Bit of a strange question

[Divide by Zero]

I don't know if this is the right sub-forum for this, but whatever. How can I destroy my parents' computer and make it look like it happened on its own? This computer is almost ten years old (and was lower-end even when we got it), and never been upgraded. Seems like some of the components are slowly failing too, as it has trouble with things that used to work fine. They basically only use it for word processing and email, and the fact that even those things run slow doesn't seem to bother them. However, it is woefully inadequate for the needs of my younger brother. It can barely handle web browsing and office programs without painful lag, and God forbid you try to play a game made in the past five years or so. Letting him use my computer is out of the question, both because I'm usually using it and because I don't trust anyone with my electronics, and he can't afford to buy his own. Talking to the parents hasn't helped; they refuse to see the problem, and I even put together a cheap new rig on Newegg that they could easily afford and showed it to them.

So, I figure that if I can render the computer completely unusable, they'll finally be motivated to move into this century. How can I do that without making it obviously sabotage? The only requirement is that the hard drive needs to be untouched; there are lots of important files on it.

 

[Whyfly??]

Take the heatsink off the motherboard, and turn the PC on.
Turn it on a good ten times (The Pc will fry and turn off, just keep turning it on about ten times) Then it should completely fail... Put the heatsink back on and you're set.

 

[vampist]

Don't be such a little brat! Earn your own money and buy your own damn computer you little twerp! What you are looking to do is illegal, just because it's your parents doesn't mean it's not.

If my kid ever touches my computer like you are planning on doing I would smack him upside the head so hard his ear wouldn't stop ringing for a week.

 

[lhuser]

Buddy, I wouldn't do that. It might need a reformat, or at least, if your parents don't want to buy a new PC, talk to them about upgrading it. Tell them that your brother's needs for web surfing and office is a pain in the rear end. I would not recommend to screw that PC up.

Don't be such a little brat! Earn your own money and buy your own damn computer you little twerp! What you are looking to do is illegal, just because it's your parents doesn't mean it's not.

If my kid ever touches my computer like you are planning on doing I would smack him upside the head so hard his ear wouldn't stop ringing for a week.

Vampist, coold down buddy! Just tell him calmly. He might not be in a position to earn cash yet.

 

[vampist]

Buddy, I wouldn't do that. It might need a reformat, or at least, if your parents don't want to buy a new PC, talk to them about upgrading it. Tell them that your brother's needs for web surfing and office is a pain in the rear end. I would not recommend to screw that PC up.


Vampist, coold down buddy! Just tell him calmly. He might not be in a position to earn cash yet.

Sorry it's just people like him piss me off.
It's like people who smash guitars for no reason.

They have no concept of what it's like to live with out these items. Once they have then they will learn very quickly to be happy with what they have.

 

[lhuser]

I understand the fact that people brak stuff for no reason and that enrages me too, but sometimes, it's as if that's the only solution. When you feel you can have that avoided, mention some opinions. It's worth more saving them and the feeling of guilt too

I'm sure the guy doesn't want to do that just to tick people off, because I would have warned him.

 

[Remeniz]

OP?

What the specifications of this computer?

 

[Divide by Zero]

Don't be such a little brat! Earn your own money and buy your own damn computer you little twerp!

If you had actually read the entire post, you would see that I have my own computer (which I purchased entirely with money I earned). It's also better than the one I suggested to them. I have no direct stake in this issue.

Buddy, I wouldn't do that. It might need a reformat, or at least, if your parents don't want to buy a new PC, talk to them about upgrading it. Tell them that your brother's needs for web surfing and office is a pain in the rear end. I would not recommend to screw that PC up.

Formatting didn't help noticeably, nor did anything else I tried. Talking has been tried repeatedly. And even if they were willing to consider an upgrade, I doubt it would be remotely cost-effective, if you could find compatible parts for it at all.

OP?

What the specifications of this computer?

I don't have it on hand. Off the top of my head, it's a HP rig with an Athlon processor (around 1.5-2 GHz IIRC), integrated graphics by some company I've never heard of before, and 512 MB RAM.

 

[Remeniz]

Will they let you build them a new rig?

 

[Grantofhell]

Have you mentioned the possibility of selling the old one? You might only get 50 dollars out of it, but that would pay for the proc. You can get a really nice and decently powerful build for 300 (no OS).

Probably less these days. That was when I built my media rig a few months ago.