The Virtual Pub

Come Inside... => The Computer Room => Topic started by: Grumpmeister on March 05, 2020, 01:23:58 AM

Title: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on March 05, 2020, 01:23:58 AM
I've got a piece of software that has been a little skittish for the last day or so but yesterday when I booted up the launcher to try and run it I was only given the install option. So I checked the install directory to make sure I haven't had a Nick moment and deleted it by mistake and it's still there so I contacted support. Had a response from them earlier saying that there is a scan and repair option for that program in the launcher which should fix the issue.

Now can anyone here see the glaringly obvious problem with that suggestion....?

Yep that's right, because as far as the launcher is concerned it hasn't been installed scan and repair isn't available.  Banghead
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: apc2010 on March 05, 2020, 01:26:36 AM
I've got XP too......... noooo:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on March 05, 2020, 01:34:10 AM
If you are still on Windows XP you would be better off going on to Linux given you are spend averse...  whistle:


On Windows 10 over here.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Barman on March 05, 2020, 04:54:25 AM
I've got XP too......... noooo:

 lol: lol: lol:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Barman on March 05, 2020, 04:54:45 AM
I've got a piece of software that has been a little skittish for the last day or so but yesterday when I booted up the launcher to try and run it I was only given the install option. So I checked the install directory to make sure I haven't had a Nick moment and deleted it by mistake and it's still there so I contacted support. Had a response from them earlier saying that there is a scan and repair option for that program in the launcher which should fix the issue.

Now can anyone here see the glaringly obvious problem with that suggestion....?

Yep that's right, because as far as the launcher is concerned it hasn't been installed scan and repair isn't available.  Banghead

PICNIC...?  whistle:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on March 05, 2020, 05:04:17 AM
No, looking at the user forums this has been an intermittent issue with the launcher for a while now.  rubschin:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Barman on March 05, 2020, 05:30:12 AM
No, looking at the user forums this has been an intermittent issue with the launcher for a while now.  rubschin:

Of course, of course... pathead:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on March 05, 2020, 05:39:13 AM
Well if you can figure out how logging out of the program and then trying to launch it again a few hours later causes it to decide it hasn't been installed then by all means dazzle us with your brilliance...  ::)
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Barman on March 05, 2020, 05:48:42 AM
Well if you can figure out how logging out of the program and then trying to launch it again a few hours later causes it to decide it hasn't been installed then by all means dazzle us with your brilliance...  ::)

I need to let you figure it out yourself... If I just tell you the answer every time you'll never learn anything...  noooo:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Darwins Selection on March 05, 2020, 10:44:29 AM
Well if you can figure out how logging out of the program and then trying to launch it again a few hours later causes it to decide it hasn't been installed then by all means dazzle us with your brilliance...  ::)

I need to let you figure it out yourself... If I just tell you the answer every time you'll never learn anything...  noooo:
happy001 happy001
That old face-saver.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Steve on March 05, 2020, 12:08:56 PM
The call centre is waiting to help you

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000fzx2/panorama-spying-on-the-scammers
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: apc2010 on March 05, 2020, 12:10:09 PM
Well if you can figure out how logging out of the program and then trying to launch it again a few hours later causes it to decide it hasn't been installed then by all means dazzle us with your brilliance...  ::)

I need to let you figure it out yourself... If I just tell you the answer every time you'll never learn anything...  noooo:
happy001 happy001
That old face-saver.  :thumbsup:

 Thumbs: Thumbs:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on March 05, 2020, 01:28:03 PM
Well if you can figure out how logging out of the program and then trying to launch it again a few hours later causes it to decide it hasn't been installed then by all means dazzle us with your brilliance...  ::)

I need to let you figure it out yourself... If I just tell you the answer every time you'll never learn anything...  noooo:
happy001 happy001
That old face-saver.  :thumbsup:

 Thumbs: Thumbs:

Old buckethead must be getting on in years if he's forgotten I've worked with techies long enough to know that line is only used to cover themselves when they haven't got a clue...  lol:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on March 06, 2020, 01:17:52 PM
Another response from tech support and I'm at a loss as to how this even has anything to do with the ticket I raised..

Does my machine have the minimum spec? YES
Are my drivers up to date? YES
Do I have a controller plugged in? NO

What's next? Have I tried switching my computer off and then restarting it?  Banghead

Even if the minimum spec or driver questions were a no, that wouldn't explain why their launcher decided that the program had vanished into the ether despite still being on the bloody SSD.  Banghead

There is a simple question to ask here. How does the launcher know that the program is installed in the first place? My guess is either a registry entry or a file with a flag in it. So either send me the regedit instructions or the file and directions as to where it needs to go and stop with the unrelated steps you gormless cockwombles.  cussing:

I'm half tempted to just ask for a copy of their departmental manual so I can stop going though useless stages but I suspect that would just give me an edition of the Dummies Guide to Tech Support.  noooo:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Barman on March 06, 2020, 01:44:00 PM
Another response from tech support and I'm at a loss as to how this even has anything to do with the ticket I raised..

Does my machine have the minimum spec? YES
Are my drivers up to date? YES
Do I have a controller plugged in? NO

What's next? Have I tried switching my computer off and then restarting it?  Banghead

Even if the minimum spec or driver questions were a no, that wouldn't explain why their launcher decided that the program had vanished into the ether despite still being on the bloody SSD.  Banghead

There is a simple question to ask here. How does the launcher know that the program is installed in the first place? My guess is either a registry entry or a file with a flag in it. So either send me the regedit instructions or the file and directions as to where it needs to go and stop with the unrelated steps you gormless cockwombles.  cussing:

I'm half tempted to just ask for a copy of their departmental manual so I can stop going though useless stages but I suspect that would just give me an edition of the Dummies Guide to Tech Support.  noooo:

To be fair (having worked in tech support), 98% of calls are from morons so they have the first lie of support people you have to work through who just read the 'basics' script before passing you onto somebody that can actually solve your problem.

Many, many years ago I remember getting a call from a secretary in the City who couldn't get the CP/M Wordstar system we had sold her to work. It took me a few minutes to realise that she hadn't actually plugged it in and switched it on... facepalm:

It was actually a common thing in the early days of IT; secretarts really didn't like having their IBM Golfball replaced with a 'putor and shouted and screamed down the phone at the first sign that it wasn't performing as promised... ::)
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on March 06, 2020, 02:05:33 PM
I can accept that but this issue is something that has happened on a large scale previously and while it looks like that isn't the case now (at least the user forums and news aren't commenting as such). Plus when I sent the ticket I also included a list of the steps I had already taken to narrow down the cause (checking internet settings, hardware settings, install directory, regedit, updates etc. plus running similar software in order to see if there was a problem with them as well). You would think that would allow them to bypass the initial steps instead of rehashing everything again.
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Barman on March 06, 2020, 02:12:44 PM
I can accept that but this issue is something that has happened on a large scale previously and while it looks like that isn't the case now (at least the user forums and news aren't commenting as such). Plus when I sent the ticket I also included a list of the steps I had already taken to narrow down the cause (checking internet settings, hardware settings, install directory, regedit, updates etc. plus running similar software in order to see if there was a problem with them as well). You would think that would allow them to bypass the initial steps instead of rehashing everything again.

Oh noes... I doubt if they even read it...  noooo:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on March 06, 2020, 02:20:14 PM
I can accept that but this issue is something that has happened on a large scale previously and while it looks like that isn't the case now (at least the user forums and news aren't commenting as such). Plus when I sent the ticket I also included a list of the steps I had already taken to narrow down the cause (checking internet settings, hardware settings, install directory, regedit, updates etc. plus running similar software in order to see if there was a problem with them as well). You would think that would allow them to bypass the initial steps instead of rehashing everything again.

Oh noes... I doubt if they even read it...  noooo:

And now you can see why I'm so bloody frustrated on top of the 24+ hour response rate from them.  Banghead

If it wasn't for the fact I have this thing installed on it's own SSD and there isnt enough space for a second installation I'd just reinstall from scratch. Plus I'm reluctant to download 70-80Gb again just yet on the offchance that this is an easily fixable issue.
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Darwins Selection on March 06, 2020, 07:30:12 PM

To be fair (having worked in tech support), 98% of calls are from morons so they have the first lie of support people you have to work through who just read the 'basics' script before passing you onto somebody that can actually solve your problem.

Many, many years ago I remember getting a call from a secretary in the City who couldn't get the CP/M Wordstar system we had sold her to work. It took me a few minutes to realise that she hadn't actually plugged it in and switched it on... facepalm:

It was actually a common thing in the early days of IT; secretarts really didn't like having their IBM Golfball replaced with a 'putor and shouted and screamed down the phone at the first sign that it wasn't performing as promised... ::)
I saw what you did there.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: apc2010 on March 06, 2020, 07:33:29 PM

To be fair (having worked in tech support), 98% of calls are from morons so they have the first lie of support people you have to work through who just read the 'basics' script before passing you onto somebody that can actually solve your problem.

Many, many years ago I remember getting a call from a secretary in the City who couldn't get the CP/M Wordstar system we had sold her to work. It took me a few minutes to realise that she hadn't actually plugged it in and switched it on... facepalm:

It was actually a common thing in the early days of IT; secretarts really didn't like having their IBM Golfball replaced with a 'putor and shouted and screamed down the phone at the first sign that it wasn't performing as promised... ::)
I saw what you did there.  :thumbsup:

 lol: lol:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Barman on March 07, 2020, 06:09:25 AM

To be fair (having worked in tech support), 98% of calls are from morons so they have the first lie of support people you have to work through who just read the 'basics' script before passing you onto somebody that can actually solve your problem.

Many, many years ago I remember getting a call from a secretary in the City who couldn't get the CP/M Wordstar system we had sold her to work. It took me a few minutes to realise that she hadn't actually plugged it in and switched it on... facepalm:

It was actually a common thing in the early days of IT; secretarts really didn't like having their IBM Golfball replaced with a 'putor and shouted and screamed down the phone at the first sign that it wasn't performing as promised... ::)
I saw what you did there.  :thumbsup:

 lol: lol:
lol: lol: lol: redface:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on March 07, 2020, 04:42:26 PM
I can accept that but this issue is something that has happened on a large scale previously and while it looks like that isn't the case now (at least the user forums and news aren't commenting as such). Plus when I sent the ticket I also included a list of the steps I had already taken to narrow down the cause (checking internet settings, hardware settings, install directory, regedit, updates etc. plus running similar software in order to see if there was a problem with them as well). You would think that would allow them to bypass the initial steps instead of rehashing everything again.

Oh noes... I doubt if they even read it...  noooo:

I was being optimistic and hoping that they would read the original ticket each time but alas you are correct (came as a hell of a shock to me as well  eeek: ). Having specifically explained that the program has it's own dedicated SSD and that there isn't enough space on there to use the reinstall option what glorious bit of advice did I get from them today..............? Yep, you guessed it. Reinstall the program over the original install site and it will detect and reactivate the original installation.  Banghead

Then a couple of minutes later they also emailled me a tech support customer satisfaction survey link.....

 rubschin:

 rubschin:

 rubschin:

 rubschin:

I wonder how long I can resist the urge.....  Sinister:

 
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on March 08, 2020, 01:52:43 PM
Sod it I've had enough, deleted the original install and starting from scratch again.

Oh joy, the launcher is estimating a 13 hour install duration.  Banghead
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Steve on March 08, 2020, 02:55:26 PM
Sod it I've had enough, deleted the original install and starting from scratch again.

Oh joy, the launcher is estimating a 13 hour install duration.  Banghead
That quick eh?

Best make a gallon of coffee
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Barman on March 08, 2020, 03:15:52 PM
Sod it I've had enough, deleted the original install and starting from scratch again.

Oh joy, the launcher is estimating a 13 hour install duration.  Banghead

Gubbed...  noooo:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on March 08, 2020, 11:10:42 PM
Sod it I've had enough, deleted the original install and starting from scratch again.

Oh joy, the launcher is estimating a 13 hour install duration.  Banghead

Gubbed...  noooo:

Working properly again but given that this is a known problem with the launcher that they still haven't been able to diagnose or patch previously I have my doubts that I won't be repeating the process again sometime in the near future...  noooo:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Steve on March 08, 2020, 11:29:41 PM
But less than 13 hours though  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on March 08, 2020, 11:42:06 PM
A little shy of 10 hours. 

To put that into perspective there are a coupe of PC games I play, the last one I downloaded came in at just over 105Gb and I was able to download that in just over 4 hours.  Banghead
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Steve on March 09, 2020, 10:47:00 AM
A little shy of 10 hours. 

To put that into perspective there are a coupe of PC games I play, the last one I downloaded came in at just over 105Gb and I was able to download that in just over 4 hours.  Banghead
Just staggering that 105GB, and to think once upon a time gamers were satisfied with the size of program you could store on a C90 cassette tape
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on March 09, 2020, 01:14:01 PM
A little shy of 10 hours. 

To put that into perspective there are a coupe of PC games I play, the last one I downloaded came in at just over 105Gb and I was able to download that in just over 4 hours.  Banghead
Just staggering that 105GB, and to think once upon a time gamers were satisfied with the size of program you could store on a C90 cassette tape

Well graphics have come along way:

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5a/Manic_Miner_Screenshot.png)

to

(https://images.pushsquare.com/2d0bfd68fbd31/cyberpunk-2077-ps4-speculation.original.jpg)
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Steve on March 09, 2020, 02:01:17 PM
A little shy of 10 hours. 

To put that into perspective there are a coupe of PC games I play, the last one I downloaded came in at just over 105Gb and I was able to download that in just over 4 hours.  Banghead
Just staggering that 105GB, and to think once upon a time gamers were satisfied with the size of program you could store on a C90 cassette tape

Well graphics have come along way:

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5a/Manic_Miner_Screenshot.png)

to

(https://images.pushsquare.com/2d0bfd68fbd31/cyberpunk-2077-ps4-speculation.original.jpg)
think I prefer the top one
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on March 09, 2020, 02:57:14 PM
A little shy of 10 hours. 

To put that into perspective there are a coupe of PC games I play, the last one I downloaded came in at just over 105Gb and I was able to download that in just over 4 hours.  Banghead
Just staggering that 105GB, and to think once upon a time gamers were satisfied with the size of program you could store on a C90 cassette tape

Well graphics have come along way:

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5a/Manic_Miner_Screenshot.png)

to

(https://images.pushsquare.com/2d0bfd68fbd31/cyberpunk-2077-ps4-speculation.original.jpg)
think I prefer the top one

Manic Miner  cloud9: I spent many an hour as a kid playing that game.

http://torinak.com/qaop#!manicminer

Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on June 06, 2020, 12:49:40 PM
Had a separate issue with another piece of software which I'm convinced is server side rather than on my side as every test I've been able to run has been coming up green.

Tech support's first suggestion: To connect my PC to another network and try again. Genius, because every household has two separate networks with individual t'interweb providers. Banghead
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Nick on June 06, 2020, 12:56:31 PM
Be like Apey and use your neighbour's  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on June 06, 2020, 01:07:38 PM
It's a stupid step to take, they gave the bloody thing away free a few weeks ago and it was so popular that the site that was hosting it crashed due to the number of people trying to download it.
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Steve on June 06, 2020, 01:49:24 PM
Had a separate issue with another piece of software which I'm convinced is server side rather than on my side as every test I've been able to run has been coming up green.

Tech support's first suggestion: To connect my PC to another network and try again. Genius, because every household has two separate networks with individual t'interweb providers. Banghead
Mine does  ;), so does yours probably

Connect it to your mobile phone operating as a local hotspot?
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on June 06, 2020, 02:32:22 PM
Had a separate issue with another piece of software which I'm convinced is server side rather than on my side as every test I've been able to run has been coming up green.

Tech support's first suggestion: To connect my PC to another network and try again. Genius, because every household has two separate networks with individual t'interweb providers. Banghead
Mine does  ;), so does yours probably

Connect it to your mobile phone operating as a local hotspot?

Might give that a try once I've got an idea of the data usage.
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Steve on June 06, 2020, 02:46:52 PM
Had a separate issue with another piece of software which I'm convinced is server side rather than on my side as every test I've been able to run has been coming up green.

Tech support's first suggestion: To connect my PC to another network and try again. Genius, because every household has two separate networks with individual t'interweb providers. Banghead
Mine does  ;), so does yours probably

Connect it to your mobile phone operating as a local hotspot?

Might give that a try once I've got an idea of the data usage.
Good point, I ran through a Gig in no time when the PC decided to back up all my files to the cloud using the iPhone.  Fortunately at that point an auto break kicked in
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on June 06, 2020, 03:16:16 PM
I get 12Gig a month hotspot allowance on my phone so I should be ok but I'm still checking first.
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: apc2010 on June 06, 2020, 04:01:49 PM
 cussing:
Title: Re: Tech Support headaches.
Post by: Grumpmeister on June 06, 2020, 10:12:38 PM
cussing:

Neighbour changed their password again?  whistle: