Dealing w/ the paranoid?

[cgallery]

So a lot of you know that one facet of my "real" job is fixing PC's.

I'm currently working on a PC that belongs to a 40YO guy with (perhaps) undiagnosed paranoid schizophrenia. He's written three pages (in red ink on graph paper) about problems he has experienced with the machine. A lot of it revolves around things like "Machine receives + sends data of unknown nature under unseen console layer."

He said it did this even with a new hard drive, loaded from the factory restore DVD.

I'm confident there are no problems w/ the machine.

Instead of giving it back and telling him "NPF" (no problem found), I'd like him to feel comfortable using it.

So I've reloaded Windows w/o using the Toshiba DVD, thus getting rid of the two hidden paritions (the restore DVD configures the machine that way, which was very troubling to him).

I've also changed the security somewhat so that he won't be able to easily download/install viruses and malware (which may have been a problem in the past).

But I'm wondering what the best tactic would be. Am I making a mistake in "accommodating" him? Is there anything I can tell the guy to make him feel more comfortable in using the machine.

His problem is apparently quite severe. He has convinced his father (he lives at home w/ parents) that both household PC's and two Macs have been compromised. The father has given me the impression that he isn't totally convinced, and I think nothing would make the father happier than if I actually found something (it has gotta be heartbreaking to see your son go through something like this).

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Uncle Cracker]

Also have some experience in customer service on electronics repair... Best advice I can give you is to let the customer know that you have started him with as clean a slate as is in your power to do, and that's it. Also a good idea to give the impression that you are confident and competent, and feel that your work has left his exposure limited until such time as he gets on the internet and starts downloading programs that may bring the same type of trouble back (it could happen).

Or, you could tell him that you are a brain-controlled minion of Big Brother, and that you have seen to it that his troubles will be with him, and dominate his life and his thoughts, until long after he is dead, and that any further interference from him will surely result in the hastening of that final result.

Either one...

[smorris]

Record some wav files and have them play in whispers.

What you are describing (or he is rather) is the use of a covert channel for communications. If he is running IPV6 then there are tools out there to do that, unlikely. Install a copy of Wireshark so he can sniff his own traffic to his hearts content.

Here is a good paper on the basics http://www.ists.dartmouth.edu/library/149.pdf .

[natausch]

Its all fun and games until a Trojan/key logger actually does fool your firewall, overwrite your Kaspersky and attempt to send your bank account information to an unknown IP.

How'd I catch that bugger? Simple, awhile back I set my homepage to Kaspersky. Most of the really insidious programs prevent you from accessing Microsoft, Kaspersky, Norton and other anti-virus websites. When my Kaspersky AV asked permission to host as a server a couple of seconds after IE won't load my homepage I panic.

Am I PS? I certainly hope not.

Does this guy sound off his rocker? You betcha, if just a bit.

[scmhogg]

When I was a Public Defender, we used to use aluminum foil caps, to stop our client's thoughts from being stolen. I once had to wear one myself, so they couldn't use me to bypass the clients cap.

You might try shielding the cpu with foil or copper mesh to prevent penetration. http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page...41&cat=2,51555

Steve

[sparkeyjames]

Brain Damage by Pink Floyd.

The lunatic is on the grass
The lunatic is on the grass
Remembering games and daisy chains and laughs
Got to keep the loonies on the path

The lunatic is in the hall
The lunatics are in my hall
The paper holds their folded faces to the floor
And every day the paper boy brings more

And if the dam breaks open many years too soon
And if there is no room upon the hill
And if your head explodes with dark forbodings too
Ill see you on the dark side of the moon

The lunatic is in my head
The lunatic is in my head
You raise the blade, you make the change
You re-arrange me till Im sane
You lock the door
And throw away the key
Theres someone in my head but its not me.

And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your ear
You shout and no one seems to hear
And if the band youre in starts playing different tunes
Ill see you on the dark side of the moon
-------


Tell him it's just the operating system calling home looking for security updates.
Jim

[cgallery]

Okay, all very funny.

This is very real to the guy, though.

Any actual tips in dealing w/ people that have these sorts of delusions would be helpful.

So far UC has provided I think a very reasonable approach.

[His first paragraph, not the second. ]

[Uncle Cracker]

I will go one step further, but you may not like it...

It's not your place to act on what you feel may be a mental health issue in one of your clients, beyond stating the facts (and not your personal opinion) if asked to do so by the authorities. There is no right way to further insert yourself into the situation. That is up to his family, or those who deal with him on a less formal basis and at greater frequency. Your concern for his well-being is admirable, but that's as far as you can go. If he is truly paranoid, you could turn his obsession straight from his computer to you personally. Not worth the risk. It's dangerous enough for you to tell somebody that their smoking is bad for their health, and this is way riskier... Just let it go, unless he makes you fear for your safety, and then let the authorities deal with it.

[Tom Slick]

Give him some real technical answers like that retro encabulator video!


The only real advise I have is make sure when you talk to him as if you are sure you've cured it, no question about it. No "I think" or "I tried" in the sentence. That may help his mind think you've fixed it.

[herb fellows]

I will go one step further, but you may not like it...

It's not your place to act on what you feel may be a mental health issue in one of your clients, beyond stating the facts (and not your personal opinion) if asked to do so by the authorities. There is no right way to further insert yourself into the situation. That is up to his family, or those who deal with him on a less formal basis and at greater frequency. Your concern for his well-being is admirable, but that's as far as you can go. If he is truly paranoid, you could turn his obsession straight from his computer to you personally. Not worth the risk. It's dangerous enough for you to tell somebody that their smoking is bad for their health, and this is way riskier... Just let it go, unless he makes you fear for your safety, and then let the authorities deal with it.

Once again, U.C. has read my mind! Hey, wait a minute, how does he do that...?
Seriously though, he is right on the money IMHO. Your concern is admirable, but misplaced. This simply isn't your territiory, it's a family matter.

[herb fellows]

Give him some real technical answers like that retro encabulator video!


The only real advise I have is make sure when you talk to him as if you are sure you've cured it, no question about it. No "I think" or "I tried" in the sentence. That may help his mind think you've fixed it.

The problem with that solution is that if he 'decides' it isn't fixed, who's he going to come after? You make yourself a part , if not the leader of 'the conspiracy'. Not a position you want to put yourself into.

[Tom Slick]

How long does everyone dance around before it's time to genuinely deal with with him. How many company $$$ do you waste because someone is afraid to do what's right for Mr. Cuckoo?

If the guy is really mentally ill he needs help beyond what the computer guy can do.

[Uncle Cracker]

If the guy is really mentally ill he needs help beyond what the computer guy can do.

Precisely my point. This is somebody else's problem, and should stay that way.

[crokett]

I would tell the guy you have fixed his PC as best you can. I might tell his parents that you think he needs help, but unless he has done something dangerous I am not sure you can tell the authorities anything at this point.

[parnelli]

Maybe he's not entirely wrong though- I mean I'm not saying the computer is communicating to the mother ship or anything, but *If* you're the type to think like that, every send of data that isn't explicitly identified is going to cause this thought.

How many times have I seen the network traffic lights going only to find out that adobe is updating junk in the background even though I've turned it off a half dozen times.

I'd wonder if stopping all that stuff from happening behind the scenes woudn't help out a bit. itunes, windows, adobe, google, java, etc etc