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Challenging Computer issues with a client

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by itsecuritygal

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I have a client that I'm at my wits end with. It's a pool supply company. They are housed in a small building where they store pool chemicals and supplies. Their "office" is in the back of this building and is not sectioned off from the rest of the building. I have been doing their computer work for years as I am friends with their daughter and in exchange I get free supplies and maintenance for my pool.

Here's the problem. Their computers "die" after 2-3 years. No matter what they have. I have been telling them for years that I believe it's the chlorine/bromine and other chemicals in the air inside the shop. They won't accept this.

3 years ago we purchased a new Dell to replace one computer and 2 years ago another Dell to replace the other computer. Within 3 years, the USB ports have all stopped working except 1 or 2, they come and go. I've replaced a video card on one, an ethernet card on one. The power switch is not working on one, had to take it off and touch the wires together for it to start. The other one is getting Fan Failure issues and doesn't sound too good so I'm sure the power supply is going out.

This is just a small sample of the stuff that I'm dealing with. And it's just not Dells, the computers before these were Compaqs, before that we built them computers. ALL of them have behaved in this manner. Also, I might add that yo can smell chlorine when you open up the box and the metal is rough, almost corroded looking. Am I out of my mind to think it's the air in this building?

So, now that you have the background, here is my issue at the moment. They had a virus on the newer Dell, it was running really bad and I was planning on reinstalling Windows anyhow. So I brought home and preceeded to format the drive and reinstall the OS.

So I take the HDD out and slave it to another PC and reformat it. Put it back in the Dell and put the Windows CD in the CD Rom, which by the way are so corroded they will not open with the buttons, you have to use a paper clip or use the Eject command in windows to open them. So I get the Windows CD in and restart the computer, it won't boot to the CD. Try the other CD ROM, same thing, go into the BIOS, it shows the CD Roms are not installed. They have power, I see the lights when they turn on. After messing with the IDE cables it finally sees one CD Rom and boots tot he Windows Disk. I get Windows installed and then restart - get into windows, still no CD ROM drives - showing uninstalled in the BIOS.

I figure okay maybe the IDE cable is bad, I go buy a new one, still nothing, try the HDD on the new cable in the same IDE port - works fine.

I have tried everything, but these drives will not show up.

My gut reaction is to throw it in a dumpster, however, they do not want to spend MORE money on another computer when this one "should be just fine, it's not that old!" UGH!

So what am I looking for here? Well 1) anyone with experience in this type of environment and how can I keep these computers from dying like this so quickly. 2) Any idea how to get these CD ROMS back?

20 replies

by charliespencer

I have several systems in machine shop. Most surfaces are coated with a thin layer of lubricant and metallic particles. I've never had a system fail under these conditions, although after more than three years the interiors are coated with black gunk.

Drives for removable media are another story. I prefer to remove a floppy or optical drive from a machine destined for this environment. If I can't, I write the drive off, knowing it will be unusable in three or four months. If I have to format the drive or load software, I usually take it out and put it in another machine.

Whether you get this one working or get another, consider removing the CD drive and storing it.

by itsecuritygal

Now that you mention it, i have replaced a lot of CD drives for them. I guess I just am confused because they are coming and going, the lights are still coming on so I assumed they might be okay. I will try another drive and see what happens.

by santeewelding

I have experience. I'm surprised the boxes and their innards last as long as you say they do.

Flee. Or replace every component with polyvinyl chloride, including probably your lung tissue.

by seanferd

is making salts out of all the metals in the system. Then the salts promote oxidation with O2 in the atmosphere also. Yum.

by absolutely

Oxidation of conductors does tend to diminish bandwidth. What about the OP? I still have no "Thumb up" to indicate satisfactory reply. :(

Maybe still Googling?

by itsecuritygal

Well, the drives were dead. I put in another drive and it worked fine. I took the PC back to them and hooked it back up. I got the same response I expected...."well they worked fine when you took it. I don't understand why they would go bad." UGH!

So I explained to her and showed her the metal inside the computer and how it's corroding and tried to make her see that that is going on inside these drives too.

She's on older woman, doesn't understand computer and never will. So I will just keep checking in on her and she will just have to accept that she will be replacing parts of and even the computer on a more frequent basis than in a "normal' office.

Thanks for all the replys.

by nicknielsen

If so, I fear for their health and feel for their family.

You mention the strong smell of chlorine inside the building. I suspect that the humidity in this building is higher than outside as well. Chlorine gas is extremely reactive, even more so than oxygen. It is reacting with the humidity in the air to form hydrogen chloride, hydroxyl radicals (OH) and oxygen. One of the many reactions occurring is:

2(H2O) + 2 (Cl2) ==> 4 (HCl) + O2

HCl is extremely hydrophilic and will adhere to water droplets to form hydrochloric acid which then settles on anything in the space and corrodes it.

For the CD drives, as Palmetto said, write them off. Bring one with you every time you need to work on these machines. Unfortunately, given the client reactions you've described, somebody will have to get sick before they believe there's a problem.

Or you could (anonymously, of course) report a workplace air quality hazard to the local OSHA office...

by computercookie

Try living in a town where your at a dead end for the electricity grid and if you don't have those beautiful north easterly's you have strong southerly's.

When you touch the back of the PS grill it often collapses. Expensive GPU's have mold on the back of the card and you have to open the case and dry the dust with a hair dryer before you can clean it off!!

And then the client says i didn't do anything wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by absolutely

[i]Try living in a town where your at a dead end for the electricity grid and if you don't have those beautiful north easterly's you have strong southerly's.[/i]

Correct:
Try living in a town where you're at a dead end for the electricity grid and if you don't have those beautiful north easterlies you have strong southerlies.

[i]When you touch the back of the PS grill it often collapses.[/i]

I'm afraid to ask: with what do you "touch" the back of the PS grill, to witness such behaviour??

by itsecuritygal

They have been in this business in this building for 27 years. The husband passed away last year and the previous 5-8 years was on Oxygen. I'm sure the environment has something to do with it. The wife, is constantly coughing and has pnemonia at least a few times a year. They say it's all the years they smoked. Their son who works there also smokes (in the building) like a chimney. It is a bad environment and I don't stay long when I go - I usually take the computer back to my workshop and I never take my kids with me there either.

by nicknielsen

They hired you to work on the computers. If they don't want to listen, it's not your problem. As has been said elsewhere, it's time to tell them they need to clean up the air in there or be prepared to keep shelling out for new computers every three years.

Edit: Cigarettes AND chlorine? Talk about a bad mix!

by $dunk$

I have never used a liquid cooled system so I may be out in left field with this idea. But would it be possible to use a liquid cooled system and not have any vent holes or fans that suck in the outside air? I know it won't be air-tight but maybe that'll buy an extra year or two out of each system.

by absolutely

The radiator in a liquid-cooled computer still uses air to cool it, and unless the computer is stored in a vacuum, or airtight compartment with clean air supply, the air in it, whether pushed by fans or not, will be the same chlorinated air. What would help is setting up their air flow to bring clean air in from outside, blow it past the office, then out through the roof wherever the chlorine is. Probably also not a worthwhile investment, just for a couple of computers, but that's what would keep the 'acid rain' from ruining them.

by computercookie

but they are nearly always showing signs of corrosion. Some are fair some are dangerous.

But it did happen on a computer about 5 years old installed in a dusty location.

After disconnecting the power I picked the computer up and part of the grill pushed in.

by jack-m

I don't know your professional level of expertise and certainly don't want to insult you. Is your title you listed as IT consultant something that you do 8-5 Mon. to Fri. and this pool place is just a weekend or nights thing? If so and even if not so you should explain to whomever you report to at the pool place that your professional opinion is that unless they take steps to
safeguard their computers from the environment of pool chemicals etc. they are going to continue as they have in the past.
Replacing computers every three or so years.
Plus the difficulties you encounter with removable/movable parts. If they won't take your advice, my reaction would be to shrug and tell them they need a new computer whenever these problems arise. From what you wrote your responsibility ends when you have
done your set up, installation, formating, etc.. It's their responsibility to protect their investment. It could be something as simple as a closed room free from the pool environs or covers for the towers, keyboards etc. If they won't comply with these simple requests from the person they look to for professional computer advice and expertise
it is the problem of the decision maker, not you. I wish you luck, it sounds like a ticklish situation.
Jack

by absolutely

Show her a couple of the "wires" on the mainboard, or the contacts on a memory stick. Maybe then she'll understand how unusually small the quantities of metal are, and convince her that chlorinated air could have a destructive effect on those tiny things.

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by seanferd

What if the engine in your car looked like that?

Or try to get an example from their industry. Relate the issue to over-chlorinating a pool, or how some filtration system part gets damaged through improper maintenance or use.

Or, just tell them it is just like getting any electrical appliance wet. That might wake them up. There are probably actual electrical hazards involved with electronics in that environment.

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