How to keep your laptop from being stolen?

[ansh1993]

Hello people ,

The portability of laptops makes them ideal for working anywhere but it also makes them ideal targets for theft .

is there any software by which you can track your laptop if its get stolen.(Freeware will be preferable)/or prevent it from being stolen ?

Any help would be really appreciated

thanks in advance .

 

[tipstir]

LO-JACK for laptops you have to pay for the service.

Other ways
1. Use the Kensington lock system cable that's a must to have if you wan to go free.
2. Use encryption passwords on the BIOS/Motherboard, HDD and OS
3. Remove your HDD (time consuming) would need a clone system but OS is the limiter here
4. Hand-cuff your wrist to your laptop using the Kensington lock system cable in a loop lock
5. Watch, just plain and simple watch it. (take anywhere you go) Don't leave it behind

 

[ansh1993]

LO-JACK for laptops you have to pay for the service.

Other ways
1. Use the Kensington lock system cable that's a must to have if you wan to go free.
2. Use encryption passwords on the BIOS/Motherboard, HDD and OS
3. Remove your HDD (time consuming) would need a clone system but OS is the limiter here
4. Hand-cuff your wrist to your laptop using the Kensington lock system cable in a loop lock
5. Watch, just plain and simple watch it. (take anywhere you go) Don't leave it behind

Thank you so much for your help .

I was unable to understand 'kingston cable'.

If i go to any it-shop then what am i supposed to say ?is it a kind of special hardware?

Can you please explain it's functions/mechanism ?

Thanks again

 

[CAMusing]

http://us.kensington.com/html/2217.html

 

[ansh1993]

Thanks a ton .
I have understood .
After searching through many places i finally found a nice freeware 'prey'

Any comments about prey

Thanks again
Ansh

 

[CAMusing]

Snapfiles gives it an Excellent Rating.

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/prey.html

 

[ansh1993]

Thank you CAMusing !
i understood prey.
its great & i will install it.
Thanks again

 

[whatulookinat]

This is how!

Hey, it's simple. Don't go to Kensington. Their prices are insane. Lock your laptop up with physical security!

I use Tryten.com and their laptop lock page is at tryten.com/Laptop-Locks . Thats the main thing. Lock that laptop up wherever you go and you'll be fine!

 

[ansh1993]

Thank you whatyoulookinat ,

Your help is greatly appreciated . But i will be purchasing Lojack as that is much more effective .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LoJack

They also give a $1000 guarantee

http://www.absolute.com/en/lojackforlaptops/home.aspx

 

[example1013]

Putting passwords on everything just helps keep your data secure. If you have an expensive laptop, likely a thief won't care about the data because there are various ways of getting money out of it regardless.

Lo-Jack is the safest option if you think it'll get stolen, but really the best thing I can suggest is to never let it get either out of sight or out of reach.

I keep mine in my backpack when I'm not using it, and I keep my backpack either on me or immediately next to me at all times, which leaves no opportunity for a thief to grab it. There really isn't much else you can do.

Also, don't lock it to your wrist. That's putting a bigger "steal-me" tag on it than leaving it out on a table.

 

[ansh1993]

Thank you example1013 for your suggestion .

I understand that 'Prevention is much better than cure'

Nobody wants his/her laptop to be stolen . But , what if the worst happens ?

I really like your way but the point is 'what is it get's stolen ?'

Ya , i guess nobody would tie their laptop to their wrist .


Thanks again

 

[example1013]

Well, I was going by your question, which was how to keep it from being stolen.

If your laptop gets stolen, Lo-Jack is the only safety measure with any modicum of reliability for getting it back.

No one wants to hold onto a laptop, so if it were stolen, the thief would flip it as fast as possible. And from there it might take a year to get it back, if you get it back at all. And when you get it back, there will be no data left on it.

So yeah, encryption and passwords are nice, but they don't help you get it back in one piece.

Which is why I'd say something like Lo-Jack, which tracks it through gps (right?) is the surest bet for getting your laptop back with relatively little damage (both to the laptop and to the data).

 

[tipstir]

There are other brands you can make your own if your handy at any home depot or some sort of hardware store.

Corporations have the BIOS locked down with password kept in a dbase. I still see Executives still forget their passwords and those who are suppose to add the passwords to the dbase didn't so now we have a locked down system.

Best to lock the BIOS, HDD with a password. Also your files/folders under Windows or whatever OS you use today.

 

[ansh1993]

Thank you example 1013 & Tipstir

I will encrypt my data also .

"Best to lock the BIOS, HDD with a password. Also your files/folders under Windows or whatever' OS you use today"

Will keep a note of this , other than purchasing LO-JACK

Thanks again

 

[ansh1993]

Thank you example 1013 & Tipstir

I will encrypt my data also .

"Best to lock the BIOS, HDD with a password. Also your files/folders under Windows or whatever' OS you use today"

Will keep a note of this , other than purchasing LO-JACK

Thanks again