Speaking of repairing computers
My mate was asked me:
"Can you take a look at my nephew's computer?"
"Sure" said I. Correctly assuming it was the usual case of installing Realplayer and clicking those webpage popups that tell you your computer is being hacked and that you should use their protection utility/spyware.

So I booted it up an his msn account logs in automatically. Being a typical 15-16yo lad, I expected him to have a good few girls in his friends list. I didn't expect 90% of them to be girls.

The other thing that opened on startup was the folder "My Received Files". This contained the folder that contained the chat histories. For anyone not familar with msn messenger, the chat history (if enabled) for each person you talk to is saved in an xml file and stored in a subfolder of "My Received Files". I wasn't interested in the least in what they might contain - teenage chat sessions are the most banal conversations you could ever imagine and on top of that they're in some sort of illegible shorthand that I simply could not be arsed to decipher.

Besides, my attention was drawn to the other contents in the folder. There were subfolders named after most if not all of his contacts. There was also just shy of 120 other jpegs. I assumed they were of people on his contact list. Well, the girls anyway. All in various states of undress. I imagine they were images he hadn't gotten around to 'sorting' into subfolders yet.
Before anyone asked, I did not open any. I didn't need to as it was set to 'large thumbnails'. I cringed. Except for a few, they were clearly not over 18. Or even 16.

I installed Window Washer and wiped the lot. Properly wiped where they get overwritten with a load of zeroes.

I then did a good overhaul of his drive with various spyware removal and antivirus utilities. I rebooted and it ran a damn sight smoother and quicker than before.

I then set about writing a text file which detailed what would happened if he kept such pictures on his drive, making a point of saying that just because they were roughly the same age as him, it didn't matter. I explained how if he was caught and arrested, he would probably be put on remand, get a custodial sentence of 'several years' and how he would be on the sex offenders register which is not graded so that people charged with having sex with a 15yo is on the same level as Ian Huntley. I explained how his life would be pretty much ruined. How he would never get a job which required a CRB check, which is a surprising percentage - anything that involves public services, civil service or any trade that might involve going into people's houses to do jobs. Also, what would happen if his neighbours or work colleagues found out that he 'was a nonce'.

I saved it all in a text message called "READ THIS IT'S FUCKING IMPORTANT' and left it on the desktop.

I reckon it will have put the frighteners on him and hopefully made him see the error of his ways and be glad he didn't take it to PC World instead.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Tue 8 Jun 2010, 13:21, 8 replies)

Zombie fucking Christ!!
I hope he had a backup!

/kidding...

Easy mistake though I reckon. I wouldn't have considered having saucy pics of 15yr old girls when I was 15 to be wrong. Luckily, I was 15 way before the digital camera era so it was never an issue...
(MrOli is ugly, but in the morning you will be sober, Tue 8 Jun 2010, 13:29, closed)

Good samaritans spoil everything
I probably would have grassed him up to his Uncle.

Speaking as a parent though, well done, some common sense is what kids need and I am sure I will probably have to go through this with my own lad in a few years time. I shall bear your actions in mind when the time comes. Have clicks for being more sensible than me.
( number5 has been fighting tramps and losing., Tue 8 Jun 2010, 13:35, closed)

Just realised...
you've probably got a customer for life there now ;-)

Have another clickity for stealing a PC World customer.
(MrOli is ugly, but in the morning you will be sober, Tue 8 Jun 2010, 13:40, closed)

WIndow washer?
I've always used Crap Cleaner. Any idea which is better?
(not there are any noncy files on my computer!)
*is curious*
( Tab Hunter Make this useless process end and so, begin again, Tue 8 Jun 2010, 14:01, closed)

I've always used Window Washer 6
It's been great. Plus you can create a boot CD which will overwrite a full drive with zeroes should you ever decide to sell it or something.

However, it doesn't work on 64-bit Windows 7.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Tue 8 Jun 2010, 14:05, closed)

Ooh. That's a good idea.
^{*sounds even more like the nonce I am trying to avoid sounding like*}
( Tab Hunter Make this useless process end and so, begin again, Tue 8 Jun 2010, 14:17, closed)

Everyone knows
the only way to stop feeling truely dirty is brillo pads
(TwinkleFuckingToes Has a ingrown toe nail, Tue 8 Jun 2010, 15:26, closed)

Or 40 grit and a belt sander...
(Roddimus_Prime Should be revising, Tue 8 Jun 2010, 15:51, closed)