What's your favourite line of computer repair

[Briggsy]

Most of us have bits we like and dislike looking at some of the posts on here - so what's your favourite?

Mine is malware - without a doubt. I like nothing more than getting a system that runs like a pig and will not do anything - and then getting it running like a Rolls-Royce again. It's a great sense of satisfaction - and I always think it's the one job that customers really appreciate and don't mind paying for.

The job I dislike most is residential Internet problems. I find it the one area where customers are impatient and expect a quick fix. "It can't be much - it was working yesterday". Well, today is today - and it's not working. It's the one area where customers tend to waste my time too.

Me: Has anything changed since yesterday that may have played a part? Have you unplugged your router?

Customer: No, I've not used it since last week(!).

Me: OK, I'll do some brief tests and see what's going on.

Customer: I did download some music yesterday, and did my shopping the day before. Could that have played a part?

Me: Unlikely to be the shopping - but did you get the music from a legit website?

Customer: Oh yes, I got it from www.buytwotunesandgetafreelockyransomwareforyoursystem.com

Me. OK. I thought you hadn't used your system since last week anyway?

Customer: Well, I haven't really. I only used it for a few hours on Sunday, twice on Saturday, Friday morning, Thursday afternoon, Wednesday evening, Tuesday for 6 hours and Monday morning. But apart from that, I haven't switched it on since last week.

Me: Well I've discovered the problem anyway. You've no Internet because your phone line is completely dead.

Customer: Well BT were here yesterday and dug up the street. They said they needed to replace the cable and I'd be without my phone until Monday. That wouldn't affect my Internet though would it........

Malware. Give me malware. Peace and quiet on my own on the bench while I sort it. Bliss.

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

I used to like malware the best when I was doing mostly/all residential work for the "hunt", but now my favorite type of job is taking a peer to peer network that is barely functioning on residential grade network equipment and setting up new business grade equipment with server and domain. Turning a rusted out junker into a sports car is a great feeling and the pay isn't bad either.

 

[Your PCMD]

I love my MSP service the most. I can sit all alone in peace and quiet.

 

[Vyper28]

I love every job where the client says "Ok well this is what it's doing, I'll leave it to you, if you need me I'll be in the other office".

Rather than 50% of jobs "What are you doing now, what was that you clicked on, what was that button, let me write this down in case I need to do this again, where did you just click, can you start over from the beginning?"

 

[Archon Prime]

Rather than 50% of jobs "What are you doing now, what was that you clicked on, what was that button, let me write this down in case I need to do this again, where did you just click, can you start over from the beginning?"

Worst part of the job is someone like that. It takes 10x longer to get anything done and sometimes I miss things that I wouldn't have done doing it by myself. It's either questions, or they talk your ear off. Either one, doesn't let you get the job done any quicker lol

 

[Krynn72]

Either one, doesn't let you get the job done any quicker lol

But it does raise the bill to several times more than it would have been, so I'm OK with it and will gladly indulge them if they insist even after I warn them that teaching makes me stay longer.

 

[glricht]

... Rather than 50% of jobs "What are you doing now, what was that you clicked on, what was that button, let me write this down in case I need to do this again, where did you just click, can you start over from the beginning?"

I work onsite and charge by the hour. I've had customers do this and although it's a time waster for me, they're paying for it! If they want to turn a one hour job into 2.5 hours, as long as they pay for it, it's fine by me.

 

[KrustyTech]

power supply failures. Easy to diagnose, easy to replace (at least on generic boxes) and good money. Until you have the job where a customer has shorted all the usb ports , you put a new supply in and BANG , there goes another one ! Usually in my EAR while im plugging the power cable in!!

 

[Colin]

HDD failures so I can up sell SSD, the client is always amazed on how fast the computer is after a SSD upgrade!

 

[SGibson]

I love every job where the client says "Ok well this is what it's doing, I'll leave it to you, if you need me I'll be in the other office".

Rather than 50% of jobs "What are you doing now, what was that you clicked on, what was that button, let me write this down in case I need to do this again, where did you just click, can you start over from the beginning?"

Yes! I agree! I also agree with Briggsy regarding residential internet problems!!

 

[MCDIT]

I have to agree with the PSU swaps. It's rare you get something so straight forward!

 

[glennd]

"What's your favourite line of computer repair?"

The one where I get paid...

 

[Ktex]

Best ones for me is when I reinstall windows with fab backup files and a new SSD, some customers tell me machine runs better than new. Of course it does! Worst is when customer brings it in without him knowing what is wrong, just that (insert a relative) says it won't start up OK. Usually that relative dropped it and won't tell. I just had one where the laptop actually went from bad to worse, actually dying. Yep, upon opening, there were broken plastic studs inside, barely noticeable from the outside. Walmart specials!

 

[HFultzjr]

My favorite is replacing a platter drive with SSD.
Haven't had one customer not say "wow, that's faster than when it was new!"

 

[ydnar723]

Mine is malware/virus removal, I can walk away and get some other stuff done, while it automates and waiting for the results,hooking up a motherboard on another PC, do some testing on another, replace an LCD, etc.
Running Hard Drive tests also been getting fun for me too.

 

[cypress]

Project work or Malware removal.

I love inheriting a previous tech's work and getting the client back on track to where they need to be. Definitely reminds me how great this IT work can be.

Malware Removal and Tune ups are fun just to take a system running slow or riddled out of date software and bloatware and get it back up and running better than ever with how you like it.

 

[Ktex]

Quote from cypress:
"I love inheriting a previous tech's work and getting the client back on track to where they need to be. Definitely reminds me how great this IT work can be."
Big smile here.

 

[Marcus Jones]

For me personally I'll say Malware/Virus removal. I sit by the bench, without any interuptions, and I'm able to walk away and finish other projects while programs are running.

 

[ShawnComprofs]

It's pretty rare these days, but I like building new PC's.

 

[nlinecomputers]

I love my MSP service the most. I can sit all alone in peace and quiet.

This. The older I get the more I hate traditional computer repair work of any kind.