# couple of Qs about PCs **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 3, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-qs-about-pcs/166130 "2003-04-03T03:44:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dc4da7/32.png) [@Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rider)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-qs-about-pcs/166130/1 "2003-04-03T03:44:27Z")
Can anyone help me with a couple of things that I can’t seem to figure out. Should be simple enough but I can’t find the answer by looking through my PC’s various help indexes. Can I lock my Capslock so it won’t function? And how can I lock my PC so it need a password on startup? How can I lock a CD-RW? Thanks very much in advance. Rider. ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-qs-about-pcs/166130/2 "2003-04-03T03:54:41Z")
You can lock your PC by going into your bios setting and enabling system security. Watch your machine when it boots up, and it will say something like “Hit F2 to enter setup”. That setup is where you can enable a boot password. For your other questions, what OS are you using? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-qs-about-pcs/166130/3 "2003-04-03T03:55:28Z")
1. Yes you can. You can reassign keys. 2. Which O/S are you using? (And please don’t just say, “Windows.” Which version of Windows?) 3. Duct tape? Seriously, perhaps if you explain a bit why you want to lock your computer, someone might offer a better solution. ---
**Author:** ![Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dc4da7/32.png) [@Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rider)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-qs-about-pcs/166130/4 "2003-04-03T03:56:38Z")
Windows XP Pro. Well, I just want to lock it so I have some privacy from my family. Nothing sinister. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-qs-about-pcs/166130/5 "2003-04-03T04:34:56Z")
Do you by chance have whats known as root privlege on your pc ? Declan ---
**Author:** ![Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dc4da7/32.png) [@Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rider)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-qs-about-pcs/166130/6 "2003-04-03T04:43:35Z")
sorry, don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-qs-about-pcs/166130/7 "2003-04-03T04:46:40Z")
The easiest way to kill Capslock is to simply pry off the keycap. It can be replaced later if need be. The key caps are designed to be removable and reinstallable for cleaning. The easiest way to lock your system is by going into control panel, users, and adding a password for your account. Do you mean lock so that no one else can access it, or so it can’t be erased? For the first one, you could zip up all of the files before burning, and require a password to unzip. You can’t prevent erasure of a CD-RW by any means. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-qs-about-pcs/166130/8 "2003-04-03T04:47:01Z")
1. Not sure (someone else suggested re-assigning the key, try that) 2. Go into the BIOS and set up a password. Can’t give you generic instructions because it varies a bit, but generally there is an option for setting a user password (anyone who starts up the system) and an admin password (someone who is allowed to muck with BIOS settings). WRITE DOWN THE PASSWORD SOMEWHERE because you don’t be able to get into the BIOS again if you forget it, unless you physically open the computer and muck with its guts (typically involves installing a BIOS clear jumper). 3. Get a case with a lock on the front. We have these at work. They like to lock just a little bit even without the key. Royal pain in the butt they are sometimes. Get a good one so you don’t have the problems we do. The case has a swing out front that locks with a key. Without the key you can turn the computer on and off but that’s it. Duct tape also works, but you have to install it on your family and they may not be quite so receptive (why am I not surprised someone named Duckster suggested duct tape). ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-qs-about-pcs/166130/9 "2003-04-03T04:55:00Z")
Only write down the password if you want your family to know it sooner than you think. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-qs-about-pcs/166130/10 "2003-04-03T08:10:42Z")
If you have Windows XP Pro and you’d like to lock your CD Writer… Logon using Administrator or an account with admin privileges. Go to Start/Run and type “gpedit.msc” without the quotes. Then Go to User Configuration/ Administrative Templates/ Windows Components/ Windows Explorer/ Prevent Access to Drives from My Computer. Users cannot view the contents of the drive from My Computer or Windows Explorer, using map network drive, or using the dir command. gpedit.msc offers amazing options. You can do all sorts of fun stuff with it. It’s an admin’s dream playground. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-qs-about-pcs/166130/11 "2003-04-03T16:44:22Z")
- - - You can also change the logon screen so that each user has to type in their name and enter a password, see logon functions in control panel-\>user accounts-\>“change the way users log on or off”. … I really don’t know how hack-proof this is though, what with the Win2K thing and all. ~ ---
**Author:** ![Racer1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee59a6/32.png) [@Racer1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Racer1)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-qs-about-pcs/166130/12 "2003-04-10T13:22:05Z")
Apologies for resurrecting this thread, but just in case it still interests anyone, you can download a little utility that locks/disables the Caps Lock key [here](http://download.com.com/3000-2094-10125519.html?tag=lst-0-14). If that link breaks (it is pointing to [download.com](http://download.com) and could be dynamic) email me and I’ll find another. ---
**Author:** ![Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dc4da7/32.png) [@Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rider)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-qs-about-pcs/166130/13 "2003-04-10T16:58:55Z")
Thanks…quick and easy : )