Stupid Customer + bonus stupid coworker

[Anriana]

I had a customer call in upset that when she restarted her computer, she received a message saying "multiple users are logged onto this computer. Restarting may cause them to lose data," or however that message is worded in Windows.


She was absolutely convinced that was because my company (an ISP) was allowing hackers and other unsavoury characters to access her computer, as no one else in her household uses the computer. I could not convince her that this issue is in no way internet related and she demanded a supervisor. The supervisor told me that error message is frequently caused by a router...

[Samaliel]

Well, Window XP and this whole user sessions and accounts and whatnots can be very confusing to the less computer educated people... But assuming the ISP is responsible for hackers logging on the computer... I'm fairly sure there's something in the terms & conditions of service stating they're not responsible for the customers' computer security.

[Pedersen]

The supervisor told me that error message is frequently caused by a router...

That supervisor does not know what he is talking about. In order for that message to occur, someone must be logged in on another session, either through Remote Desktop or Fast User Switching or through someone accessing a file over a network share can do that, but I'm not positive about that.

Routers don't do any of that. Anybody who will say that falls into one of two categories: Person desperate to get someone off the phone and will therefore say anything or Person who does not know what they are talking about.

Since he (presumably) wasn't desperate not to talk to you, that only leaves the latter.

[Fire_on_High]

through someone accessing a file over a network share can do that, but I'm not positive about that.

Yep, that definitely will.