• @[email protected]
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    397 months ago

    “Is your computer connected to a power outlet? Yes? Could you please unplug it and plug it back in for me?”

    • @marcos
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      117 months ago

      It’s a much larger problem when there are several different cables.

    • @[email protected]
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      27 months ago

      Also: please check the other end of the cable, the one that isn’t plug in the wall, yes that one, plugged on the screen, unplug and plug it back in please.

  • @[email protected]
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    367 months ago

    “the serial output from my test unit turns into garbage and it happens at completely random times!”

    “Did you make sure they were plugged in all the way?”

    “WHAT?!?! ARE YOU SUGGESTING I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M DOING?!?!”

    Some time later

    “Yeah, it turned out to be the serial connection was loose.”

      • @[email protected]
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        27 months ago

        “Where does this green wire go?”

        I appreciate HW engineers and techs. I’m not afraid of datasheets, circuit diagrams, or a mso and they’re always patient enough to explain things to me so I can make the rocks behave. Or at least tell me how to go from diagram to board lol.

  • @VisualBuilder4
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    227 months ago

    That sounds like a classical OSI layer 0 problem.

  • @[email protected]
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    187 months ago

    At a former job, there was one – and only one – lady in customer service who would actually reboot and do all the basic troubleshooting steps before calling IT. If we heard from her, we knew something was legitimately broken. Oddly enough, I’m married to her now. Best decision I ever made.

  • aard
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    107 months ago

    Did pretty much the same with a new server recently - spent ages debugging why it didn’t find the SAS disks. Turns out, disks like to have power connected, and no amount of debugging on software level will help you.

  • @doingthestuff
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    97 months ago

    Always turn it off and on again. Then check cable and physical connections, then start the real troubleshooting. I have fixed over a thousand computers as a hobby. So I’m no pro, but I know that much.

    • qazOP
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      27 months ago

      I have rebooted it more than 10 times, and have checked literally every other connection but somehow forgot to check the actual SAS cable.

    • @RizzRustbolt
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      37 months ago

      So many dongle failures, and so many sprung tension latches.

  • Norgur
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    37 months ago

    I’d rather troubleshoot for days than try to reboot or check cables.

  • @[email protected]
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    27 months ago

    “Hello IT, have you tried turning it off and on again?” pause “Is it plugged in?” pause “You’re welcome”