I hope this is never necessary for a classic computer! For the DEC and DG machines that I'm familiar with and which used a real lock cylinder, all you have to do is remove the front panel, loosen a nut, and pull the cylinder. It does pay to look carefully before doing this, as when you put in the new cylinder you want the cam in the correct position to activate the microswitches. If you aren't patient enough to put in a new cylinder, you can use small objects (my favorites were guitar picks) to close the appropriate microswitches you need to operate the machine. -- Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/ 7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917 Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927