Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

My friend recently bought a Toshiba laptop, but it was stolen within a
couple days. He doesn't have insurance on it and he is quite upset. I read
somewhere that if this stolen laptop is ever connected to the internet, the
law enforcement could track it down. I am not sure, if this will work for a
new laptop as well or he should have already installed any hardware/software
for this to be possible. Please let me know, if any of you have any idea of
any way of tracking down.

Dan.

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

Dan wrote:
> My friend recently bought a Toshiba laptop, but it was stolen within a
> couple days. He doesn't have insurance on it and he is quite upset. I
> read somewhere that if this stolen laptop is ever connected to the
> internet, the law enforcement could track it down. I am not sure, if
> this will work for a new laptop as well or he should have already
> installed any hardware/software for this to be possible. Please let
> me know, if any of you have any idea of any way of tracking down.
>
> Dan.

It is possible in theory. In practice, your friend is out of luck.

Q

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

Dan wrote:

> My friend recently bought a Toshiba laptop, but it was stolen within a
> couple days. He doesn't have insurance on it and he is quite upset. I read
> somewhere that if this stolen laptop is ever connected to the internet, the
> law enforcement could track it down. I am not sure, if this will work for a
> new laptop as well or he should have already installed any hardware/software
> for this to be possible. Please let me know, if any of you have any idea of
> any way of tracking down.
>
> Dan.
>
>
Some manufacturers keep a list of stolen computers by serial number.
If some subsequent (possibly innocent) purchaser of the computer
contacts the manufacturer for technical support, authorities can be
notified. It's a long shot, but it's probably worth reporting the loss
to Toshiba (if he has the serial number or has registered the warranty).

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

"Dan" <dan1978@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:YBgDc.48418$MU4.1400111@news20.bellglobal.com:

> I am not sure, if this will work for a
> new laptop as well or he should have already installed any
> hardware/software for this to be possible.

Probably not - you usually need to sign up for those services.

Get your friend to report the serial number of the laptop. Tha'ts as much
as he can do.

It's a good lesson for your friend to learn. Better now than later when the
laptop is full of sensitive information.

A laptop should not be left unlocked, in plain view in a car, unpassword
protected, unattended.

--
Lucas Tam (REMOVEnntp@rogers.com)
Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

Toshiba keep a list os stolen laptops serial numbers, which you can check.
I'd suggest contacting them to add yours and ask the procedure for reporting
if it's found.
Mikey

"Dan" <dan1978@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:YBgDc.48418$MU4.1400111@news20.bellglobal.com...
> My friend recently bought a Toshiba laptop, but it was stolen within a
> couple days. He doesn't have insurance on it and he is quite upset. I read
> somewhere that if this stolen laptop is ever connected to the internet,
the
> law enforcement could track it down. I am not sure, if this will work for
a
> new laptop as well or he should have already installed any
hardware/software
> for this to be possible. Please let me know, if any of you have any idea
of
> any way of tracking down.
>
> Dan.
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

To answer the original question....yes there is software that can be
installed cheaply, CompuTrace,
http://www.computrace.com/public/p [...] s/faqs.asp but
it has to be on the computer BEFORE it is stolen. I have heard about
computers being caught thru the thieves using the software already on
the computer, AOL, etc. but most thieves just resell it and the new
person redoes the drive. CompuTrace will work even AFTER a format.

On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 00:50:05 GMT, "mikey" <mikeguest@)No
Spam)blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

>Toshiba keep a list os stolen laptops serial numbers, which you can check.
>I'd suggest contacting them to add yours and ask the procedure for reporting
>if it's found.
>Mikey
>
>"Dan" <dan1978@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:YBgDc.48418$MU4.1400111@news20.bellglobal.com...
>> My friend recently bought a Toshiba laptop, but it was stolen within a
>> couple days. He doesn't have insurance on it and he is quite upset. I read
>> somewhere that if this stolen laptop is ever connected to the internet,
>the
>> law enforcement could track it down. I am not sure, if this will work for
>a
>> new laptop as well or he should have already installed any
>hardware/software
>> for this to be possible. Please let me know, if any of you have any idea
>of
>> any way of tracking down.
>>
>> Dan.
>>
>>
>

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

f/f george <george@yourplace.com> wrote:
> To answer the original question....yes there is software that can be
> installed cheaply, CompuTrace,
> http://www.computrace.com/public/p [...] s/faqs.asp but
> it has to be on the computer BEFORE it is stolen. I have heard about
> computers being caught thru the thieves using the software already on
> the computer, AOL, etc. but most thieves just resell it and the new
> person redoes the drive. CompuTrace will work even AFTER a format.

For some values of format.

First thing I do when I get a new laptop is to boot from a floppy, and
run a low-level write to the whole disk blanking it, to check that
there are no bad sectors.
After this, I fdisk it and install linux.

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

>f/f george <george@yourplace.com> wrote:
>> To answer the original question....yes there is software that can be
>> installed cheaply, CompuTrace,
>> http://www.computrace.com/public/p [...] s/faqs.asp but
>> it has to be on the computer BEFORE it is stolen. I have heard about
>> computers being caught thru the thieves using the software already on
>> the computer, AOL, etc. but most thieves just resell it and the new
>> person redoes the drive. CompuTrace will work even AFTER a format.
>
>For some values of format.
>
>First thing I do when I get a new laptop is to boot from a floppy, and
>run a low-level write to the whole disk blanking it, to check that
>there are no bad sectors.
>After this, I fdisk it and install linux.

LOL, there are a thousand notebooks stolen every day. How many thieves
do you think do what you do?

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

AndrewJ <ajpk3@hotmail.comremove> wrote:
>
>
>>f/f george <george@yourplace.com> wrote:
>>> To answer the original question....yes there is software that can be
>>> installed cheaply, CompuTrace,
>>> http://www.computrace.com/public/p [...] s/faqs.asp but
>>> it has to be on the computer BEFORE it is stolen. I have heard about
>>> computers being caught thru the thieves using the software already on
>>> the computer, AOL, etc. but most thieves just resell it and the new
>>> person redoes the drive. CompuTrace will work even AFTER a format.
>>
>>For some values of format.
>>
>>First thing I do when I get a new laptop is to boot from a floppy, and
>>run a low-level write to the whole disk blanking it, to check that
>>there are no bad sectors.
>>After this, I fdisk it and install linux.
>
> LOL, there are a thousand notebooks stolen every day. How many thieves
> do you think do what you do?

I dunno.
I've no personal knowledge on this, but a friend was offered laptops
cheap with no hard drives, from a man in a pub.

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

On 11 Jul 2004 00:59:08 GMT, Ian Stirling <root@mauve.demon.co.uk>
wrote:

>AndrewJ <ajpk3@hotmail.comremove> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>f/f george <george@yourplace.com> wrote:
>>>> To answer the original question....yes there is software that can be
>>>> installed cheaply, CompuTrace,
>>>> http://www.computrace.com/public/p [...] s/faqs.asp but
>>>> it has to be on the computer BEFORE it is stolen. I have heard about
>>>> computers being caught thru the thieves using the software already on
>>>> the computer, AOL, etc. but most thieves just resell it and the new
>>>> person redoes the drive. CompuTrace will work even AFTER a format.
>>>
>>>For some values of format.
>>>
>>>First thing I do when I get a new laptop is to boot from a floppy, and
>>>run a low-level write to the whole disk blanking it, to check that
>>>there are no bad sectors.
>>>After this, I fdisk it and install linux.
>>
Supposedly CompuTrace will work even AFTER all that!
Never tried, can't say for sure, but they say they put a small
undeletable partition that calls home EVERYTIME the laptop is
connected to the net. ONLY when you tell them the laptop is missing do
they act on the data and then they notify the police.
The cost is like $75.00US yearly but to remove the partition is like
another $250.00US.
It was a big deal on the news last year when they caught some guy that
had stolen one and CompuTrace found the laptop.

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

www.pcphonehome.com.au

I have no affiliation to them and don't own a copy...just saw a pamphlet on
it last week.

"mikey" <mikeguest@)No Spam)blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1T0Hc.873$NU4.7525402@news-text.cableinet.net...
> Toshiba keep a list os stolen laptops serial numbers, which you can check.
> I'd suggest contacting them to add yours and ask the procedure for
reporting
> if it's found.
> Mikey
>
> "Dan" <dan1978@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:YBgDc.48418$MU4.1400111@news20.bellglobal.com...
> > My friend recently bought a Toshiba laptop, but it was stolen within a
> > couple days. He doesn't have insurance on it and he is quite upset. I
read
> > somewhere that if this stolen laptop is ever connected to the internet,
> the
> > law enforcement could track it down. I am not sure, if this will work
for
> a
> > new laptop as well or he should have already installed any
> hardware/software
> > for this to be possible. Please let me know, if any of you have any idea
> of
> > any way of tracking down.
> >
> > Dan.
> >
> >
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 12:29:40 -0400, AndrewJ <ajpk3@hotmail.comremove>
wrote:

>>First thing I do when I get a new laptop is to boot from a floppy, and
>>run a low-level write to the whole disk blanking it, to check that
>>there are no bad sectors.
>>After this, I fdisk it and install linux.
>
>LOL, there are a thousand notebooks stolen every day. How many thieves
>do you think do what you do?

I know at least one that doesn't - a co-worker who owns his own
computer business on the side was served with four felony possession
of stolen property warrants last week when a customer booted a
computer he sold her and it had wallpaper with a legal notice that it
belonged to a local university.

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 12:29:40 -0400, AndrewJ <ajpk3@hotmail.comremove>
wrote:

>
>
>>f/f george <george@yourplace.com> wrote:
>>> To answer the original question....yes there is software that can be
>>> installed cheaply, CompuTrace,
>>> http://www.computrace.com/public/p [...] s/faqs.asp but
>>> it has to be on the computer BEFORE it is stolen. I have heard about
>>> computers being caught thru the thieves using the software already on
>>> the computer, AOL, etc. but most thieves just resell it and the new
>>> person redoes the drive. CompuTrace will work even AFTER a format.
>>
>>For some values of format.
>>
>>First thing I do when I get a new laptop is to boot from a floppy, and
>>run a low-level write to the whole disk blanking it, to check that
>>there are no bad sectors.
>>After this, I fdisk it and install linux.
>
>LOL, there are a thousand notebooks stolen every day. How many thieves
>do you think do what you do?

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

f/f george <george@yourplace.com> wrote:
> On 11 Jul 2004 00:59:08 GMT, Ian Stirling <root@mauve.demon.co.uk>
> wrote:
>
>>AndrewJ <ajpk3@hotmail.comremove> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>f/f george <george@yourplace.com> wrote:
>>>>> To answer the original question....yes there is software that can be
>>>>> installed cheaply, CompuTrace,
>>>>> http://www.computrace.com/public/p [...] s/faqs.asp but
>>>>> it has to be on the computer BEFORE it is stolen. I have heard about
>>>>> computers being caught thru the thieves using the software already on
>>>>> the computer, AOL, etc. but most thieves just resell it and the new
>>>>> person redoes the drive. CompuTrace will work even AFTER a format.
>>>>
>>>>For some values of format.
>>>>
>>>>First thing I do when I get a new laptop is to boot from a floppy, and
>>>>run a low-level write to the whole disk blanking it, to check that
>>>>there are no bad sectors.
>>>>After this, I fdisk it and install linux.
>>>
> Supposedly CompuTrace will work even AFTER all that!
> Never tried, can't say for sure, but they say they put a small
> undeletable partition that calls home EVERYTIME the laptop is

It won't.
There is no such thing as an undeletable partition.
If you can write to the disk to create it, you can write to the disk
to delete it.
It may be hard with most software.

Not to mention that the software has to run on the processor of the
laptop.
This means that something must call it and execute it.
It's not going to know how to work the linux networking system, even
if it got run.

> connected to the net. ONLY when you tell them the laptop is missing do
> they act on the data and then they notify the police.
> The cost is like $75.00US yearly but to remove the partition is like
> another $250.00US.

Well, that's hardly relevant if new hard drive is under $250.

> It was a big deal on the news last year when they caught some guy that
> had stolen one and CompuTrace found the laptop.