troubleshooting so much fun

[F2d5thCav]

I went to help a member of the wife's family with a "computer problem" 

Was told the computer would not load web pages.  "Had no internet", etc. 

Sure enough, browser somehow could load Google (but only occasionally) and nothing else.  Already a weird deal.

I fire up a Windows shell.  Hey, ping works just fine.  I'm able to ping computers all over the world.  WTF? 

Finally, after a wasted hour looking at adaptor settings, flushing cookies, etc., I decide to do a shutdown and restart.

Gee!  The web browser works again. 

So I think what happened was this.  This particular PC has a button on the side that can be pressed to put it in sleep mode and wake it up.  And that's all this user had been using -- sleep, wake up, rinse and repeat ad infinitum.  Who knows how long it had been since the computer actually shut down.  And probably what happened is that a cache somewhere got corrupted, and it was blocking the browser from connecting.



Kinda wonder how much a repair shop or person would have charged for that diagnosis and resolution. 

Cheers

[guohua]

I went to help a member of the wife's family with a "computer problem" 

Was told the computer would not load web pages.  "Had no internet", etc. 

Sure enough, browser somehow could load Google (but only occasionally) and nothing else.  Already a weird deal.

I fire up a Windows shell.  Hey, ping works just fine.  I'm able to ping computers all over the world.  WTF? 

Finally, after a wasted hour looking at adaptor settings, flushing cookies, etc., I decide to do a shutdown and restart.

Gee!  The web browser works again. 

So I think what happened was this.  This particular PC has a button on the side that can be pressed to put it in sleep mode and wake it up.  And that's all this user had been using -- sleep, wake up, rinse and repeat ad infinitum.  Who knows how long it had been since the computer actually shut down.  And probably what happened is that a cache somewhere got corrupted, and it was blocking the browser from connecting.



Kinda wonder how much a repair shop or person would have charged for that diagnosis and resolution. 

Cheers

The charge in Phoenix AZ, for computer work IF you bring the machine in is $110. an hour.
If they come to your home it is much, much more.
Good Job @"F2d5thCav"  

[kdog]

Way back when, I use to fix computers for people. 

Usually the fix was clearing out browser history from their sons or husbands using limewire or pornsites, installing some free anti virus software and let it clear out 15,000 viruses then it was good for about $20. 

I don't do that crap anymore. 

Turn it off and back on again, if it doesn't work, go take it some where. 

I just fix our own shit now.