bjoernvold.com

Has any of you ever messed with a tech support group(such as geek squad) just for the hell of it?
I'll admit i have a few times
I called once and told them about a bios beep code for a very old pc (failed video card)
and i heard them clicking on the keyboard
I knew it was not in their database and the kid told me i needed a new motherboard and offered to come and install it for me.
I then told him Gee that's funny if I remember right that code is a failed video card in the original IBM xt personal Pc.( 286 with 2 meg of ram)
resulted in stunned silence then they hung up

dirty trick I know but fun just the same

I always try help move the conversation along. I often have to call Orange, my home broadband provider. I always start by explaining that I manage a small business network as well as a cluster of servers so I am aware and have already taken the usual diagnostic steps, then explain what I think is going on. I am duly ignored then asked to reboot my router, about an hour later I am told they will have an engineer visit the local exchange to fix the issue...I hate out-sourced tech support.

I do deal with a company called web fusion who are usually already aware of an issue and have begun fixing it before I call.

i know what you're saying
had a problem once with the phone lines and dsl
called the office and they tested the line from the office to the repeater and said it was our inside lines.
after 2 weeks of arguing with them i sent them a dual trace oscilloscope output file of a direct measurement at the outside interface jack
(turns out it was old wire hanging too low and too close to a power line)
picked up an induced voltage in excess of 60 volts (fried 2 dsl modems)

they repaired the lines and credited the cost of the modems