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Reference number: CH001012
Steps in preventing computer theft or making it less painful.
Question:
Steps in preventing computer theft, or making it less painful.
Answer:
Basic recommendations
Below is a short list of recommendations that can not
only help protect your laptop from being stolen, but will also help
eliminate stress if it does happen to be stolen.
Protecting:
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Write down the computer serial number and model
number, the support phone number, and any other useful details
about the computer and store that information in your files.
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Keep the receipts of your computer and associated
equipment.
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If you're using a laptop while at a coffee shop,
work, school, or away from home attach it to a lock. Most laptops
today support the Kensington Lock, which can help prevent it from
easily being taken. If a Kensington Lock is not available
Compucage,
Kensington, and
Targus offer other types of
security protection and locks.
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If this is a personal computer, engrave your name
and contact information into it.
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If you're taking your laptop with you on a plane,
keep a close eye on it at all times. Especially when it has to
leave your hands to go through a metal detector. Thief's can use
this opportunity to take your laptop.
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Check to see if your laptop has TheftGuard or any
other type of security system that can be enabled. If not,
consider alternative program. We've listed several of these
programs in the below services that help track and protect.
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Engrave, or put a sticker on the laptop with a
phone number with a reward of around $250 for laptop return if
lost. Often many thief's can't get more than this on the black
market, and may call you to sell it back to you.
Eliminate stress:
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Keep a frequent external backup of all your
important data. Having your important data on a CD or other drive
that's not part of your computer can save you a lot of time and
pain if your computer goes missing.
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Create a BIOS password so your computer prompts for
a password before it boots. Additional help and information on
passwords including information about creating a BIOS password can
be found on
document CH000300.
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If you have important or information that you would
like to keep confidential, make sure to encrypt or password
protect that data.
Services that help track and protect
There are dozens of online services that can help
protect your computer, and in the event that it's stolen, help
locate it. Below is a list of some of these companies in alphabetic
order.
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Company
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