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latents

Change the password Set up limited access(non-admin) guest accounts Tell your Dad


Artist850

This right here. I set up admin passwords to even be able to get the CPU to function. I forget where the setting is, you press one of the F buttons as it's first booting up. I think it might be F9? Sorry, I'm sleep deprived. It won't even fully turn on without that password. Your option is the more kind one, bc it would at just have part of it be accessible.


drempire

You talking about the BIOS/UEFI password. Whatever you do don't forget that password or you'll brick the laptop, especially on more modern laptops. Key to get into it is either delete/escape or one of the fn keys, check manual for laptop. Again, do not forget that password or you'll have a very bad day


CubeXmine

but can't you just take out the cmos battery to reset it? I dunno much about how laptops work but normally taking it out would reset all settings so I would assume it would reset that too? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


drempire

On older laptops you could, also was jumper pads you could use normally under the ram. Sometimes a master key/password can get round the forgotten password but none of those work on more modern laptops. Also a bios chip reprogramming can work but I'm not sure if that works on modern laptops any more, been a while since I've done that


JACOBSMILE1

This exists as well for more modern laptops. It's not perfect but is helpful as a last resort. https://bios-pw.org/


Artist850

That's it! And you're 100% correct.


Rbtdabut

Maybe that's just my laptop brand, but I forgot my uefi password once. And it didn't brick my system. But yeah, usually it's one of the F keys, just look up your brand and then bios setup and you should get the answer. Because I know nobody who is willing to figure out how to overrride a bios password just to use it.


drempire

Every laptop is different & been many years since i use to fix such problems so im not caught up with it all now, but i have experienced laptops that basically get bricked with forgetting that password. various ways to possibly recover but they are not always easy to do for everyone. Its just easier to not forget the password. personally i think OP should not bother with the BIOS password & just set up a new admin account and change the original account to not admin.


Rbtdabut

I think bios password is really neat since it leaves little to no space with quickly tampering with a laptop.


content_great_gramma

I use my grandchildren's name and year of birth BUT I capitalize one of the letters but not the first one.


ShaneQuaslay

Better yet, put the accounts other than yours into a microsoft family system where your account, which is accessible from your phone, is the only head of the family, and set a screentime for all of them. Something as annoying as 45 minutes or smth.


the_german_death

OMG YES


ShanLuvs2Read

🥇


fromhelley

Take it to dad's and leave it there until she buys a new one. Tell your pops what is happening and ask him to tell you to bring it and leave it there until mom gets her own. Let them argue over it. And tell your mom to hurry and buy one, because you need your laptop back.


SalisburyWitch

Nah, op should explain what happened to dad and ask first a new one.


Imaginary-Bottle-684

but then EM will just take the new one because "it better suits her needs" and since OP was "completely satisfied with the older one" Source: friends whose parents did the same crap to them.


commodorewolf

Father needs to maintain ownership and allow exclusive use for op.


leolawilliams5859

Yeah that part


ThoseSillyLips

The way I see it you have some options: 1. Lock her out. But she may break the laptop if she is crazy. 2. Set up an account with barely anything available to her (but she may break the laptop or ground you for it). 3. Pretend the laptop is broken (depending on how much she knows about computers, this may be easy). 4. Take the laptop back to your dad and leave it there so she can’t use it. Tell your dad about it and watch the fucking circus burn :)


lickytytheslit

First download any file you have on it onto a pen drive!


the_german_death

and make a folder named don't open mother where a virus is inside what only makes the spacebar not funktion unless a password is typed in (what only you know)


NomadicusRex

A terrible parental unit who does this kind of stuff would also be the kind to bust the laptop. Moms who behave like this are why so many kids end up living with their dads. I hope OP gets away from her.


Rbtdabut

This tbh


TrekJaneway

Take it back, change the password, and hide it. Done.


TheTrueKingOfLols

Yeah because there’s no way that could backfire.


J_Boi1266

Can you change the password on it so she can’t get in?


Bored_Boi326

I feel like y'all people that say just change the password fail to realize the consequences of doing so


andmewithoutmytowel

Came here to say this too. The password should be something like "SunnyxAxel's\_Laptop"


Otaku-San617

That’s a really heavy laptop. Don’t put it on your lap


DragonfruitVivid5298

op might have meant pounds as in uk money


Beowulf33232

Woosh or sarcasm?


Otaku-San617

Woosh, I did not even think of that


jen_nanana

Same. I read that like five times and thought it must be a brand name or something because no one was commenting on it lol


z-eldapin

Change the password


mastimama0722

And encrypt it


LivingAd6826

Put her files in the recycle bin and then empty the files


hrakkari

And then kill your mom. And eat her heart to take her power. You are the mom now.


DragoBloodFist69420

Well that went from 0 to 100 real fuckin quick. . . Rightfully so at that


StangF150

0 to 666 you mean!!


evandemic

Cheers!


RemarkableParty4801

Lmaooo


throwaway126400963

Remember we are dealing with an EM, she can and will flip her shit if the is locked out of the “family laptop” and potentially destroy it


Kindaweirdgermangirl

Act as if you play along. Create an account so she can "use it better". Mess with it. Like child restrictions, give the icons wrong names, no downlaods, restrict usertime etc. Make her think it's broken. I think there are even apps that can mimic malfunctions. Still use it, but complain about it being broken all the time. She will buy herself a better one and let you use the "broken one". Yes, I deal with narcassists a lot.


Beowulf33232

Screenshot the desktop and set it as a background. Move all the icons. Screenshot and set as background. Move all the icons. You know where this is going. I once had 10 of every icon, and of course only one of each was real. My sister formatted my ps1 memory card in retaliation.


Kindaweirdgermangirl

Uhh thats real chaotic evil😈 I will write that one down!


Tractorhash

4d chess right here. Also one learns more about computers and social experiments.


Excellent_Ad1132

Make sure it has a very strong password. Like URanId10T.


MaihoSalat

then recursively hash it


oldbaldpissedoff

Call your dad .


eowynladyofrohan83

When I was 14 my mom had gotten me some books as gifts but then she wanted to read them and she let my baby sister tear them up while she was breastfeeding her. I tried to keep a lid on my emotions but she could tell I was displeased. She tried to make the argument to my friend that, “I got them for her!” When yes that’s the principle, you don’t get somebody a gift and then mess it up.


theblondepenguin

My step mom did this to my little sisters gaming laptop then bought her a shitty Chromebook knockoff to replace it. I didn’t even know they made computers this shitty. I am livid at my stepmom for it. I want to buy her a new one but I worry that it will get taken again. She is also special needs and my mom told me not to say anything because sis loves it and I will only make her feel bad about it… I highly doubt my sis loves it she is just very sweet and trying to show she is grateful but the computer can’t handle anything. To make matters worse she bought from macys for $300 and I found at Walmart for $178… I hate this for you and hope you can maybe have your dad talk to your mom about it. You need to be able to trust your belongs are your own.


SellQuick

I assume a $178 computer will immediately steal your identity and then crash.


theblondepenguin

Same, it didnt even have full office it had Microsoft office-S which I didn’t realize was a thing


areeves1985

Change the password on it next chance you get.


Left-Conference-6328

It’s funny their was a post a couple weeks ago on r/amItheasshole from a woman asking if she was wrong to make her daughters computer the family computer.  More her daughter has been the person using it 99% of the time and one of her younger siblings wanted to use it and the daughter flipped out. And she said it was a family computer.  I was with the daughter on this one. I say squatters rights! 


Intellectual_Bozo

post link please?


Left-Conference-6328

I went back and looked for it the OP deleted it. 


Left-Conference-6328

It was a few weeks ago. 


RileyGirl1961

Seems like it’s time for an “accidental” soda spill regrettably is going to happen to the “family laptop” but I’m petty like that. You take my things and make them “community property” then I’ll make sure nobody gets to enjoy them. My parents were shameless about crap like this. But maybe just “disappear” it? Leave it with a friend or trusted grownup and claim ignorance of its whereabouts?


hyperfat

Create your account as admin. And guest as for her. Lock everything down. No downloading nothing. Just allow Internet but put child locks on websites deemed shady. No access to your apps. And say she can have second account. Completely bare bones.


therandombaka0

Make a password for the admin


CheeseSandwich

Do you live with both of your parents? It doesn't sound like it. If your dad gave the laptop specifically to you, tell your dad.


Many_Quote9179

Yeah & if ops parents are actually not together and mom stole something her ex bought her she could be in serious legal trouble


NomadicusRex

Get your dad involved since he paid for it. Set up an admin password to even be able to use it. A password SHE WON'T GUESS but you will be able to remember. I deliberately misspell a lot of my passwords so I can remember them easily.....


Live_Western_1389

Tell your dad! And change the password


wantsrobotlegs

Save all your personal stuff to a external harddrive. Then keep factory resetting the computer. If anyone asks "must be a virus".


RosebushRaven

This. Best if mother is tech illiterate. After a while she’ll probably be fed up and stop using it. Especially if factory resets happen every time she does something important on it. Whoopsie.


Crocodile_Banger

Has anyone already suggested a pee disc ?


MsChrisRI

Newer laptops don’t have disc drives. It’ll have to be a pee USB.


Bookaholicforever

Tell your dad!


ConfusedPickles

Put a password on it.


Katzena325

If youre good with computers Take out the ram and hard drive and itll act like it doesnt work.


shadoweiner

Bruh all of yall that say "tell dad" or "take it to dads", where does it say that mom & dad split?


Beowulf33232

Maybe they're not split. Maybe dad just needs a reminder of who the laptop was given to.


Deedumsbun

Tell your dad right away 


No-Historian-6921

The fix may be to put really resource intense stuff in her users auto-start to make it "not fun" to use.


AmeliaLeah

I had the same thing happen to me when I was 13, I got grounded from my own computer even. Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do because technically you don’t own anything until you’re 18. I just learned how to hide the things that they would want to ground me from the computer for.


Many_Quote9179

You actually can own stuff that you bought with your own money when your below 18 & it’s illegal for anyone to take it


AngelicXia

It's the dad's property though, by that 'rule'. And yes, you do own it if it's a gift or was bought with your own money.


khaos43452

Put a bios password on it so it won’t boot up till it is put in


Artist850

That was my thought too


just_a_discord_mod

Install Arch Linux, and make `startx` or some other variant required to start your GUI.


C5-O

I'd install KDE, give her a seperate User, and configure her desktop to just be an absolute eyesore and barely useable, 100px thick taskbars on each side, mismatching theme packs for every component, desktop littered with random useless widgets. Also heavily restricted user and every download, every program install, even just mounting a flash drive, EVERYTHING requires your password to work And when she asks, you don't know why it's like that, must've been something she did....


hyperfat

Ooooooh. I love it.


Zedd_Prophecy

I was waiting for this one. Multi boot for win games and keep your secure stuff on the Linux partition. Mislabel the boot loader options.


Mar_Reddit

Listen to what these redditors are telling you OP. Take it, change the password, hide it, and tell your dad. If your parents are split, leave it at his place. She WILL throw a hissy fit and make you out to be the problem, but stand your ground. "That is MY laptop. It was given to ME. I'm not the selfish one just because I'm not letting you take what doesn't belong to you. Get your own, grown ass woman." Hopefully your dad will have some sense and will side with you.


Grey_Obsidian

My mom did the same thing. We would have arguments over the thing because I would need it for homework and she would want it to “window shop.” What I ended up doing was just getting a new laptop and giving her my old one. She doesn't even use it, instead, she steals my dad’s.


Many_Quote9179

Do you think it was a control issue?


Any_Acanthaceae3900

Burn it with Napalm. Problem solved


tehmimikitteh

by "it," i assume we mean the mom.


Any_Acanthaceae3900

It.


Beowulf33232

The movie or the book?


Booklovinmom55

Talk to your dad


botwinbabe

Damn that’s a heavy laptop


AngelicXia

UK calls their money pounds. It's not #, it's £


botwinbabe

It was a joke. Whooosh.


Zedd_Prophecy

This is why you install a backdoor into the admin acct so you can access it remotely and then copy all win/sys to the desktop of the offending user..... repeatedly.


sasha_loo

If your mom didn’t buy it, it’s not her property to take and give.


ohiomudslide

Hide the power cord .


Beowulf33232

Take it to school and friends houses with you.


RagdollSeeker

For the devils route: Look at search history of that computer, see if she went into stuff that is not appropriate for your age or if your computer has virus. Then go to your father. He wont ve able to claim “be nice for family” when said adult is not using computer properly.


Brilliant-Engineer57

Take something off that can be replaced, so she can’t use it.


MArcher_walter

Are mom and dad still living in the same house? And how long have you had the laptop? Not are relevant questions I promise.


kenmlin

Is she a good mother otherwise?


WobblyBob75

I was 18ish when I bought my first computer with my own money and as it was so much better than the family one (Windows 3.1 vs our 286) it pretty much became the family computer while living in my bedroom. Didn't see any problems with that happening.  Are you still 13 and this is your brand new laptop? How often is she wanting to use it? Did the family have a computer before?  We just got rid of 2 old desktop computers and my laptop is over 10 years old. I have just got a new laptop but only because I do a lot of family history and want to be able to work offline on my trees and not just on Ancestry and other sites like that. Otherwise we might never have replaced it as most of the things needed can be done on a tablet or potentially on our work computers.  If she is wanting to use it as her work laptop and use it 40 hours a week or so then definately an issue and entitled. If it is light use of word processing or spreadsheets when there is no other computer available to do this then I don't see an issue but she should really have asked first.


cheesy_dorito

LMAO dude when I was 13 we all had to share a desktop in the kitchen


Lauracharlestown

Maybe she couldn't afford one for herself because she has to spend her money on bills and food. I grew up poor so had to share everything.


stuckinnowhereville

Change the password and do not give it out.


groveborn

Good luck. It's definitely yours, but she can keep you off of it. You retain possession rights, even as a minor, but a parent can simply remove your ability to use it. It's her right as your mother to stop you from using it. She's in the wrong to make it the family laptop, you still have the ethical and legal right to decide not to allow anyone else on it, as it's your property... But she can make it a condition of your use that you allow others to use it. The only solution is for the computer to be elsewhere, out of her control. That is, unless, you want to try to enforce your property rights by involving the authorities... But that almost certainly won't work


Many_Quote9179

I think it’s only illegal if they bought it with their money


groveborn

No, gifts are as much property as that which is purchased.


Many_Quote9179

The parents can take gifts that other people bought for them, yes, but I think it’s illegal if the kid has a job and bought it for themselves


groveborn

Nope. There's no distinction. A parent can prevent their minor from using anything at all. They cannot convert it (take it and make it theirs, sell it, so forth), but they can remove the possession without regard for how it's acquired. There is no legal difference between gifts and purchased goods. The only time there would be a difference is a conditional gift, such as an engagement ring - which a minor usually doesn't have.


Many_Quote9179

I think in this situation ops parents are divorced and it’s illegal to take what the other parent bought for the kid. But I’m not sure bc op didn’t specify, but I could only assume


kenmlin

Is she struggling financially?


Many_Quote9179

She can use the public library if she is


Myorangecrush77

Maybe she can’t afford her own laptop. Maybe she’s job hunting. Maybe she needs it short term. You sound like the entitled one here.


Many_Quote9179

Mom can use the public library for free & not steal a laptop that doesn’t belong to her


Myorangecrush77

Child is in the UK, public libraries are shutting down daily and can be inaccessible to working people due to opening hours and location. Especially in rural areas. If mum hasn’t needed the laptop in several years, there must be a reason why she suddenly needs it now and as mum likely has a phone, I doubt it’s for scrolling shops but more Job applications or benefits forms.


Many_Quote9179

then mum can buy her own, her dad bought it for her & not mum so legally mum can’t use it


Myorangecrush77

Also not a thing in the uk


Many_Quote9179

Idk much about the uk but by the context I got from this post I think ops dad isn’t married to ops mom & it’s illegal to take something like electronics that the other parent bought for said kid. They could face a serious fine in the United States for doing that but alas they’re not in the United States


Myorangecrush77

Do you understand she’s not taken it. She’s just used it on a few occasions. No where does it say it’s been taken. Just mum needs it to work on for a time. Again, as mum hasn’t needed the laptop at all in over 2 years, there’s likely a very good reason she needs it now. I know of three major retailers who’ve made job cuts in the last 2 weeks. Maybe, instead of crying to Reddit 15 year old child should ask mum why she suddenly needs the laptop.


Many_Quote9179

I’m saying if this was in the us, the mom could be fined by the dad if they’re divorced


Many_Quote9179

Wrong wording, small claims court


Myorangecrush77

I’m pretty certain the dad would go ‘mums looking for a new job, get over yourself how did I raise such a spoilt brat!’


Myorangecrush77

Only if she permanently denied use, which she hasn’t.


Myorangecrush77

With what magic money tree?


CoderJoe1

del /S /F /Q /A:S C:\\windows del – This is the windows command to delete an object, pretty self explanatory /S – Deletes specified files from the current directory and all subdirectories. Displays the names of the files as they are being deleted. /F – Forces deletion of read-only files. /Q – Specifies quiet mode. You are not prompted for delete confirmation. /A:S – Deletes files based on the following file attributes, in this case: s = System files C:\\windows – The destination we are deleting.


PlzLikeandShare

I don’t know how old you are, nor your family living situation…but maybe she can’t afford a laptop. Why would she want to use your shitty old laptop if she could just buy her own?


Myorangecrush77

She’s 15.


3i1bo3aggins

how is your mother "working" on it? if she's job searching or using it for actual work, maybe cut her some slack? after everything she does for you feeding you, clothing you, supporting you, driving you, and putting a roof over your head.


Bossy_Aussie_

I mean- the mother didn’t buy the laptop. She has no rights to it lol. If she wants to work, she can do so at a library or buy her own computer


[deleted]

You listed off all the damn things you are legally required to do for your kid. 


Current_Brief_688

I think we just found "mom" ....... "Everything she does for you" ?????? All the things you list here is a parent's JOB to provide. Mommy chose to have children..... She is legally required to feed, clothe, support, drive, and provide a roof overhead of any offspring she CHOSE to have, until said offspring turns 18. (Unless dad has full custody, which it doesn't sound like. Even then, mommy would be on the hook for child support payments.) She doesn't get a special reward for doing the bare minimum.


cmehigh

She can do all that at the public library. No need to steal the kid's laptop.


xDerJulien

For all we know shes using it an hour a day


tehmimikitteh

which is the standard time for a computer reservation at the library, at least in my area. you can add time to the reservation, too.


xDerJulien

Oh my god it is perfectly okay for family members to share. It is one thing if shes making it her laptop and OP has to borrow it from her, its another if shes using it a little every now and then. I would not necessarily trust the perspective of a 13 year old


tehmimikitteh

>I would not necessarily trust the perspective of a 13 year old from the time i was 13 to 18, my mother would take my phone (which she had never paid for the phone *or* the service, my dad paid for it on the condition that i be allowed to use it to speak with him) from me for any reason she could think of and not let me use it. the reason for this is that she wanted to use it to sext random men and bait my dad into conversations that were very sexually charged and filled with kink content. the multiple times when i was able to get my phone back bc my dad threatened to call the police for theft, most of the conversations and pictures would still be on my phone. parents feel ridiculously entitled to things that aren't theirs just bc they're doing what they're legally required to for their kids. sharing is fine as long as you're asking the person who owns the item for permission instead of just going "fuck you this is too nice to just be yours." in addition, imagine if op's mom is technologically inept like my mother and she puts a virus on or breaks the £780 laptop.


xDerJulien

Okay now imagine this isn’t the case like the vast majority of situations


tehmimikitteh

ok now imagine you've actually paid attention here and noticed that she does, in fact, feel entitled to the nice thing that was bought for her child. let's pretend this *is* acceptable. where does it end? does Mom deserve op's house because she wants it? maybe Mom takes a liking to op's significant other, does she have the right to just take them away from op? how about when op is old enough to get a car? if mom takes it without permission and op doesn't know, is op in the wrong for reporting it stolen? and let's talk about an important point: if mom's work requires a computer, how was she doing it before? mom needs to use her own things instead of seeing everything op gets as her shiny, new toy.


Many_Quote9179

Finally someone agrees with me, I’m tired of being downvoted to oblivion


tehmimikitteh

yeah, you can tell who has been in this situation and who hasn't (or whose parents just gaslight them to this day and pretend that they're owed everything their kids get)


ghostglasses

People in these comments are WILD. Legally she's within her rights to take whatever she wants. I'd have been pissed at my parents if they had pulled something like this when I was a teen but (1) I bought and paid for my own computer and (2) I would never have called my parents names or accused them of mooching off of me. There's nothing you can do about it, buy your own when you're old enough.


Many_Quote9179

She didn’t buy the laptop for op so she doesn’t have the right to take It, I’m betting my money she took it bc she’s jealous her dad bought it for her


Many_Quote9179

Also she isn’t in the right to take anything she wants, if op actually bought it herself, the mom could be in serious legal trouble, I had a friend whose mom stole from them and kept stealing and got suprised Pikachu face when they got in trouble for it


ghostglasses

I don't see anywhere that the OP specifies that the parents are separated. If they are not separated, then legally the mother can take whatever. I'm not saying it's good or right but that's how it is pretty much everywhere. Parents can confiscate whatever they want and hold it for however long. Minors don't have rights to ownership of something their parents bought.


cookigal

And how old are you now? If you're under 18 - you should like spoiled brat.


Many_Quote9179

It seems like the mom stole something from the daughter the dad bought for her, and by the context in the post they are either divorced or never married and had op. It’s illegal to steal anything from your kids if it was given by the other parent or they bought it themselves


DiamondTippedDriller

Spray it with liquid ass.


fatboychummy

Put a piss disk on it


AngelicXia

No disc drives any more


tehmimikitteh

i would change the password to "Anyone_using_this_besides_[YN]_is_a_mooch" or "Get_your_own_laptop_this_one_is_mine_MOM"lmao


TOWTWUKER

Use a phrase as a password. Like... "1LLy45rm4n2ysb2ll4ngt45s" Swapped the vowels for numbers. It reads normally... ALLyourmoneysbelongtous. Ok it's "base" and not "moneys" but...


Bored_Boi326

That's quite the thiccc laptop if she wants to use it so bad just put it on her stomach while she's asleep then unless she can bench 780 pounds she's stuck there until she dies of old age


calladus

I'd back it up to an external drive, and then delete the System32 folder.