In case of laptop theft ...

What combination of password challenges (boot time open-firmware, logon, screensaver wake-up, sleep wake-up) works best with tracking (LoJack) style software? Background-- Lost a vernerable ThinkPad to theft. Am replacing it with a MacBook and looking at protection / recovery. Already bought id tag (StuffBak.com) cable locks (Kensington, Targus) and activated FileVault. Am considering a tracking program (Orbicule.com , Stealthsignal.com, PcPhoneHome.com, and homepage.mac.com/sweetcocoa/lapcop/). Tried activating screen saver & sleep password challenges, along with logoff for inactivity. However, seems like inactivity logoff is pre-empted by screen saver & sleep if their times are shorter. And, isn't auto logoff blocked by open documents? Don't tracking programs have a better chance if the thief can use / play with the machine? --So-- I'm guessing open firmware should let routine boot-up occur without a challenge (but not target mode or CD), and that a limited guest account (Safari, Mail, Textedit) should be available with password of guest, that FileVault will protect real user data, and that screen saver & sleep times should be set and require a password for real accounts. I'm figuring laptop could be snatched while logged-on, but will go to sleep when closed, thief will be stumped guessing real user's password, thief will press power button to reboot and go for guest account, thief will then use machine or pawn it. I'm presuming an naive thief will give-up, a resourceful thief will take machine apart and wipe the disc. Either way data is safe with FileVault. There's a small chance the tracking software will work or a good samaritan will return machine out of some garbage can. Did I miss something? (Aside from skipping all details about using good passwords, etc.)

Yes. You have forgotten a few things.
The external hard drive to backup your home directory for when FileVault scrambles it.
$1099 for a new MacBook if it gets stolen.
I'm sorry you had your ThinkPad stolen. Perhaps you were never meant to be a PC user. Think of it as a spirtual alignment of your Karma. You were meant to have a Mac. You bought a PC instead and the elemental forces of nature conspired to free you from it.
Now you are Mac owner. You are one with the Universe. Don't leave your Mac unattended and don't worry so much.

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Can I replace the aluminum outer case the laptop comes in?

I have a macbook pro 17" 2009
Processor 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Is it possible to replace the aluminum outer case the laptop comes in?
My wife was using my mac and droped it,
on the front left corner there is a dent,
and it is affecting my CD's that I put in my Mac
I have to loosen the screws on the bottom to get the CD's out....
Can I change out the entire outer shell ... Tack the components out and put them in a new shell????

Three places you can look:
http://www.macpartsonline.com/
http://www.ifixit.com/Mac-Parts/MacBook-Pro
http://www.powerbookmedic.com/MacBook--Macbook-Pro-Parts-and-Repair-p-1-c-446.ht ml
Or, you can go to an Apple store & inquire about "Flat Rate Repair". Not documented, but users have used such. Cost is around US $300.

Location case for laptops in Digital Photography

Hello everyone
I am a professional photographer often using a laptop on location to store and process my images. I've been looking for and not finding a case I can have the laptop in as well as have it open with a dark viewing cover. And ofcorse I would like to mount it on a tripod. Has anyone seen such and animal? Or am I destined to Rube Goldberg or "McGyver" my own.

We have to haul our macs and camera equipment all over this country while attending paintball tournaments and we have found that pelican cases seem to work the best for us. They are roomy and offer some outstanding protection.
For the tripod it might be best to purchase a small platform table that the case can sit on but to be honest we usually take a small lifetime adjustable table with me for shoots that require me to get to the laptop at a decent level. These are those sturdy white plastic tables you find at sams club.
We use a hoodman sun screen to be able to work in bright sunlight. Cheap and practical. They usually run about 35$
I realize the simple tripod setup would be nice and I am sure that could be done by mounting the tripod mount on the bottom of the pelican but how sturdy are these? I have about 3k tied up into my powerbook and there is no way in heck that I would stick it on top of a tripod. A full studio shooting stand.....thats another story.
Now....for the right money any custom case company will build you something right to your specs. This would include the stand, table, case and hood all built in. It only takes a phone call and about 700 to 1000$.
We usually purchase our pelicans from here:
http://www.customcases.com/ we use the 1600 and 1650's
Good luck in your search.

Laptop theft

two of my apple laptops got stolen.
can i send apple the ip address so they can locate it?
how should i go about this.
any help is very much appreciated

1. Sending the IP address would do no good at all as that would be changed whenever the MacBooks got connected to the Internet again.
2. Apple will not do anything about stolen property. See this Apple article for more information.
I'm sorry to hear about your loss. Unfortunately the best thing you can do is report it to local law enforcement.

Strategies for recovering a Laptop after it is stolen

Hi all.
I'm not sure what softwares/ services already exist concerning the recovery of a stolen laptop. But I know the consequences of losing one. If one day it does happen I would like to know what I could do to recover it back.
I'm aware of some online services which exist to give tracking info but they charge a hefty annual amount which I feel I do not need to pay. Laptops are all about the internet. So is there any freeware that I can permanently install to pass on tracking information once this stolen laptop is hooked up to the internet? For example can the tracking information be sent directly to another computer, say my desktop computer at home? This information could then be passed on to the law enforcement.
Maybe there exists other cleverer much better methods, which I'm hoping generous people could share. This will only serve to prevent computer/ laptop theft. Does Toshiba itself have any software? For example Samsung mobile phones are now built in with text alerts for stolen phones. Can this idea be or is this incorporated into Laptops computers?
Please reply.

Hi
I think it would be nearly impossible to get back a stolen notebook.
I read a lot about some solution to track an stolen notebook (tracking of Mac address as mentioned above, installation of some 3rd party software) but all these proposals are not really an solution
As far as I know Toshiba provide an database for stolen units.
http://eu.computers.toshiba-europe.com -> Support & Download -> Stolen Units
In worst case (unit has been stolen) you can register you notebook there.
This can help to track a serial number and help an ASP to identify an notebook as stolen unit.
Greets

Uninstall PC Theft Defense Program????

Hi, I just bought this new Sony Laptop from Best Buy and installed the program PC Theft Defense program that gives you 3 years of free service in case your Laptop is stolen.   Well after installing it I realized that it wasn't something that I needed as i am disabled with a back injury and the laptop never leaves my house/side so there would be no way it could be stolen.
The reason I am writing is because the icon keeps coming up where the clock is on the right and when I tried uninstalling it from the Control Panel there is "no option to uninstall" it like all the other programs that are in my Laptop.    I deleted the programs off my C:/ drive but it keeps coming up and showing in the icon area, I know I can shut it off so it doesn't show in there but it will still be starting, at least this way I can exit it when I start my Laptop so it doesn't use up resources that don't need to be.
So is there a way to remove this software somehow??   I'd hate to have to bring it in to Best Buy for them to remove if there is an easy out for me.   I went to the PC Theft site and signed in and it said there are no computers set up for this service so I think I cancelled it somehow the right way just want it off my Laptop. Thanks, Jim

harleynh wrote:
Hi, I just bought this new Sony Laptop from Best Buy and installed the program PC Theft Defense program that gives you 3 years of free service in case your Laptop is stolen.   Well after installing it I realized that it wasn't something that I needed as i am disabled with a back injury and the laptop never leaves my house/side so there would be no way it could be stolen.
The reason I am writing is because the icon keeps coming up where the clock is on the right and when I tried uninstalling it from the Control Panel there is "no option to uninstall" it like all the other programs that are in my Laptop.    I deleted the programs off my C:/ drive but it keeps coming up and showing in the icon area, I know I can shut it off so it doesn't show in there but it will still be starting, at least this way I can exit it when I start my Laptop so it doesn't use up resources that don't need to be.
So is there a way to remove this software somehow??   I'd hate to have to bring it in to Best Buy for them to remove if there is an easy out for me.   I went to the PC Theft site and signed in and it said there are no computers set up for this service so I think I cancelled it somehow the right way just want it off my Laptop. Thanks, Jim
I wonder if its controlled on a BIOS level... If disabled in the BIOS the software won't react no more?
*******DISCLAIMER********
I am not an employee of BBY in any shape or form. All information presented in my replies or postings is my own opinion. It is up to you , the end user to determine the ultimate validity of any information presented on these forums.

PC Theft Defense Service HELP!!!!!!!!!

Does Best Buy Sell PC Theft Defense Service to intel anti-theft enabled computers that aren't blue label?

harleynh wrote:
Hi, I just bought this new Sony Laptop from Best Buy and installed the program PC Theft Defense program that gives you 3 years of free service in case your Laptop is stolen.   Well after installing it I realized that it wasn't something that I needed as i am disabled with a back injury and the laptop never leaves my house/side so there would be no way it could be stolen.
The reason I am writing is because the icon keeps coming up where the clock is on the right and when I tried uninstalling it from the Control Panel there is "no option to uninstall" it like all the other programs that are in my Laptop.    I deleted the programs off my C:/ drive but it keeps coming up and showing in the icon area, I know I can shut it off so it doesn't show in there but it will still be starting, at least this way I can exit it when I start my Laptop so it doesn't use up resources that don't need to be.
So is there a way to remove this software somehow??   I'd hate to have to bring it in to Best Buy for them to remove if there is an easy out for me.   I went to the PC Theft site and signed in and it said there are no computers set up for this service so I think I cancelled it somehow the right way just want it off my Laptop. Thanks, Jim
I wonder if its controlled on a BIOS level... If disabled in the BIOS the software won't react no more?
*******DISCLAIMER********
I am not an employee of BBY in any shape or form. All information presented in my replies or postings is my own opinion. It is up to you , the end user to determine the ultimate validity of any information presented on these forums.

How or Can I upgrade my laptop's video card?

is it possible? First of all I don't know if my laptop video card is intergrated, i heard if it is, you cant upgrade...here are my specs for my Toshiba Satelite L675D
AMD Phenom™ II dual-core processor N640*
4GB DDR3 memory
500GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 rpm)
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250 graphics
Windows 7
Processor Platform VISION Premium
Video Memory256-1917MB (dynamically allocated shared)
thank you..and if it is upgradable..can you please tell me a good graphics card that can probably run Starcraft 2 on high maybe ultra? something i can buy from best buy or wal mart, not online...thanks

dgaul99 wrote:
My computer specs are the following
Processor*
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T6600
Operating System* Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)*
Graphics Engine* Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Graphics Memory* 128MB-1759MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory
But in my specs it says that i have one free PCI-E slot. I have no idea how to access it nor do i have any intention. (I'm very un-tech savy ) Anyway, is there anyway i could have someone that knows there way around a computer open it up and see if its possible to add another graphics card? Or would i be better off just getting a High-Def monitor (this is an option)?
See above - if you have a laptop, then it is almost guaranteed that you cannot upgrade the graphics. It is 100% guaranteed in the case of laptops with Intel integrated graphics, which you have.
I have no idea why a laptop would advertise a PCI-e slot - Perhaps it has a Mini-PCIe slot that a mobile broadband card can be installed into? Or do you mean the ExpressCard expansion slot?
If you don't have a laptop and instead have a desktop, you probably should have posted a new thread rather than to a laptop thread to avoid confusion.
*disclaimer* I am not now, nor have I ever been, an employee of Best Buy, Geek Squad, nor of any of their affiliate, parent, or subsidiary companies.

Anybody else not a Verizon customer getting nowhere w/Verizon identity theft unit

I am not a Verizon Wireless customer. I was, but I changed over in 2011 because the coverage with another carrier was better than where we previously lived for 17 years. We are middle aged, fiscally very conservative and sound, and expected no problems whatsoever when my husband decided to retire in June and for us to move out of state, selling our real property and buying our dream home in the place we choose to retire. We had a regular monthly credit report company but last summer they stopped offering the low cost arrangement our credit card offered years ago. We lost a family member after a six month decline and had no reason to believe anything was wrong. My husband ordered up his report and score and was way up as we expected. I then ordered mine and I fell off my chair (literally). My score had dropped by one hundred points because someone opened a Verizon Wireless account last October in my name, ran up the account to more than a thousand dollars, and bailed. Supposedly, it was sent to collections but since the phone seems to have been ordered in New York and I haven't lived there since 1970 (as a kid), I knew it wasn't me. I went through all of the required steps, wrote my dispute out, sent proof of my police report, complained to the Federal Trade Commission, and spoke to a representative named Justin who confirmed that it was clear it was not my account (he could not legally give me more at that time but that should no longer apply). I get an e-mail that gives me a report number and tells me to sit tight, basically.
Crickets chirping.
A few days ago, I get an e-mail from the previously very helpful Justin that says something to the effect of "oh, that's just a collection account. All is good! Bye!!" Wait, what? I can't get the e-mail to let me reply so I wait for the new reports to come out, expecting that my fully documented case of identity theft will be resolved.
It is now a month and when I ordered my three reports and score for the new quarter, voila! MY SCORE ACTUALLY WENT DOWN MORE!!!!!!
I am on my 4th call today, and taking screenshots every five minutes I wait. After more than two hours of being lied to "your representative will be with you in a few brief moments), I am ready to go off the grid or start collecting names and contacts of those who are not customers of Verizon Wireless whose identity has been stolen because I believe we are not restricted from filing a class action suit because we have no contractual relationship with Verizon Wireless.
Okay...after more than 30 minutes on call 4, I was patched through to the Fraud Department to a representative named Greg. He patiently listened to my rant about how horrible their internal phone system is, he remained completely cool and calm, I calmed down, confirmed that I know he is not the problem nor can he effectuate any major changes, he took my number in case we were disconnected (which, surprisingly, we were not) and an hour later the fraudulent account has been closed out, my credit reports will be corrected, and I will receive information with which to pursue the harm the thief committed.
There has to be an easier way and I will remind these companies that ignoring or ******* off the victims didn't do the Roman C. Church any good either. It is unfair that there are those who seem to believe anything they can get away with is okay and that companies who employ people etc get ripped off, but as the collateral damage victim, I can't spread out my losses. I urge Verizon Wireless to make it a priority to service all identity theft victims, especially since some of the thefts come from Verizon Wireless employees. Otherwise, they are creeping ever closer to a huge, huge lawsuit.
Thank you Greg at Verizon Wireless Fraud Division.

I am sorry this happened to you. We found out today that the Galaxy phone my wife purchased for me and put 300.00 cash downpayment on was stolen by an employee. Of course calling does not do a thing. All they do is say sorry and hang up. I will find a way to get that money and then leave this company. It just stinks that they take the word of an employee (who by the way was not there two weeks later) and we spoke to the manager who said he would take care of it but did not. We are out 300.00 and screwed I guess. WE WILL BE LEAVING THIS COMPANY.
I know they don't care but it made me feel good to type in caps. I really do not care who is my carrier anymore, they cannot be as bad as this one,
Bill Moore

Lenovo S20-30 laptop SSD upgrade - Crucial M500

Here's what I did:
Using original S20-30 configuration:
1 Download Windows 8.1 ISO - bootable setup installation disk image - save on desktop:
http://getintopc.com/softwares/operating-systems/windows-8-1-download/
2 Download Rufus software - create USB bootable drive - install Rufus:
http://rufus.akeo.ie/
Settings for Rufus - all default except: Partition Scheme & Target System: GPT for UEFI
3 Run Rufus with target USB drive (USB 3.0, port on left of keyboard), using ISO - power off once done.
4 Open S20-30 (11 screws, 2 hidden under back rubber feet nearest screen hinges)
5 Remove existing HDD, insert new SDD (Crucial M500 in this case) - replace laptop case.
6 Hold FN & F2 keys - enter BIOS - SSD should appear - change SATA controller mode from AHCI to compatible - save & exit - power off
7 Hold FN & F12 keys - press power on - Boot Manager - choose USB drive
8 Windows Setup should run - when target drive appears, if any partitions are there, remove them so Windows can establish new GPT partitions
9 Once Windows is running, re-install all Lenovo drivers & upgrade to Windows 8.1 Update
Good Luck!

I've just tried mine and WITH the USB drive in I get 3 choices:
1 Windows Boot Manager
EFI USB
EFI Network 0
Maybe your USB drive isn't formatted correctly as a bootable Windows installation drive - check that?

How do you remotely find a stolen laptop?

   A week ago my car was broken into and all my computer equipment was stolen. I've already posted about this in the community and asking ways to access
   my remaining data from the iPhone on to the new laptop.
   It's probably to late and was told about remotely accessing my laptop. But I don't know how I can do this and if this was something I needed to configure
   before it was stolen?
   If so, how can I set this up for the new computer? It sounds like this can work if a laptop theft was to occur.

Hello Meg The Dog!
I remember you helped me out 2 summers ago on a final cut issue I was having. You were great enough to
walk me through the various steps to solve my issue. Unfortunately all that work is now gone because of the recent theft of all my computer equipment.
Hence why I'm asking about Apple remote.
I will take a look at the "hidden link" app and once I get my laptop replaced I will have some serious
"prevention" on that and my other equipment.
Any other thoughts are welcomed...

Case for T61 14.1"

Hi guys,
can you recommend any kind of laptop sleeve that would fit the Lenovo T61 14.1" w/extended 6 cell battery? When I say laptop sleeve, I mean something thin and wraps around your laptop like the Case Logic laptop sleeves that are reversible and just "hug" your laptop when you slip it on...
Thanks!

So you want a laptop sleeve, STM makes good one. But personally i would just take the laptop into a store and try them for fits, these days most of the laptop sleeves are all pretty high quality.

Stolen laptops - tracing the MAC adresses

We have had a number of laptop thefts in recent months and would be able to track some of these thefts if only we had the MAC addresses! When new laptops are stolen just after delivery there is no record whatever of either their wireless or NIC MAC addresses which could be used to locate their use on our network and on the networks of other HE Institutions. It appears that Toshiba doesn't keep a record of serial number and MAC address.
A plea to Toshiba: when will you start keeping a record of MAC addresses against serial numbers?
Although we appreciate that software is available to change MAC addresses would it not be valid to record the addresses for each laptop on issue?
At least we would stand a fighting chance of tracking the laptop in use..???

Hi
It seems that its not known to you that this is a user-to-user forum and you will find only Toshiba notebook users here in the forum. So nobody from Toshiba here.
Anyway did you check the bottom of one of the Toshiba units???
I found on my notebooks underside different labels with different numbers.
There is a label with the serial number, model number and you will of course find two labels with LAN MAC address and with the WLan Mac address.
I think its no problem for everyone to note these numbers and addresses
Do you know Toshiba support homepage?
Check this:
http://eu.computers.toshiba-europe.com -> Support & Download
There you will find a database with stolen units. There you can register your stolen notebook.
Regarding the Mac address tracking;
Of course its possible to find out the Mac address but how do you want to find the notebook with such Mac address? Do you want to track the whole www???
For me it sounds not really realistic

My Laptop goes direct to recovery repair mode when i open and hangs. Presario CQ60, P/n NB049UA#ABA

Product nameresario CQ60-DX211
Pin/n: NB049UA#ABA
Os: Windows Vista 32-bit
No Error appears on the screen it just hangs after powering the unit and it goes direct torepair recovery mode.

I wouldn't format it yet. You should be able to attach it as a 2nd drive on another machine and do a checkdisk and even download the drive certification test from the manufacturer. The test will give you more insight as to the condition of the drive and try to fix bad sectors. If the data is not important, you can format the drive but you will probably drop the connection to the HP Utility or recovery partition. If you have a set of back up disks, you are probably in good shape. Did you try an external keyboard just in case the laptop one is bad?
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Anti theft alarm program

Hi guys,
I have been reading about a software called Tomato which uses the sensor of the HD drive to make an alarm when the computer is moving (you can use in f.e. in libraries) I downloaded and executed it, but it doesn't work
I am running a T400 with Windows Vista bussiness 32 bits.
any hint?
T400 (2767-AK3)

How about this one that works with the Active Protection feature?
Laptop Theft Prevention
Current: Thinkpad Yoga S1 w/digitizer
Past: T500 2056-4SU, Advanced Dock, Ultrabay HDD carrier
Z61p 9452JRU. My first Lenovo/IBM stolen and in the hands of someone else now. Advanced Dock, Ultrabay HDD carrier

In case of laptop theft ...

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