fine in shop messes up at house

[Rosco]

had a client hire me for a virus removal last week. Got rid of them fix everything everything was working fine even fix windows update(missing some kyboard layouts and couldnt update). Everything works fine. Calls up a couple of days later computer freaking out when he started to watch a youtube video.(says not BSOD more a bunch of pop ups and stuff like that. Not really sure. He has a bunch o dogs and does not want me to come in. So i pck it up bring it home and run everything again. even run gsmartcontrol and memtestx86 plus avira, superantispyware, mbam, combofix and everything was fine. Couldn't fine a problem. Dropped it off and he was very thankful. Got a call this morning same thing computer freaking out. Thinking it must be environmental, right. I can not get it to mess up on my bench no mater what i try.

Any suggestions on the computer part but also how to handle the customer. I just have no idea what the problem could be. thank you all so much.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

Any hardware diags ran at all? Just because it doesn't happen when you play with it doesn't mean there isn't a problem.

 

[FoolishTech]

so what's his problem at home, BSOD's or malware?

I have seen numerous times where a customer has strange issues at home usually BSODs, sometimes just lockups, and I can't get it to mess up in shop. It always seems to be power related, and a UPS with AVR fixes the issue. Once I was even able to track the issue to a refrigerator. Everytime the fridge's compressor kicked in the PC would BSOD, even though they were in separate rooms obviously, they were on the same circuit. Seen it with air conditioners too, anything that draws a lot of current can first cause a small brownout on the circuit, then a small power surge as the brownout corrects itself. They both can wreak havoc of course.

 

[Rosco]

Any hardware diags ran at all? Just because it doesn't happen when you play with it doesn't mean there isn't a problem.

yea memtest 86 and gsmartcontrol extended selftest both passed.

 

[Rosco]

so what's his problem at home, BSOD's or malware?

I have seen numerous times where a customer has strange issues at home usually BSODs, sometimes just lockups, and I can't get it to mess up in shop. It always seems to be power related, and a UPS with AVR fixes the issue. Once I was even able to track the issue to a refrigerator. Everytime the fridge's compressor kicked in the PC would BSOD, even though they were in separate rooms obviously, they were on the same circuit. Seen it with air conditioners too, anything that draws a lot of current can first cause a small brownout on the circuit, then a small power surge as the brownout corrects itself. They both can wreak havoc of course.

yea sounds kind of like it. just freezes up i guess, he said no bluescreen. I guess i wil have to have him take care of his dogs to see whats going on

 

[rsarceno]

I would do remote access so you see the actual problem. Sometime users use the wrong term when reporting a problem.

 

[Martyn]

As above or get him to take some pics of the screen or screen shots

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

yea memtest 86 and gsmartcontrol extended selftest both passed.

Anything else they have plugged into it that might be causing a problem? I can't tell you how many times I've ran into an issue I couldn't dup in the shop that turned out being a flaky external HD making their machine freak out. Tell them to run it keyboard and mouse only for a while. If it still freaks out, then like Foolish said, I'd start inquiring about power and check for grounded outlets in the house.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I have seen numerous times where a customer has strange issues at home usually BSODs, sometimes just lockups, and I can't get it to mess up in shop. It always seems to be power related, and a UPS with AVR fixes the issue.

Same here...seen it many times...runs perfect in our office, flips out at clients house/business.

 

[Rosco]

Anything else they have plugged into it that might be causing a problem? I can't tell you how many times I've ran into an issue I couldn't dup in the shop that turned out being a flaky external HD making their machine freak out. Tell them to run it keyboard and mouse only for a while. If it still freaks out, then like Foolish said, I'd start inquiring about power and check for grounded outlets in the house.

the one thing i didnt not have to check is a usb wifi adapter. he didnt send it will the pc.

**edit just talked to client. Happens when using the internet(wifi); i connected with Ethernet. I asked about power surges from and he does have 2 refrigerator and 4 wall a/c units.

 

[drpcfix]

same same, I've seen USB printers, drives, and keyboards crash computers in clients homes..

 

[crashtech]

Proof of concept is to have him bring all his stuff down to your shop and use it, if it doesn't break he should call an electrician.

 

[Ccomp5950]

Had a case like this the other day (2 weeks ago?).

Guy took his computer to best buy that handed it back to him (Sans diag fee) saying there was nothing wrong with it, have a nice day.

Gets it home it's still acting up, mostly IE and anytime he opens a folder it would go to the original link he started from, etc.

I get it, I run a full virus spyware run on it and even set DNS just incase (still wouldn't explain the folder issue).

Guy sees it up here running fine, I hand him my card and say I don't care if it's 9pm give me a call if it's doing it at your house I'll drop by no extra charge. (He lives a 10 minute walk from where I live).

He gets it home and it's acting up. I start browsing and sure enough it goes back.

I look at his keyboard and it's brand new, I look at his mouse and it's one of those odd mice with 15 buttons and a forward and back key. The back key has been jammed down under the left mouse button. Anytime the left mouse key would be pressed the "back" button was pushed as well.

10 minutes and a pocket knife later the back button was freed and we wen't our seperate ways.

tl;dr: Keyboards, Mice, and other peripherals can be the whole problem.

 

[ArtemusComputerTechnology]

Remote support is a good idea in this case because it will alleviate for situations like this one. I had a few cases like this with virus removals. When you know the problem is not the computer but sometimes the person and the atmosphere they live in.

 

[isavecomputers]

I have a clieant that had similar issues like this. Worked perfectly fine on my bench. Crashed evertime in their office. Moved it to other room in their office ran fine. Figured it was the wall outlet, but electriction said it was fine. Eventually replaced with new machine back in old spot with same powerstrip, no issues anymore. Old pc still running in other room in office. Mystery I was never able to solve.

 

[Ciaran]

What about an infected router? That might be the cause of the pop-ups.

More info here: http://www.technibble.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18440

Best bet would be to remote in and see the problem yourself.

 

[Rosco]

update issue solved

thanks everyone for your help. went onsite today. It was the keyboard. Sold him a new one on the spot. Nice to make money on a warranty plus gain the trust of the client. This is why best buy reformats i guess some of the issues can be cumbersome.