• deranger@sh.itjust.works
    0·
    10 days ago

    Applies to macOS as well. These official support forums are such garbage.

    Windows: did you run sfc /scannow and chkdsk? (This has never solved a single thing in my entire building PCs life, so since about 1999.)

    macOS: did you reset SMC and PRAM? (This is basically a fancy restart and with Apple Silicon devices, it is literally just a restart.)

    • DV8@lemmy.world
      0·
      10 days ago

      It’s suggested more than it helps, especially on MS support pages, but for sure sfc fixes a particular set of problems. Out of about 16 times I’ve used it professionally it’s solved the issue about 12 or so times. (In 20 years, so damn you for making me feel old) And when it didn’t it’s usually because the file is also corrupt in dllcache.

      Chkdsk is/was useful, imho, if you run it with the /r parameter. In my experience it became irrelevant for user systems with ssd’s.

      Both are tools. Don’t blame the tool for being used for something they’re not meant for. You could technically use a power drill to hit nails in a wall, sometimes, but someone suggesting a power drill in place of a hammer doesn’t mean it’s a bad tool.

      • deranger@sh.itjust.works
        0·
        10 days ago

        To be clear, it’s not that I’m saying sfc /scannow and chkdsk are altogether worthless, it’s just that they’re reflexively repeated as a solution to seemingly every issue posted on those forums. It’s more so the advice is frequently useless for the given issue, rather than the specific commands themselves.

    • Wild_Mastic@lemmy.world
      0·
      10 days ago

      Same as the useless windows troubleshoot program that pop off every time a program crashes “Looking for the problem that caused the crash. Oh i found nothing”.

      I’m convinced it’s just those 2 pop ups and are placed just for giving the impression of doing something, but actually doing nothing.

      • LwL@lemmy.world
        0·
        9 days ago

        I have very positive experience with that thing actually. It fixed many a wifi issue for me (interestingly, while also saying it couldn’t find the issue. It just fixed it. Probably ran something as part of its diagnostics that happened to also fix the problem)

  • jubilationtcornpone@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    0·
    10 days ago

    Somewhere in the not so distant future…

    Google Search: “Install printer driver windows 11”

    Result from random blog:
    “My first experience with printer drivers was 35 years ago. My grandma had an IBM PS2 that ran MS DOS and an HP Deskjet printer. It connected to the computer via a parallel port and printed a whopping 1 page per minute. Every year at Christmas, Grandma would print off her famous pecan pie recipe and we would all gather around the printer, eagerly listening to the sound of the print head slowly whooshing back and forth in anticipation of the tasty goodness to come. Blah blah blah. Five more pages of meaningless stories that have nothing to do with installing print drivers followed by a solution that only works for Epson printers.”

    • solsangraal@lemmy.zipEnglish
      0·
      10 days ago

      the funniest part of the story is the idea that anyone’s grandma in the 90s had a computer and printed recipes, instead of a handmade old growth hardwood box full of 100 year old recipes handwritten with a quill pen

      edit: nvm, my brain didn’t register the “in the future” bit

    • Halosheep@lemm.ee
      0·
      9 days ago

      The final solution will be to renew your printer driver subscription at the low low cost of $15/month.

  • Doombot1@lemmy.one
    0·
    10 days ago

    What wasn’t included is that neither of the suggestions actually do anything, of course

  • Rhaedas@fedia.io
    0·
    10 days ago

    Forgot the replies from both the original requester as well as a number of other people who state this didn’t work at all, or isn’t remotely close to what they were asking. The 7 people who marked this as helpful must be other Microsoft “experts” giving their own useless help. And what I really love is how if I get to this page a simple back click won’t get me out, I have to pull down the history to go back to the search page because they have a reload loop built in to trap you.

    • OutlierBlue@lemmy.caEnglish
      0·
      10 days ago

      And what I really love is how if I get to this page a simple back click won’t get me out, I have to pull down the history to go back to the search page because they have a reload loop built in to trap you.

      Hi there, thanks for your question.

      I’m a volunteer helper answering questions on behalf of Microsoft. I will endeavor to do my best to get to the bottom of your problem. To break free from the reload loop, you’ll need to format your hard drive and install Linux. You’ll still get stuck in loops, because this in no way changes how webpages work, but it will put you one step ahead of all these other poor assholes asking for help on Microsoft Support Forums.

      Please mark this reply as helpful so I’ll get more MicroCents so I can one day buy my freedom from the licensing subscriptions I’m forced to pay for so I can keep using stuff I already bought.

  • rickyrigatoni@lemm.ee
    0·
    10 days ago

    “Have you used driver doctor to update your drivers? Do this first and tell us if problem is fixed.”

  • helpImTrappedOnline@lemmy.world
    0·
    10 days ago

    “Help! My computer is slow after an update.”

    “Try reinstalling window and reformatting you drive”

    “Help I can’t find my documents!”

  • OfficerBribe@lemm.ee
    0·
    9 days ago

    This applies to almost everything tech related whenever there is an official support and non-standard issue. These people (or bots) just follow some script and as soon as there is a bit more complex or non-standard situation, they will have no clue what to do because they are not technical.

    As far as Microsoft Support Community goes, if issue is popular there often is a decent answer deeper in thread, do not focus on ″best answer″.

    As per this, it seems these Independent Advisors are outsourced by Microsoft from some company called Directly. Answer is from 2019 November so it might be outsourced to different company now. There might be also several. Same happens with at least M365 enterprise support. I have seen supporters from Accenture and other companies.

  • Sylvartas@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    0·
    10 days ago

    I just had one today

    “Do [registry edit that won’t help]. Alternatively, try [setting that does not exist] Anyway this is not supported anymore as of [very old version] (actually still works)”

    And in true windows fashion, the thing just needed to be disabled and enabled again. After it was broken by a windows update, of course.

  • TriflingToad@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    0·
    10 days ago

    Looked up how to “close tabs to left” on Edge* since there’s a button for right but not left. Click MS help link, the dude legitimately recommended moving all the tabs backwards then closing to right.
    He also said you could do control click on them and “close selected tabs” which worked… decently. Still mad there’s not a button for closing tabs to left though.

    * this was on my education laptop where I can’t use Firefox and Chrome doesn’t save cookies so id have to log into everything every single time for ‘safety’

  • voracread@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    10 days ago

    It is acceptable if it just used to lay a strong foundation for the work towards a solution. Instead you will probably get another such answer if you come back after doing it and then total silence while you keeping refreshing.