Funny/bad/weird computer experiences

[adrian]

Ever had one of those computer experiences that you wanted to share? Well, share them here!

While we were installing operating systems in vmware, a classmate of mine (a complete computer noob) restarted the entire computer system and managed to reformat the hard drive and install DOS on it. We teased him even after graduation.

Another classmate (different class, an even worse noob) managed to send everyone in the school (even the admins and teachers) an email that was required for a class assignment. What's even funnier was that some idiots responded and caused more ciaos. Eventually, the IT people found out it was my friend and revoked his computer privileges for a few months.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Funny/bad/weird computer experiences

Ohhhh, I've got lots of computer "war stories". Back in a previous job, I used to fix minicomputers.

One that comes to mind was the office computer kept crashing. I couldn't figure out the pattern. Then the receptionist noted that every time it crashed, line two was ringing. Uh-huh, yah, right. Whatever. The computer had no modem or connection to the phone line. But dang if she wasn't right! It didn't crash every time line 2 rang, but line 2 was always ringing when it crashed.

From a diagnostics board, I learned it was crashing in the spooler. I then noticed that it would only crash if the daisy-wheel printer was off. I guess the RS-232 line was picking up noise from the phone line and freaking out the spooler program. The solution was simple enough - always leave the brother printer on!

Lesson: Take what users say with a gain of salt - but don't ignore them completely. Their observation may hold the critical clue - no matter how strange it seems at the time.

Then there was the micro computer that wouldn't work on a metal desk. But, that's a story for another post.

[Kungpao]

Re: Funny/bad/weird computer experiences

One time, I purchased a new motherboard and went home and installed it in my case. Transferred everything over from the old board, plugged everything in. Power'ed up.... nothing. Took it to the shop that i bought the board from and the guy tells me. Where are the little rubber washers that keep the board from touching your metal case?!?






OOOPS!!! I'm lucky I didn't fry the new board. That would've been a costly noob mistake.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Funny/bad/weird computer experiences

When our VP at the Gas Company sent out a broadcast email about a project to everyone, one manager replied to him with a crude remark about another project manager. The problem was he replied with a broadcast email as well, sending it not only to our VP and all 300+employees of the Gas Company on all islands, but to everyone in BHP around the world.

Oh BTW the guy who was flamed didn't think that letter was very funny.

[Hellbent]

Re: Funny/bad/weird computer experiences

one of my first computers used to spit out cd randomly. it wasnt a slot load, so i'd be playing quake2 and my cd drive would just open and the cd would fly accross the room. fun.