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uconnfb13

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Try to make my laptop appear broken.

Experts,
I don't know if this is the correct area to send this question.  It is kind of an odd one, but here goes.

I am trying to figure out a way to lock my computer's hard drive, or make it shut off every 5 minutes, or something to make my computer appear broken.  I have a person that I don't want to be able to use it, and they are not very computer literate, I am looking for an easy way to make it look like it is not working.  Then I would like to be able to make it work again, when need be.  Any suggestions?  Thanks.
Avatar of brettslater
brettslater

just put a screensaver on 5 minutes and tick the box, on resume, password protect. right click on blank area of desktop and select properties, then the screensaver tab, set the screensaver to 5 mins and tick the box on resume, password protect. either that or when you walk away from the pc, hold down windows key then press L to unlock PC
Avatar of jimmymcp02
you could create a batch file to shutdown your pc every # of minutes if its on.... But thats not the best way to approach the issue because it might demage the hard drive or you could use the following tool if your plaptop is left idle the screen saver will display a Blue screen of death
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/Miscellaneous/BlueScreen.mspx
hehehe ! funny topic.
Load Norton INternet Security . . if that can't break it nothing can
good comment, simpswr! but i think he wants to be able to use it at intervals, how about just telling the person that he cant use your laptop and to go away ?
a 36" Louisville Slugger next to it is usually a good deterrent . .
Lock the desktop when you walk away.  Don't give anybody your password, do not create any other userids, do not give out the admin password.

Why can't you just tell this person they can't use your computer.
Add a screen saver settings to 5 minutes with password protected. At the 'Energy saving features of monitor', press 'Power' button to ensure that 'Turn of monitor:' is After 5 mins, 'Turn of hard disks:' is After 5 mins, 'System standby:' is After 5 mins.
I found some panks here:
http://rjlsoftware.com/software/entertainment/
But I don't think that they work on Windows XP since they're pretty old.
you could use an administrator account for yourself, and make a user account with very restricted options
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Nethereal

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Or he could, anybody could, just press the "windows" key.

I would still like to know why he can't just tell them "don't use it" and lock it so they can't get to it.  If they have access it is either because they are supposed to use it, or he has given it to them.  If he gave it to them, then he should be able to take it away.
Nethereal, that's a good one (Hide the desktop icons and make your wallpaper a desktop screenshot). I remember seeing someone else do this. uconnfb13, I can make a simple program to make your computer appear broken if you have any ideas.
"Or he could, anybody could, just press the "windows" key."

Browsing with the keyboard isn't all that common for less tech savy people, and most LAPTOPS don't have a windows key anyway (none of my 4 ever have).