>>>>>(6) Arrive next to the PC with a screwdriver, soldering iron and a supply of chips. This may frighten the machine into behaving rather than risking radical surgery.
>>
>>OK I'm Game.
>>A variation of 6 happens to be the way I attack those types of problems.
>>I have a soldering iron I affectionately call Big Bertha. She has a handle 3in. in dia. A barrel that is 3/4 and a tip, if you want to call it that, 1/2. Her power cord is 10 ga wire and she takes about 30 min of TLC and 110 VAC to warm up. I find her most effective when I walk in the door to be swinging her like Mick Jagger does his mike during his stage performance of I can't get no satisfaction. This technique has proven extremely effective. All most too effective. I have had old 286's, that have not been turned on for years, snap to life, attach themselves to the internet and begin downloading porn sites at the speed of a T1 connection.
>>
>
>Exactly what I had in mind. Big power screwdrivers with magnetic tips, a hammer, hot melt glue gun and a roll of duct tape hanging from a big tool belt ought to complete the picture. You'll think those old IBM ATs were Cray XMP3s!
>
>>I'm not sure your customer is ready for my style.
>>What do you think.
>
>Hmmm, they're relocated redneck types from Tennessee who could've gotten work as extras in Deliverance - you guys deserve each other!
>
>Warning don't wear any clothing with BATF or IRS insignia, or Big Bertha will be left all alone with noone to play with...
>
>>
>>< EBEG >

No sirree I've been around them thar boys from Tennisee fore and I hain't taken nuten like Big Bertha in thar. Oh and incase you did not know fall is beautiful in Tenn, all the rednecks turn orange.

:)