Update: 'This is gonna raise a lot of eyebrows': Employee spends weeks doing nothing at work after boss refuses their simple solution to computer issues

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Aug 27, 2023 7:00 PM EDT

They made this dude's job too easy. A tech worker shared their story of what happened when their computer broke. 

Like many workplaces, some people have a knack for being able to troubleshoot technology. It's a valuable skill — many of us just don't have the technological know-how to fix these issues without recruiting someone from the IT department. To be fair, a lot of the time you only have to turn your computer off and on again, or clear the browser history, and for some reason it does fix a lot of what ails a laptop. 

This guy was already quite tech savvy, but their computer had an issue with overheating. That can not be fixed with a simple reboot! All the OP needed was a water cooler, but conversations with their boss about it made clear that this was not OP's issue to solve.

Some workplaces are just like that — no matter what, you have to stay in your lane. The OP, u/ExecutorAxon, at least got everything in writing. They also provided several updates, so scroll to the bottom to check those out. 

Next up, these movers were assigned a task that they really couldn't do — because 'The lady of the house simply will not permit it.'

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  • 01
    Font - I was told to "stay in my lane", so now I get to come to office and do almost nothing. A bit of backstory: I work at a studio which generally doesnt need super high end computers for most of its employees. The exception to this being two of my colleagues and me because we work on game engines for in- house stuff and VR presentations. Most of the company's work doesnt rely on any realtime graphics, and we had to beg them to upgrade our systems out of windows 7 and workstation motherboards,
    via u/ExecutorAxon
  • 02
    Font - So last week, my computer starts crashing. It crashes when I start, it crashes when I do anything, typically within 10-15 minutes of powering on. I raise an IT request for it, as is protocol. While the request is assigned, I do a few sanity checks of my own, just to be able to gain any additional information which could help them out. I figure that these are not workstation computers for which they have spare parts, and I should probably help them out because I was one of the people who b
    via u/ExecutorAxon
  • 03
    Font - Almost immediately I noticed that the CPU isn't being cooled, and I traced it back to either a faulty pump in the water cooling setup that we had, or a faulty seal around the pipe that goes to the pump. There was a leak, and all the liquid had evaporated or leaked away and dried. Now, Im no expert on water cooling for PCs by ANY stretch, but it was quite clear that nothing was being cooled. So when the IT guy came by, I told him it was probably something to do with the water cooling pump,
    via u/ExecutorAxon
  • 04
    Font - guy tells me that I shouldnt have been poking in there myself, but he appreciates the help nonetheless. He takes the computer, and passes it off to his dumba boss (DB from now), the person who checks faulty hardware before making a decision. DB is LIVID. He tells the first guy that what I told him is meaningless and "to let the professionals handle it". Okay.
    via u/ExecutorAxon
  • 05
    Font - DB comes to the same conclusion about the pump himself after wasting a day. Its after this that it all gets really weird. So, to ensure that I could continue my work, I get another computer assigned to me. Its one of the normal workstation PCs that they have, but I'm not really complaining, I get how it is. I start raising IT requests for software installation, so that I can atleast have everything that I know works on these machines, and get some work done. Some of the software works, an
    via u/ExecutorAxon
  • 06
    Font - Two days passed like this, and I never heard back from IT about my computer. I asked DB about any progress, and he informs me that they themselves didnt have any water cooling parts in the office, so they had to go to the vendor they bought the computer from for it. And that the vendor said it would take THREE TO FOUR WEEKS to procure said part. I was speechless. Its just a dumb water cooler. Even if they had to find a replacement, surely they could find a compatible replacement within da
    via u/ExecutorAxon
  • 07
    Font - Me: "We dont need the exact same model, if thats what youve asked the vendor for. Anything compatible with the CPU should work, and we could probably get a newer one faster." DB: "Who's the technician here? Dont lecture to me about compatibility. This isnt your personal computer, its company property." Me: "The guy says one month. I cant NOT work for one month!" DB: "We havent closed your request, go back and log your project time with the request ID. Leave the actual diagonstics and repa
    via u/ExecutorAxon
  • 08
    Font - Needless to say, I was pretty ped at that, but I decided to follow his instructions to the letter. I have since started logging my time as "System Down" with the request ID for my original ticket. I come in to work, do what I can on this replacement computer, and I chill for the rest of the day. This is gonna raise a lot of eyebrows when IT requests are tallied at the end of the month, and Im looking forward to it. Till then, its been one week, and I'm looking forward to two-three more of
    via u/ExecutorAxon
  • 09
    Font - TLDR: I was told to butt out of administrative decisions by an IT dept technician even though I had info they could use to fix my computer. Now its taking them forever to get it fixed, and I get to do a whole lot of nothing till then as I wait.
    via u/ExecutorAxon
  • 10
    Font - EDIT: I think people are raising a valid point about getting all of this in writing, so heres my reply, originally to /u/MesmericDischord 's comment: Logging with "system down" and request ID is accepted protocol in the company, and that automatically gets sent to MY boss for approval. He has been approving it after a quick chat with me. Both me and the IT guy under DB have been logging this exchange under the original ticket that I raised as well, so we should be good.
    via u/ExecutorAxon
  • 11
    Font - EDIT 2: I'll update this post when theres new stuff though personally I dont expect anything super big to happen. Just the environment my company operates in. If something big does happen, I might make a new post, though personally I dont really like multi-parters.
    via u/ExecutorAxon
  • 12
    Font - UPDATE (20.03.. ): The first chokepoint in the workflow is here. There is a client review on friday, and usually we can get multiple reviews going on my colleagues computers and mine, but it just so happens that my colleague has a different project assigned to him, and since my computer is unavailable, they've had to agree to outfit an older workstation with windows 10, all Oculus drivers etc, all in one day to be able to still host the client at our office.
    via u/ExecutorAxon
  • 13
    Font - UPDATE (25.03. ): They were not able to get the computer ready in time on Friday. I had to leave early due to a personal emergency, so I missed the actual fallout. Still logged my 4 hours as System Down. Talked to the IT guy who helped me out with the tickets and following up with the entire ordeal, and according to him, they were supposed to come up with a solution by Friday. My computer still isn't here yet, so I guess the solution is to wait?
    via u/ExecutorAxon
  • 14
    Font - UPDATE (11.06. ): I had been putting off an update, because there was no fallout from this, and I was just waiting. I think i've waited long enough though. So yeah. Very disappointing end to such an interesting sequence of events. No one got a telling off, there was one meeting to decide what the next course of action should be, and it was decided that I'd get a new cooler after all. The fact that weeks were wasted was just swept under the rug.
    via u/ExecutorAxon
  • 15
    Rectangle - captainkickas Like my grandma used to say: "F 'em."
    via u/captainkickas
  • 16
    Font - xewill I wonder if there's not a double malicious compliance going on here. I work in IT, Ive situations like this arise when the IT Dept has a squeeze on costs "We're broke, no new spend" "But this guys cooler is broken.." "Is it under warranty?" "Yes, but it will be months..." "I SAID NO NEW SPENDING and don't tell the user we spent all our budget"
    via u/xewill
  • 17
    Font - MesmericDischord I'd really hate for you to get in trouble, the end of the month is a long way away. Do you have any of this in writing at all? you have a CYA policy in place, enjoy the next couple weeks!
    via u/MesmericDischord
  • 18
    Font - ExecutorAxon OP. Logging with "system down" and request ID is accepted protocol in the company, and that automatically gets sent to MY boss for approval. He has been approving it after a quick chat with me. Both me and the IT guy under DB have been logging this exchange under the original ticket that I raised as well, so we should be good.
    via u/ExecutorAxon
  • 19
    Font - HelloJoeyJoe Joe +2. We waste so much time and money at work, often trying to save time and money. "Hey, why is Mr. John sitting on his a at home and not at the client site in country X" "Oh, we are waiting on his new passport. The expedited one costs $200 more, and we wanted to save money"
    via u/HelloJoeyJoeJoe
  • 20
    Font - Great, Mr. John has a daily bill rate of $2,000. The 5 days we delayed his trip to save $200 cost the company $10,000 in billing. Want to know whats even worse? That $200 was billable in the first place. Fin fact we charge an "overhead" cost on expenses. So we would have made even more money by doing an expedited passport. Nevermind, all my deliverables are a week late now
    via u/HelloJoeyJoeJoe
  • 21
    Font - 07 theAtheistAxolotl You may want to see if you can get that statement in writing. CYA, you know. Maybe send off an email with "Per your request on I'm logging my hours through until my computer is fixed" or some such... 42 Reply Share ExecutorAxon OP. I think I could make this clearer, so will update the post with my reply to another comment. The short of it is: I'm covered from my end :)
    via u/theAtheistAxolotl
  • 22
    Human body - chrwei as long as your boss is in the loop, ride it.
    via u/chrwei

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boss technical difficulties technology computer Tech malicious compliance malicious-compliance-reddit update jobs work stories job work workplace broken
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