When tech "support" doesn't

Technical support can be infuriating. When it gets inverted commas around the "support".

By the way, I hope all readers of this blog keep regular backups of their computers. "How regularly should I backup" is a question I'm asked from time to time. The answer is: As regularly as you don't mind losing. So have a guess when your most recent backup was done. I assume you wouldn't mind if your computer only had those files on it? Good. (If not good, it's time to back up more often).

I use one of the internet-destination backup solutions you can sign up for. You know, not a bad thing: Get a free account online; they give you a certain amount of storage free of charge or you can pay for a higher limit; you install a little piece of software on your computer, and a few times a day it uploads the changes that have been made to certain files. That way, even if your computer dies entirely and all your backup discs are lost, you have a way of retrieving those files to anywhere in the world.

There are a few such companies out there, but I had a problem: My password wasn't working. So I went to their website to log-in. It didn't recognise me. So I clicked on "forgotten password", and entered the e-mail address they had for me. I was certain it was the right one, because I have a host of old mails from them. No password-reset mail ever arrived. Nothing in the spam filter either.

So the "forgotten password" feature doesn't seem to work. I know. I'll contact them. A quick look at their website says that because my account with them was set up before a certain date last year, I am entitled to ticket support. (More recent accounts have to make do with the forum).

I breathe a sigh of relief. I can get back into my account after all. Now: How do I create a ticket?

1. Click Support Home, then click Log In.
2. On the left near the bottom of the page, click Submit a Case (Located under Case Management).
3. Fill out the following fields:
   1. Case Reason
   2. Subject
   3. Description
4. Click Submit.

It's step one that made my heart sink.