[C G P]


] Super Tool [

In my workings with computers over the years
I've come accross one tool that has proven 
more diverse, available, and... well
cheap than all other PC tools. 
The paperclip has earned its alias 
"super tool" many times over. 

Here's a list of some of the ways you can
apply the super tool in the industry:

1) Open disk trays.

    All cdroms that I've ever seen or cared
    about have a small, little, teeny, tiny
    hole on the front of them. Specifically 
    designed (really!) for paperclips to be
    inserted into. Once inserted the drive 
    tray will slide open just enough for 
    manual opening. Left that XP cd in the 
    tray but forgot to take it out before 
    you shut down?! No problem! Use the 
    super tool!

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           C_________)



2) Jumper remover

    If you've ever messed with any sort of
    motherboard or IDE drive you've seen 
    and probably had to reassign a jumper. 
    Sometime those darn little things are 
    just squeesed into the tiniest places. 
    Because not all of us have been blessed
    with fingernails shaped like fishing 
    hooks we carry around the super tool. 
    The stiff little wire seems perfect for 
    just wedging under those jumpers, pushing
    them out enough for us to grab them with 
    out pudgy little fingers. 

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3) Power supply tester

    Yeah.. that super-nifty LED-illuminated 
    power supply tester you got off of 
    newegg is garbage.
    It in all honesty works just as well as 
    the super tool. Sure a full out PSU
    tester will tell you if every line has 
    throughput.. but it won't tell you if the
    proper amount of amperage can be pulled.
    So yeah.. the paperclip is just as good. 
    On the P1 (the big one) connector on the 
    power supply in question, look on the
    side of the connector where the clip is.
    four pins in is a geen wire. Shove one 
    end of the paperclip in that end. Then
    shove the other end of the paperclip
    into either side of the green wire. 
    Those wires are black ground wires. If 
    the fan(s) spin up in the power supply
    it still might have some life in it. If
    not then the power supply is dead as a 
    doornail.  

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   /   '*-~.,_
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4) Pin shorterer... er.

    If you're working on a motherboard that
    is all naked and not in a case.. you
    most likely don't have any of the power
    switches rigged to their appropriate 
    jumpers. No fear! Super tool is here!
    Locate the motherboard markings for 
    power or RTFM to find them, then, use
    your handy-dandy paperclip to short them
    out! Or,  if you're more daring, short 
    all of them in pairs! I've had to do 
    that on several occasions where the mobo
    had no markings and there were no manuals
    to be found. Yes... the motherboard has 
    to be powered for you to be able to short
    it on. 

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  (       C_________)



5) Fingernail cleaner

    What? You don't think that's usefull?

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           C_________)