How annoying are computers

[Davidc]

Back to the OP.....

Another alternative would be to but a netbook. Basically a stripped down PC which should do the things you've said you want it for.

If you need to use a CD/DVD drive you'd have to get an external one - they don't have then built in (so no chance of your present problem) and you'd have to make sure it had enough other connections (e.g.USB and network) if you use those, again these are stipped down PCs.

They are cheap, use little power, lightweight, and the few people I know who have them seem to find them good.

One of those is used to remote control an office PC over the internet, which it aparrently does without any problems.

 

[colly]

My original problem has been solved by my son. At least in part. He took the rubber drive belt off.

So it still whirs and purrs but nothing goes in and out............That will do for the time being.


Time to start looking around I think. Thanks for all the tips.

I kind of miss it now.

 

[GordonB]

I tell you one way to really drive somebody mental ...

I did this to my Mother who is a bit of a know-nothing when it comes to computers.

It works very nicely on Windows XP, here's instructions that anyone can follow:

1) Minimise all the windows.

2) Press CTRL + Shift + Print Screen (button to the right of F12 at the top of the keyboard).

3) Go to START -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Paint. The Paint program will open.

4) In Paint, choose edit -> paste. Then choose File -> Set As Background (Centered).

5) Right-click on the taskbar (blue strip at the bottom of the screen, contains the green start menu button).

6) In the dialog box that appears, click properties -> taskbar -> auto-hide the taskbar.

7) Close Paint (click "no" if it asks if you want to save the file).

8) Retire to an innocuous position, and wait for the victim to return to the PC.

9) Remain as straight-faced as possible while the victim goes absolutely mental, hammering the keyboard and mouse, screaming obscenities at the computer because it apparently won't work.

What makes it even better is that the effect remains even after they've ripped the plug out of the wall in a fit of rage, slammed it back in, and sat there, seething, while the computer boots up again ...

I seem to recall that the original Amstrad pcs retained the screen and text colour setup in a non-volatile part of the memory so if you were a wicked bastid you could change the screen colour to black and the text to black........... nothing you did could change it unless you removed and replaced the little system battery.

Gordon

 

[machew]

The most fun I had at work one boring Friday afternoon was remotely opening all the cd draws off all the PCs on the network. Had a nice script that opened them all in IP address order

 

[Basil.B]

Been using Mac's since the late 80's, never had a problem. Got a mac mini at the moment, works like a dream.
They might cost more but they are better built, and not so prone to bugs.
Best of all they look gorgeous!

 

[Piemaster]

I tell you one way to really drive somebody mental ...

I did this to my Mother who is a bit of a know-nothing when it comes to computers.

It works very nicely on Windows XP, here's instructions that anyone can follow:

1) Minimise all the windows.

2) Press CTRL + Shift + Print Screen (button to the right of F12 at the top of the keyboard).

3) Go to START -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Paint. The Paint program will open.

4) In Paint, choose edit -> paste. Then choose File -> Set As Background (Centered).

5) Right-click on the taskbar (blue strip at the bottom of the screen, contains the green start menu button).

6) In the dialog box that appears, click properties -> taskbar -> auto-hide the taskbar.

7) Close Paint (click "no" if it asks if you want to save the file).

8) Retire to an innocuous position, and wait for the victim to return to the PC.

9) Remain as straight-faced as possible while the victim goes absolutely mental, hammering the keyboard and mouse, screaming obscenities at the computer because it apparently won't work.

What makes it even better is that the effect remains even after they've ripped the plug out of the wall in a fit of rage, slammed it back in, and sat there, seething, while the computer boots up again ...

Works even better with a CRT monitor. Then you can drag all the icons to the edge of the desktop and then fiddle about with the monitor settings so they just disappear off the edge of the screen. Not as though I would do that of course.

Back to OP. I once had a few pc trick programs. The cd one used to randomly open the cd drawer, blow a raspberry via the speakers, then close the drawer again.

 

[Manonabike]

The most fun I had at work one boring Friday afternoon was remotely opening all the cd draws off all the PCs on the network. Had a nice script that opened them all in IP address order

Your post makes me think the OP might have a trojan virus problem where somebody else has taken control of the PC and it's having a bit of fun opening the CD/DVD draw

 

[mgarl10024]

Our PC needs cleaning out every 6 months or so.

Why doesn't it surprise me that you have a really clean computer?

Mr Summerdays has been sticking the vacuum cleaner in for years ...

Me too. Never had an issue. Those compressed air cans can be a lot of money.

 

[Theseus]

How dirty is your PC?

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/13/ventblockers/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/11/18/ventblockers_2/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/11/26/ventblockers_2/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/12/03/ventblockers_frog/


Back in the day when we used an old IBM PC (the one that is 30 today) there was a program that you could run that gave a fatal error message saying that water was found in drive A. It then put it in a "spin cycle" and ran the drive moter at, what was then, high speed. Roll on a few years and we were using a 486 (the first in the company) to crunch the numbers to migrate the GL and I ran it to see how it would do. It was over so fast, it lost the effect. No doubt running it on one of today's machines (even if they had floppy drives) wouldn't even register.

 

[mgarl10024]

My original problem has been solved by my son. At least in part. He took the rubber drive belt off.
So it still whirs and purrs but nothing goes in and out............That will do for the time being.

With respect to your son, that's really not the answer. You've now got a little motor spinning away until it burns out.
I'd still recommend popping the case (when off) and unplugging the power lead. Two minute job, problem solved.

MG

 

[machew]

Your post makes me think the OP might have a trojan virus problem where somebody else has taken control of the PC and it's having a bit of fun opening the CD/DVD draw

For the real BOFH the blue screen of death screen saver. Install it at work and watch the helpdesk lines melt (BSOD fun)