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Help me break this computer

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Originally posted by: armatron
Originally posted by: loki8481
we do this to train new guys at my job. here are some standard tricks:

randomly change jumper settings on the motherboard and hard drives.
mess around with the boot settings in the bios (disable the hard drive or switch master/slave)
plug in the IDE cables backwards
corrupt the OS installation to the point where it won't boot (works with Linux and Windows)
if it's Windows, use an OS install from a different motherboard, so that the drive won't boot properly no matter how hard they try

no offense but most of those are retarded ways of testing troubleshooting skills. You normally don't have to deal with someone purposely switching jumpers and junk

I have seen people do all sorts of things to their PCs. None of what he listed is out of the realm of possibility.
 
Originally posted by: loki8481
we do this to train new guys at my job. here are some standard tricks:

randomly change jumper settings on the motherboard and hard drives.
mess around with the boot settings in the bios (disable the hard drive or switch master/slave)
plug in the IDE cables backwards
corrupt the OS installation to the point where it won't boot (works with Linux and Windows)
if it's Windows, use an OS install from a different motherboard, so that the drive won't boot properly no matter how hard they try

Can't pluging the ide cable backwords ruin the HD (although its unlikely in newer systems)?

Download a virus.
 
Originally posted by: User1001
Originally posted by: loki8481
we do this to train new guys at my job. here are some standard tricks:

randomly change jumper settings on the motherboard and hard drives.
mess around with the boot settings in the bios (disable the hard drive or switch master/slave)
plug in the IDE cables backwards
corrupt the OS installation to the point where it won't boot (works with Linux and Windows)
if it's Windows, use an OS install from a different motherboard, so that the drive won't boot properly no matter how hard they try

Can't pluging the ide cable backwords ruin the HD (although its unlikely in newer systems)?

Download a virus.

Never ruined a hard drive that way.
 
-unplug CPU cooling fan
-loosen the AGP card a bit
-corrupt the MBR so they have to rebuild it
-install a ton of programs that capture certain file extensions to themselves, then remove said software
-registry tweking...

And best of all

INSTALL XP SERVICE PACK 2!!!
 
1.) Put in bad RAM
2.) Install TONS of ad-ware that's fsking impossible to remove. "Huntbar" variants come to mind...
3.) Viruses, viruses, viruses!
4.) JRun 😀
 
If you need some viruses, I've been storing some (dunno why, but, nonetheless, I have some emails stored with viruses attached.)
 
We are done with this now, had tons of spyware, p2p, search bars, corrupted xp that wouldn't boot because of size of page file, winsock, and all sorts of stuff.
 
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