asus and lojack

hi, i know this question has already been asked, but i didn't really get the answer i wanted. i'm ordering the asus v1s.......... and i have an option of having asus pre install vista business with all its drivers, or buy a version of vista ultimate ($215), which actually might be a good deal considering how much home premium costs.... i need to install lojack on it because the college i will be going to has a reputation for theft. what are my options and what should i do? Thanks in advance to all those who reply.

 

quite frankly...lo-jack isn't that great. Its a software program and once stolen, the laptop can be re-formatted and "BLAM".....no more Lo-Jack

 

Best anti theft is probably theft preventioin...

Lojack is there for after its stolen, best thing to do is make sure its not in the first place.

> Locks
> Dont advertise - Dont use it in public places unless you need too, no flashy name branded bags, and nothing to make the notebook itself look more expensive.
> Common sense (dont leave it un-attended ect)

 

well that sucks. i have no choice... i'm choosing to attend this college because its close to home... at least closer than other colleges. but anyway, i'm forced to deal with the stealing problem its known for. if lojack sends signals once the computer is turned on... then thats exactly what i want it to do. all the person needs to do is a standard boot up for it to send signals anyway..... right? thats pretty easy to do... the whole campus is wired... and if its stolen from the dorm, theres a good chance that it'll be someone that goes to the school. the only threat is if they take out the harddrive. but... theres a chance that wouldn't happen......... right? a person needs to be pretty good with computers to take out a laptop harddrive correct?



ANYWAY. lojack will at least allow me to sleep at night/use the bathroom peacefully (hah). i am getting locks... but there are ways to take it apart, i'm certain.

 

For all laptops I've ever worked with, removing the HD has been as simple as removing no more than 2 screws. Prevention is the best medicine. Do NOT leave it unattended. If you have to take a potty break, pack it up and take it with you. Leave something less valuable like some textbooks to hold your library table.

There's no way to completely thief-proof a laptop. Just get some cable locks or take a friend with you to watch your stuff.

 

my uni has a theft problem to, Fortunately they only seem to go after MBP's. Anyone with half a brain could take out the hard drive or just wipe it. The V1S has a few other security features like Bit Locker, TPM, and bios locking (Standard business class security features) Which makes your laptop useless to anyone who steals it. Unfortunately they wont know that until after they have stolen it and they're more likely to throw it out than give it back.

 

well i know to pack it up whenever i'm out in public... the problem i have is in the dorm. packing it up everytime i decide to go somewhere is really ridiculous... i was only planning on taking it to the dorm, classes, and maybe the library... but packing it up for EVERYWHERE... thats like adding another 6.5 lbs limb to my body. college is seriously pushing my comfort limits with this crap.

 

Lock your doors, hide it under your bed.

Laptop isn't THAT big.. use it to your advantage than worry about getting it stolen.

 

You think you have it hard hayn? I have to share a room with another person. My dorm room is 10 by 10 feet and has 2 beds, 2 wardrobes, 2 dressers, 2 desks, and 2 cheap wooden chairs. I cannot move anything out of the room as per campus policy. If I buy any new furniture, the old still has to stay inside the room. My dorm is at the bottom of a steap hill and all my classes are on the other side of that frickn hill! I have classes back to back to back, which means I have to skip lunch every day.


By the way, back on topic. Never leave the laptop unattended at the library. You can take it to the toilet with you. It won't tell anyone anything as long as it's with you.

 

A little common sense goes a long way in college. Use a cable lock in your dorm room. Even if the door is open, many others will also have open doors and unlocked laptops. Thieves will usually go for the quick grab (instead of wasting the extra 30 seconds breaking a cable lock). Lock your door when you aren't in your room. Keep your notebook out of site when not in use in your room - some dorms have drawers the can be locked with a combo lock. If you use the notebook in a public space, take it with you when you need to use the bathroom, etc...

 

Buy a safe with a combo lock (number presses are good). It just needs to be a small one. That way, you can throw it in the safe, among other small objects, and never have to worry.

Unless, of course, the guy has hours to crack something with over a million combinations, or the strength to carry something that usually weighs over 25 pounds. Even then, you can stash it in your closet underneath some clothes or whatever. Takes only a few seconds to open the safe and get your laptop out, too.

EDIT: Also worth noting is the fact that a lot of dorm safes come with a handle that can be put around something like a loft or other grounded object to offer much more protection. There are also steel-fortified footlockers that also do the trick pretty well.

http://www.publicsafes.com/?gclid=CID04O-J9Y0CFSgHIwodCC_oMg

This is a great example. When the site loads, at the bottom left, click "Video/Media" to open up a box with two videos. Click the "Promotional Video" for a very realistic situation. You'll find a cable lock easy to snap, but a safe is an entirely different story, especially if it's secure.

 

Actually that would be 1,000,000 combinations for a 6 digit combo lock.

Also I just had my laptop stolen... the one time I left my laptop in my car and theives come to my car take the laptop that I NEVER leave in my car except on that very day. If it wasn't for my car alarm going off spontaneously for no reason they'd have been scared off, but nope I disabled the alarm months ago...

I would have loved to have had some software to protect my data and lock them tards out.

It has set me back at work due to it and all I have are freakin Apples to crap around with at work until my new laptop comes in >< .

I can get back to where I was but I need a WINDOWS laptop to do so. Waiting for my G2S-A1.