Stacerella

A woman came in with this PC a week ago and asked if we could install a DVD burner for her (at least I think that’s what she was after) transfer her data from this computer to her new one. When Joe took a quick look at the computer and said, “Uh, no,” to her, I happened to be walking behind the customer and gasped out loud. And then I ran for our digicam. I had to document this one for the books.

This belongs in a museum, don’t you think??

 ** Customer name was changed to protect the guilty and innane. **

Late one night last week, one of our regular customers, Capt’n Obvious, came running through the door in panic as I was doing cash to ask Joe something about the new GPS he bought eariler that week.

He told us, through panicked breaths, that he couldn’t get the set up screen to work for him because it wasn’t showing any of the menus when he pushed the buttons. Joe offered to look at it, so he handed it over.

The first thing Joe did was ask him what the above sticker thing was there for, then he peeled it off and turned it on.

Capt’n Obvious: Was that there the whole time?!
Joe: Yup.
Capt’n Obvious: Oh, fuck me!!

We all laughed about it as he headed out the door, and because it was so funny (even for him, a true non-tech who shouldn’t be allowed to purchase electronic gadgets or computers in the first place), I told him I was going to blog this story. He laughed even harder.

Me: Oh, you think I’m kidding, don’t you? I’m so not kidding, Capt’n Obvious!

He wasn’t out the door and I already had the camera on and shooting photos of the sticker he left behind. I’m a bitch like that. I’ll have to ask Joe if I can blog a few more Capt’n Obvious stories because they are just as funny. I love this customer. I look forward to the next bonehead thing he does every time Joe mentions he’s called or is booked to do computer service at his home or place of employment just so I can get my belly laugh on.

This is a stack of small 2.5″ hard drives, the kind you would find in a laptop. I had to call a couple this afternoon to tell them theirs was unreadable. The new bride started to cry over the phone. And then she started to sob. And then she started to wail. And then she was inaudible for the most part. Why, you ask?

It turns out she and her husband got back from their honeymoon recently and had stored not only their wedding photos on their laptop, but also their honeymoon photos, too. Those photos aren’t gone par se, but nor are they readable.

The husband mentioned when he dropped the drive off that they were talking about buying memory sticks and DVDs just last week, too, so I playfully asked him what happened to that plan like the smart-ass that I am. He chuckled the drive was in fine condition back then so they didn’t think they needed to spend the money.

People, when your hard drives are in perfect working condition, THAT’S the time to back up your precious files, information and photos!!!! I cannot stress this point enough. Don’t wait. Do it now! It doesn’t take that much time anymore, and with today’s technology, it’s easier than ever, so don’t make excuses. If you don’t know how, someone who owns a computer store will be more than happy to help you find out how to do it. Seriously. And in this day and age of information at your fingertips, there simply isn’t any excuse.

But, more importantly, please stop putting all of your faith in technology as well as all of your information and photos into your hard drives without back up copies. You’re only begging for trouble when you go that route.

Trust me on this!