I didn't do anything...Ok maybe just a little something

[Terl1982]

That should really be my first clue huh? I work in a field office for my company. We have several divisions and each division has 1 IT person for the whole office. We are a construction company so the IT person stays in the main office with around 70 employees. However, each job has a field office with 2 - 10 employees with computers. This can leave the IT person overwhelmed, and so on my job I got the job as the field IT person. Mostly because I am the youngest person. Now please understand, my only qualification is that I have owned a computer since my dad bought us an old comp with Windows 3.1 when I was in 5th grade and I have had one ever since. That and the fact that I have a small affinity for computers and I have a fair amount of common sense when it comes to tech issues. On to the story!

My coworker who really is a good guy. Smart, funny, and a truly amazing carpenter. In order to keep our IT budget low, a gave him my old Macbook Pro with a Windows XP partition. He has been using it only as a Mac, so yesterday he tried to boot it in Windows and it gives a strange error message. Something about missing NTDLR (I could have that wrong). Not being a trained professional I was baffled. My idea was to boot it up in Mac and use the bootcamp utility to run the XP install disk to repair the installation (hail mary in my opinion but worth a shot). So we had it up in Mac and I have installed NTFS-3g so you can read and write to the XP drive in Mac. the following conversation ensues.

Me: Have you changed anything on the XP hard drive?
CW: No... well I guess I did a little something.
Me:.... go on.

He then opens the XP drive and there is a new folder he created called "System Information" where he had put all the miscellaneous files and folders that were hanging out, including the NTDLR file.

CW: Yeah, I didn't like how cluttered it looked, so I just cleaned it up a... *Trails off as he sees my jaw drop*
Me: Thats a little change? I hate to see a major revision!
CW: I should not have done that huh? Thanks Nick Burns.

We moved everything out of the folder and deleted the empty folder. And wonder of wonders, it worked perfectly. Nick Burns indeed!

[Ironclad Alibi]

CW: Yeah, I didn't like how cluttered it looked, so I just cleaned it up a...

I have read this about so many computer users. What is it that compels them to do this? Do these same people take a Lego kit, sort all the like parts out together, then wonder why it doesn't look like the picture in the box? Geesch!

[Argus]

I have read this about so many computer users. What is it that compels them to do this? Do these same people take a Lego kit, sort all the like parts out together, then wonder why it doesn't look like the picture in the box? Geesch!

I would ask whether they open up the hood of their car, pull out all the parts, and sort them by material.

[LionMan]

Well, if you can open up the hood and take everything out and put them back in and close the hood again, the car must work correctly since everything is in there the car needs. It doesn't matter what order they're at or they're in.

[Geek King]

Now please understand, my only qualification is that I have owned a computer since my dad bought us an old comp with Windows 3.1 when I was in 5th grade and I have had one ever since. That and the fact that I have a small affinity for computers and I have a fair amount of common sense when it comes to tech issues.

And yet this little bit that I have highlighted puts you well above the average joe user. I used to doubt my skills a lot more before I really understood that.

[ArcticChicken]

I must admit that I have....issues when it comes to folders. I have folders three and four layers deep with nothing in them but other folders, but they're just stuff I've created, I'm not stupid enough to mess with things I don't understand.

That's what my old computer is for, that way if I accidentally set off the self destruct sequence, I still have access to my stuff.

[lordlundar]

Just as bad as my sister who, while babysitting, was on the parent's computer (she's also a friend) and found out how to show hidden system files. Then she thought those files were superfluous, and removed them.

Oops.

Considering most of them were a "cannot delete while in operation" I'm still baffled by this. Cue me being called and having to do a system restore. Yeah, at that point I told her if she doesn't know what a file does, LEAVE IT ALONE!

[PepperElf]

OMG yes. I'm comfortable with mucking around with the windows Msconfig somewhat... but I have 2 rules.

If I don't know what something does, I look it up online, usually at google or here

If I still can't tell what it does (rare but it can happen) I leave it alone.

as for the registry... unless i have specific instructions on what to change i don't touch it

[Terl1982]

Just as bad as my sister who, while babysitting, was on the parent's computer (she's also a friend) and found out how to show hidden system files. Then she thought those files were superfluous, and removed them.

Here is one of those logic moments I was talking about. If windows automatically hides them it is probably because they are important files that they are hiding so they are not accidentally removed.

[Calud]

Considering most of them were a "cannot delete while in operation" I'm still baffled by this. Cue me being called and having to do a system restore. Yeah, at that point I told her if she doesn't know what a file does, LEAVE IT ALONE!

Huh, what does this do? *Cuts red wire*


BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

Ups.

[lordlundar]

Huh, what does this do? *Cuts red wire*


BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

Ups.

It would not surprise me if that was EXACTLY the train of thought when she did it.

[AriRashkae]

Huh, what does this do? *Cuts red wire*


BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

Ups.

"OK. Just remember. Always cut the red wire."

<open bomb panel to all red wires>

"DarkKat, you miserable psycho!"

Yeah, it's a good thing I'm not ambitious enough to take over the world.