This kind of thing happens so often that I don't even bother trying to help anymore. I only attempt to help when people actually provide some useful information about the problem.

I spent years trying to help people in IRC channels, mailing lists for Linux and other open source software just out of kindness and a willingness to help my fellow man and feel good about it. What I didn't realize is that I became increasingly angry, frustrated and discontent all of the time because of the tremendous amount of negative attitude/energy that people have towards the entire world when a piece of software or hardware or some product doesn't work the way they want it to and they're frustrated. Being frustrated is normal, but sending out all of that negative energy to the very pleasant and helpful people (that aren't responsible for creating the problem) that might be able to help you fix your problem is just a bad recipe for getting help, and it ultimately either scares those helpful people away, or the helpful people end up picking up the negative energy and becoming hostile towards the people they're trying to help in return.

It becomes a two-way dysfunctional negative experience, and those who saturate themselves with it under the guise of "helping" people end up suffering over time more than anything and becoming bitter. I was becoming that way myself until I realized it, and then started detaching myself from all of the end-user type mailing lists, IRC channels, etc. and sticking to developer forums and social forums instead which tended to be a much more relaxing and peaceful environment overall. ;o)

I wont even begin to say how frustrating and brain melting it is being on the receiving end of 200+ bug reports every day for software products. It's more or less getting blasted all day every day by a non-stop hate cannon that fires molten lava into your brain. Any developer or software maintainer here reading this will nod their head so fast in agreement that they will risk snapping their neck off. ;o)