I'm putting together a slideshow of stories, and ideally photos, of broken technology.
You know, like a cracked laptop screen (and the story of dropping it), a keyboard that doesn't have seven of its keys (and how long you tried to use it that way), the power supply that burned up (and your desperate attempt to save your term paper as it was nearly on fire). Tablet deaths, swimming iPhones, smoking fax machines... I'll take it all.
The stories are the fun part, but if you have a photo too then that's even better.
This is a fun little project I've wanted to do for a while.
So leave your story in a comment below. If you have a photo, just let me know in the comment and I'll contact you directly using the email address you provide when commenting. If I publish your story in the slideshow, I'll include your name as given in the comment.
(Just so we're clear, I'm not talking about "broken" as in a BSOD or some other software issue. I'm after beyond-repair stuff, for the most part, and the unique stories that always tend to accompany them.)
Thanks everyone!
Image © winjohn
Tim, one of many computer probs.
press power button it starts then stops, power unit ?moved to workshop , took to pieces and plugged into another power extn lead – wow! works ok.
Returned to office plugged in and it worked fine for a few days then failed again.
Cause – resistive contact in power entn socket -changed extn lead – worked fine!!!
More to follow,regards,
I did something that “supposedly” can never be done. I had a 6 year old motherboard finally retire. 6 months before, I had replaced the drives.
Windows 7/64 Ultimate. I moved the system drive to a new desktop. Everything including the MFG was different It didn’t boot. I booted from the system repair disc and ran the boot repair. When I restarted, it booted, the drivers were all wrong, but lit did load. I restarted, all the drivers were in except sound. I had to reactivate Windows, and office 2010, and run the full update on the Antivirus, but it worked. I DIDN’T have to do a clean install. Everything was there. If you don’t regularly run a back-up, the amount you lose can be a disaster if something like this happens. It saved all of tine and aggravation of have to totally reload a new system.
I used my wife’s fluffy thing that we use for cobwebs to give my PC a dusting. Blew the mother board and Brother MFC. Good in a way, in that I was running on Micro soft. When I found out how much it was all going to cost to repair I bought a used PC for £40:00 and installed Ubuntu for free. Never looked back since then, but I’ll never again use a duster to cleam a computer.
You really will need to start the article with why tech people to ask seemingly stupid questions like, “Is it plugged in?” “Is your refrigerator on?” As someone who merely dabbles in helping people, I understand why. As someone who actually needed to have been asked questions of this sort hisownself, I understand why. Ya gotta start with the very basics
Well, it’s not exactly a broken computer, but it is funny in its own way . . .
Several years ago, my friend Sandy’s 8-year-old grandson came over frequently, and since he was quite the little genius and very computer literate, he was allowed full access to her computer.
Like all of us, when something poped up, he would automatically click on it. Imagine his horror, when something very not nice popped up. His eyes got big, he yelled for his grandmother and told her the computer was sick. Yep, he had clicked one time too many and Sandy’s computer was infected.
Since disinfecting a computer was beyond her skillset, she called me. Luckily I’d installed Microsoft’s Security Essentials when I set the machine up. Sitting down to her machine, I began my inspection, when to my horror, something very not nice (can you say porn) popped up.
So, now we had another problem, whether to tell his dad he’d been surfing porn sites. Sandy said maybe we could get him to promise he’d never do it again, and upon talking with him, he denied that’s what he was doing. After a few more questions, we established that a pop-up had appeared and told him the computer had a virus and to “click here” to get rid of it. Whew! Off the hook!
Meanwhile, I sat down and said it would be an easy matter to get rid of this one . . . I’d just run Security Essentials and it would be gone. Not! It was one of those that wouldn’t let you get to any AV program. In fact, I couldn’t get anywhere. I don’t recall the name of the malware, but it was bad.
So, I did the next best thing . . . I had been beta testing Microsoft’s Security Essentials, so I called the correct department, gave the lady remote control of the computer and she went to work. Within thirty minutes, and several trips into and out of the registry, the computer was clean.
One thing I know . . . Dylan won’t be automatically clicking any more messages that pop up on his grandmother’s computer. He was convinced by the time the ordeal was over.
When Microsoft announced that it will stop supporting XP, I bought a netbook with Windows 7 for backup even though I still prefer using my second-hand Sony Vaio laptop. I was so mad that MS refused to install XP updates on my Vaio and not be clear why. Then I got madder when I discovered that I was tricked into believing that Win 7 premium was installed on my new netbook — it was only Win 7 Starter. In the first place, I was looking for a netbook with Ubuntu and the netbook brand I bought had just dumped Ubuntu.
Anyway, I started using my netbook and was glad to find out that it was faster and consumed less power. After about 2 months, I checked on my Vaio and there was no operating system anymore — meaning it was ‘useless’ now. I tried running it with my Linux on USB but still no go. Does any techie know where I blundered if I did?
By the way, don’t ever leave your PC in Sleep mode when you will be away for more than 30 minutes. I almost started a house fire by doing that.
Hey Tim, not sure if this is what you want, but here are some fun stories about some of my customers:
Leo: Yes sir , what seems to be the problem with your laptop?
Customer: Well, I wonder if you could change the cup holder, it´s too small.
(customer was using the CD tray to place his cups and glasses)
Leo: Madam, is the router connected to the DSL line now?
Customer: Why? this is a wireless router, it does not need any cables other than the power cord!
Leo: Ok sir, I understand you reinstalled your win7professional, but you cannot find your files. Did you back up all your information on a separate device like a CD as instructed?
Customer: Yes, actually the program asked me to insert 3 DVD and I did, then I reinstalled system back to factory confitions
(customer created a set of recovery disks using a built in program called VAIO Care, on a Sony Vaio laptop)
I have three cats, which my husband detests. He was carrying his laptop from our home office to another room and tripped over one who had inexplicably lolled in the middle of the floor.
He dropped it.
Luckily it’s his work laptop, and they will replace it.
The broken screen is kind of pretty. I thought it was one of those joke cracked screens when I first saw it. The rest of the laptop is actually OK and he’s been using it with a monitor .
I’ll send you a photo! email me at about or my addy in the comment.
Thanks for the stories everyone! I received a number via email as well but if there are any more, feel free to post.