him into keeping it by offering to help him and kindly offer some advice with some of the stuff.

After I began helping him, he felt much better and decided to keep it. I want him to be happy with it and be able to use it with the very least amount of trouble.

But I'm totally appauled that this other friend of his didn't even show him how to maintain the unit so that there are no problems later! His former roommate also knows very little about computers, even though she got one for the kids. But I think that any advice she offers might not be the right advice.

I kindly suggested to him that he not rely on them for sound advice because they could steer him in the wrong direction. He's very nice person, and I don't want him to be given any wrong advice. :brows:
 

Doc

Administrator
Staff member
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i'm a bit confused. is this just getting something off your chest, sherm? or do you need advice?
Me to BT. :confused:

One thing I did want to mention. Some of the new OS's defragment automatically. The user no longer has to schedule it. Otherwise anyone with a computer has to be proactive to keep it running smoothly.
 

Shermie

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Looking for advice.

I love the guy like a brother, and I want to help him with his pc, but I need him to allow only me to help him because others don't seem to know what they're talking about and are giving him the wrong info, making him feel perplexed and confused.

I don't want his pc to crash by allowing others to mess with it. They are telling him what to do, but they are NOT showing him how to keep malicious viruses and other bad stuff away.
 

Lefty

Yank
Short of putting a gun to the guy/gals head no one can force anyone to just listen to them.

People have to learn on their own.
 

Shermie

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Not really trying to force him to listen. Just trying to CONVINCE him to listen.

He's a very nice person, so it appears that there are too many cooks stirring the pot and spoiling the soup. I don't want him to get hurt and saddened by letting "backyard mechanics" mess something up.

But yes, you guys are right, he has to find out for himself. it's just that no one else is showing him the right way.

I'm by no means a computer genius, and I'm not even trying to be, but I DO know enough about computers and maintaining them that would help keep him from getting into trouble with viruses, corrupted files and wrong info from others.
 

Adillo303

*****
Gold Site Supporter
Sherman, it is very kind of you to want to help your friend.

I have close to 50 years in the computer industry and have been a self supporting computer consultant since 1988. IN short, I do this for a living.

In all fo this time I have never found a way to get anyone to do as you ask. I cannot tell you how many messes I have had to straighten out after hearing "My friend is really into computers".

We help our friends, because we want to help them. Our friends take the advice Du jour because they want help and they want it now. My advice to you -

Help your friends, if you want to, if it is comfortable for you and "don't get a rash" when someone else messes it up. You must also understand that fixing computers is like landing an airplane, I am told that any landing you can walk away from is a good one. There is no single right answer in fixing computers. I constantly learn from everyone.
 

Shermie

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I have another friend who builds computers, sometimes for a living.

Actually, he DID help another friend with his pc. But the guy that he helped had kept on getting his unit in trouble by visiting bogus websites and downlooading bogus 7 malicious software that messed up his pc. And then, the one who builds pcs's had stopped helping him because he didn't do what he had told him to do after the last fix.

So yeah, you can only do so much and then the rest is on the individual to heed your advice. If he can't or doesn't, then sadly and painfully, he has no one else to blame for his problems but himself.
 

YeOldeStonecat

New member
I know the feeling Sherman, similar to Adillo above....SMB consulting is what I do for a living (Small/Medium Business Networks)...but it spills over into home setups.

So many times I see someones home computer..and they'll have their outdated long expired 90 day trial antivirus. And I'll want to jump in and fix it and have them dump that useless OEM trial antivirus and put on MSE or AntiVir, and run some malware cleaning programs, windows updates, etc. But as you probably know, that's time consuming. Sometimes I take the time, depends on the situation...because a good intention to do that usually leads to at least an hour sitting down doing things.

Or other times I'll see some computer they need help with...and it's some ultra cheap home built unit..."Oh, a friend of ours builds computers...he did that for us". :puke1: Usually some super fragile pile of junk with 19 dollar motherboard of the month club parts, and you go to run Microsoft Updates on it and WPA fails, saying it's pirated. Yeah....good friend.
 

Shermie

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I know the feeling Sherman, similar to Adillo above....SMB consulting is what I do for a living (Small/Medium Business Networks)...but it spills over into home setups.

So many times I see someones home computer..and they'll have their outdated long expired 90 day trial antivirus. And I'll want to jump in and fix it and have them dump that useless OEM trial antivirus and put on MSE or AntiVir, and run some malware cleaning programs, windows updates, etc. But as you probably know, that's time consuming. Sometimes I take the time, depends on the situation...because a good intention to do that usually leads to at least an hour sitting down doing things.

Or other times I'll see some computer they need help with...and it's some ultra cheap home built unit..."Oh, a friend of ours builds computers...he did that for us". :puke1: Usually some super fragile pile of junk with 19 dollar motherboard of the month club parts, and you go to run Microsoft Updates on it and WPA fails, saying it's pirated. Yeah....good friend.



Yeah, he's a very dear friend of mine.

We've known each other for over 30 years, but we've just started hanging out together. So I was more than happy to help him choose the right pc that I thought and knew would be the right one for him.

Even though HE is just as excited as I am of him having the pc, he has no computer skills and I want so bad to help him with what I know so far.

His machine has Windows 7. Someone else who I know told me that not too long ago, after Windows 7 came out, he bought a Dell laptop pc and had asked for Windows Vista and he got it!

Had I known about this beforehand, I'd have asked the saleman to check and see if there were any of the same model that my friend bought, availible with Windows Vista. It would have been much easier for me to work with rather than Windows 7.

But that's all water under the bridge now. I just hope that my friend is able to finish getting his pc set up properly. I'll still help him though. :idea:
 

Adillo303

*****
Gold Site Supporter
Usually some super fragile pile of junk with 19 dollar motherboard of the month club parts, and you go to run Microsoft Updates on it and WPA fails, saying it's pirated. Yeah....good friend.

Since I do build Compy's for folks, don't forget the ones that ASK for the $19.00 motherboard and the cheap RAM in spite of your advice. Then when it is an unreliable *&@#%&&** they think you should fix it for free. All of this, because, "My buddy is really into computers and he says this is all I need."
 

Doc

Administrator
Staff member
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Since I do build Compy's for folks, don't forget the ones that ASK for the $19.00 motherboard and the cheap RAM in spite of your advice. Then when it is an unreliable *&@#%&&** they think you should fix it for free. All of this, because, "My buddy is really into computers and he says this is all I need."
Been there done that. While I will still advise and help a little when I can ....I refuse to work on any computer I did not build. I've built a number for family and friends. I use quality parts and the machines normally run and run, no issues.

Sherm, I think I'd be happy that your friend got Windows 7 rather than Vista. I know it would have been easier for you to guide him if his OS was the same as yours, but Win 7 is reported to be such a huge step ahead of Vista that his running Windows 7 should give you the excuse you need to upgrade your system. :D :thumb:
 

Shermie

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I AM happy that he's got it. I'm just more familiar with Vista than with 7.

Not planning on an upgrade right now. Maybe somwhere down the road.
 
I highly recommend taking computer classes. Before I bought my first computer, I took computer classes at an Adult School, & then at a Community College. (I even accumulated college credits, in case I want to go back & apply them towards a degree.) The school took us to a computer place, where I bought my first computer; and hooked me up with a computer repair person. (He repaired computers for the school, as well.)
 
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He plans to, and so do I.

I don't think you or your friend will be sorry. I met some of the nicest people, & made some lifelong friends. As far as picking a computer -- I think folks tend to go with the biggest HD & the most bells & whistles. First, I would decide what purpose do I want the computer to serve. Do I want to surf the web, use it for biz purposes, etc., etc., etc. IMO, it is a personal decision based on one's needs.
 

GotGarlic

New member
Since I do build Compy's for folks, don't forget the ones that ASK for the $19.00 motherboard and the cheap RAM in spite of your advice. Then when it is an unreliable *&@#%&&** they think you should fix it for free. All of this, because, "My buddy is really into computers and he says this is all I need."

I'm sure *that* buddy would be more than happy to build the box, then, right?? :mrgreen:
 

Shermie

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Site Supporter
I don't think you or your friend will be sorry. I met some of the nicest people, & made some lifelong friends. As far as picking a computer -- I think folks tend to go with the biggest HD & the most bells & whistles. First, I would decide what purpose do I want the computer to serve. Do I want to surf the web, use it for biz purposes, etc., etc., etc. IMO, it is a personal decision based on one's needs.



Well, when he told me that he wanted a computer, I just couldn't leave him in the dark. So the good thing for me to do was to help him choose the best one that he can buy.

Had he gotten a netbook, to which he was leaning towards at first, he would not have been happy later.

But having a computer is all new to him. I'm pretty much the only one who is in his corner that he can trust with it. Everyone else seems to be giving him the wrong info!

Just this morning, he told me that he wants to give up his wireless stick because someone has told him that theirs didn't work out too well. I've successfully convince him to at least wait until tomorrow when he meets another friend of mine, to find out what is the best plan for him to go with.

These people are filliing his mind with doubts and fears, and they are NOT really helping him! Just clouding him up with hearsay, which is making him confused and baffled. He's a bit mentally challenged (No, I won't use the R-word), but still, he's MY friend and I want to help him and be his mentor, and I believe that it is THIS slight disability that has him following the unsure suggestions from others.

I tell him what I believe he should know. Straight up an honest info that I know that he needs and can certainly use. And I don't give him false info. That to me, would make me feel as though I'm not a friend to him if I did that!

I want him to learn the EASY & SMART way, not the HARD & CONFUSING way. :chef:
 
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Shermie

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Well, my friend friggen SOLD his laptop PC!!

I'm very disappointed with him!

He was so damn hellbent on selling it anyway. Making feable exuses about He couldn't find a reasonablt price wi-fi stick for it.

He found out that he could have gotten RCN's 3 services dirt-cheap AFTER he sold it.

Well, I'm not going to help him with his next one, whenever he gets one! I love him dearly, but I'm DONE!! I wish him well with his next pc, but I'm washing my hands of helping him with it!
 
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Keltin

New member
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Some people just don't "do" computers. Just like some don't game and play with the Xbox 360, PS3, or Wii. I'm of the opinion that ALL electronics are cool, but every piece isn't for ALL the people. People pick and chose what they want in their lives, and that is cool. It makes us all unique.
 

Doc

Administrator
Staff member
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Some people just don't "do" computers. Just like some don't game and play with the Xbox 360, PS3, or Wii. I'm of the opinion that ALL electronics are cool, but every piece isn't for ALL the people. People pick and chose what they want in their lives, and that is cool. It makes us all unique.
Well said Keltin. :agree: :thumb:
 

lifesaver91958

Queen of the Jungle
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I bought myself a new laptop computer about three weeks ago, it's a Dell with Windows Vista and I love it. :)
 

Shermie

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Some people just don't "do" computers. Just like some don't game and play with the Xbox 360, PS3, or Wii. I'm of the opinion that ALL electronics are cool, but every piece isn't for ALL the people. People pick and chose what they want in their lives, and that is cool. It makes us all unique.



He should not have bought it if he felt that way.

It was a complete waste of gas and time taking him over to the store and back home. A week after he bought it, he was dissatisfied with it and talked about selling it then because he, at first, had no access to the Internet!

He wasn't even trying hard enough. The more I tried to get him to keep it, the more hellbent he was in trying to sell it. Claims he needed the money. Well, if that was the case, then he should not bought it.

I'm just pissed because I feel that he should have & could have tried harder to keep it. He says that he needed computer skills, and I was there for him to help him with the stuff I know. Never again!! :sorry:
 

Shermie

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Well, believe it or not, he now wants another one and he regrets that he sold the first one!!

He's getting a used one. Well sadly, I have to let him swin in his own shark-infected waters on this one!!!!!!
 
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