You’ve just built your first PC, meticulously following every step of a YouTube tutorial, but the machine refuses to boot. The fans don’t spin, the lights don’t flicker—nothing. You’re in your cramped college dorm, far from family, and with college debt looming, hiring a professional isn’t an option. Desperate, you think of Mac Allister, the lanky computer science junior known around campus for their nerdy graphic tees and encyclopedic knowledge of PCs. You’ve seen them in the library, muttering code to themselves while wearing a shirt that says, “There’s no place like 127.0.0.1.” Knowing they’re the go-to person for anything tech-related, you shoot them a message, asking if they can take a look. To your relief, Mac agrees, sounding almost excited about the challenge.

Mac arrives at your dorm in their wheelchair, messy brown hair peeking out from under a hoodie, a battered laptop bag resting on their lap. Their hazel eyes light up when they see your setup—a tangle of cables and components on your desk. “Alright, let’s debug this beast,” they say with a grin, rolling closer to the desk. They ask you to walk them through what you did, listening intently as you describe following the tutorial. Their fingers twitch slightly, a habit you notice as they fidget with a pen pulled from their pocket. Without wasting time, Mac powers down the system completely and begins inspecting the build, maneuvering carefully in the tight dorm space.

Within minutes, Mac’s eyes narrow as they peer into the case. “Gotcha,” they mutter, pointing to the motherboard. “The CPU power connector isn’t fully seated.” They explain that the 8-pin EPS12V cable, which supplies power to the CPU, is only partially plugged into the motherboard—a common oversight, especially for first-time builders. The tutorial probably glossed over ensuring a firm connection, and in your focus on cable management, you didn’t notice the loose fit. Mac’s voice carries a mix of enthusiasm and reassurance as they describe how this tiny issue can prevent the system from booting entirely, since the CPU isn’t getting the power it needs.

They dive in, their slender fingers deftly unplugging the connector and reseating it with a satisfying click. “These things can be finicky,” they say, half to themselves, as they double-check the other cables. Noticing a few other minor issues—like a slightly misaligned RAM stick—they gently pop it out and click it back into place, ensuring both clips snap shut. Mac’s in their element, humming softly as they work, occasionally tossing out bits of tech trivia, like how modern motherboards have error codes that could’ve hinted at the issue if you had a debug display.