PC repairs are me... I see broken systems

Its not just PC's but these are the general and always with windows. Although one of my fixes this weekend wasn't on a PC per say but on a router.

So, are you that person that everyone in your family (and friends) calls when there computer or anything related stops working? I am and in theory if charged could have made a nice profit hehe. Even to point that I have built system for friends for cost.

Anyhow, this weekend I visited my family and both my cousin and brother were having problems. My cousins problem was that occasionally windows crashed. Vista, yak. Not a lot I could do really as no obvious pattern, just vista being crap. So install some repair software and fix all issues can find and let it run.

My brothers issue was more interesting though and shows just how crap some "professional" internet fitters can be. So what do I mean you ask...

My brother had cable modem but the supplier in the UK. He has had for long time and had one of the original modem routers. Now having had some issues over Christmas they cam and gave him a new router and set it up. Fitter guy said something apparently on how old router not configured correctly and when they couldn't get wifi even after his changes in configuration he said that one computer must have a virus and the other one was too old..

Too old for it to connect to the wifi through its inbuilt wifi card. How much shite.. Anyhow, they have not been able to connect the PS3 or laptops since this "expert..." came along, fitted new router and configured.

So along comes me on yesterday.. I look at computer and try different wifi config settings to check not that. But PS3 also with issue. Hmm.. So, hard lead into router, goto wifi settings, and sure enough this "expert..." had set it on the crapest wifi channel he could have. Now wander nothing could see it with all the wifi interference.

Long story short, 1 min to change wifi channel and for it to reboot and bam. Everything connects. So, moral is to just be wary of these experts that come along.

But am I an expert. I don't consider myself one; but I have been building my own PC's since 1993, I did do my own rom changes for example in my Amiga and made changes in Macs. Also changed screens on laptops.. The list goes on. :-)  But as technology changes constantly I would hate to reach a point that I feel like an expert and stop thinking..

So, what issues have you encountered from family and did you get many to move to Linux (I have got a couple across)