Hello everyone,

As everyone knows that laptops or notebooks are getting to be a hot item nowadays not only for businessman, home owners and also students.... you find that most wifi hotspots are full with people. We hear a lot of stories. So I suggest we compile them in this thread. Maybe a story or two will help you to solve a case or hinder from this black day happening to you.

It just so happen that I lost 2 brand new Dell laptops last year in a house break in. Just paid 3 months 0% interest payment

1. Dell Inspiron 9400
2. Dell Inspiron 510m

I had every single important thing inside. My bank accounts number, credit card info, maybank2u username and password save in firefox (without enabling the master password), you just name it. It took me more than two days to go to the banks and cancel everything.

Nowdays I don't keep so much important information inside notebook and do not use yahoo messenger history anymore.

Furthermore one of my friends lost his Dell XPS 1310 laptop last week. The laptop was hidden nicely from prying eyes under the seat. He went for a quick dinner in Jalan Ampang area and when he got back the car window was smashed to pieces and his laptop was gone.

Just recently I started using this software to store every important information in a secured state, and it can also run on my PDA phone. So even if I loose my phone, my info will remain secure. I hope.

KeePass Password Safe http://keepass.info

TrueCrypt http://www.truecrypt.org (Can hide complete directories but not so compatible with Vista since it disable the shadow cache thingy)

Don't forget to also do monthly or even weekly backups by burning to cd or dvd.

So please do share your stories, solutions and anything related.

This post has been edited by gyver: Nov 20 2008, 08:54 PM

Since yrs is Dell, did you report yr service tag number to Dell to inform them yr laptops is stolen?
i don't mean that you can catch the culprit that way, but at least they could 'blacklist' yr set and when the thiefs use the stolen set to get online or something, they can detect it, (location, etc)

if yes, wat happened after that?
if no, why?

well, i am asking coz i hav a dell too, maybe i could get info from ppl with experience like you

This post has been edited by kyoko4eva: Nov 14 2008, 09:46 PM

i also lost 2 laptops last year. 1 eeepc together with acer 6292. Was on the way back from kuala kedah.. and then stop by at one kampung area to eat. I tought kampung area no such thing as laptop detector..so i just leave my laptop inside my car. some more the laptop was inside my huge travel bag..so i dont think ppl will realize got laptop inside. when i came back to my car..everything like normal.. however when i'm arrived home.. i realized that my car window got got 'krak krak' sound when i try to open it. at that time i know already someone has already broke into my car.. and then straight away take out my travel bag... gone...

Moral of the story... dont leave laptop inside your car.. even at kampung area..

Yes I did report. I call to the same sales person in charge of my account. Because she has all my purchase information, she logged the report in their database of reported stolen items. But she clearly states that Dell can only do this. They will hold the item if the culprit or the buyer of stolen goods send in for warranty repair. I find it hard that a person who steals the notebook or buy stolen goods will send in for repairs. They will try to repair outside if possible or just throw away said laptops after strip clean whichever parts can be used as spare parts.

Was wondering if Microsoft can blacklist the product ids from doing windows update.

What really bugs me is that if the culprit does a windows update, surely Microsoft can detect the IP, and if they really can provide this information to Malaysia's inforcement team (PDRM, ISP, etc.) I'm sure our problem will be solved. The FBI manage to catch Kevin Mitnick through harder ways than this. But I finally realize that this doesn't benefit Microsoft at all. They are better off if laptops get stolen since we have to purchase new laptops with OEM operating systems everytime. So if my laptop gets stolen every year, no need for Microsoft to come out with newer versions of Windows. People will keep on buying OEM operating systems until we finally figure out to buy a notebook with FreeDOS and purchase a full license OS or simply migrate to Linux.

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Added on November 15, 2008, 6:30 amDid they just smash the window or used a diamond cutter. My friend in PJ area was lucky enough to be visited by the diamond cutter fairy. His car rear window was cut a really nice clean circle size just enough to take out his Vaio. Really pro but not using laptop detector since can view the laptop in clear site.

This post has been edited by gyver: Nov 15 2008, 06:30 AM

I wonder how the laptop detector work even if it does exist. Since most of the reports i heard is that how the laptop detector works is if you have left your laptop on with either wifi or bluetooth enabled since the laptop detector searchs for the wifi or bluetooth signal of a laptop.

There are those who say it can detect the bios battery but thats hard to believe since it doesnt broadcast a signal and its output is similar to a battery watch.

Most of the time, ppl target those who carry the tall tell signs of a laptop by the oem sling bags which they are using. Thats why i throw away those bags for more discrete ones.

Perhaps they detect the heat generated by the notebook battery after normal use. That could be a plausible answer.

i think they only use steel ruler. i wonder how they deactivate the car alarm.

This post has been edited by ilham87: Nov 15 2008, 03:35 PM

my laptop was inside my travel bag. i wonder how they know got laptop inside. some more the laptop was turned off. must be some kind of special notebook detector then. because my dlsr camera also inside but in another bag and they didnt took it.

woah...

lucky u didn't lost ur DLSR camera together with ur laptop....

oh well... i only know that laptop can't be left alone... have to bring it where ever we go... that's y netbook are popular now ( it's small n light )

wow, now only i know that what Dell can do is so limited when a event of theft happens
less than i expected with my previous post above.

is it possible to insert a GPS detector, some kind of location tracking device into a laptop for some backup incase of theft,
so there is a possibility of recovering it and find the crooks?

My first ever lappy was stolen way back in 2003. It was an acer aspire but forgot the model name. I parked my car at the parking lot next to Times Square (now already became Smart Tunnel bukit bintang exit). I hid it under the seat of my car, and it was at night. I went for a dinner with my girlfriend (now already my wife) for about an hour and when i returned my car window was smashed and the laptop gone. I guess the @$$hole used that detector thingy since it was at night and it's not like i parked my car under the lamppost. Furthermore, the tint of my car was quite dark (even received summons in one police roadblock).

Is there any insurance that we can buy on laptop's???

Especially got stolen or...

yes. there is.

http://www.ucare.com.my/

huh... seriously they do use the 'detector' to detect the existence of laptop?

Last time i still put my laptop in the car boot when going out with friends...

Most probably they targeted you or your an unfortunate victim since there are many technical questions like if they do have a device which can detect the power from a bios battery, wouldnt the car internal clock battery also produce the same signal and wouldnt it interfere as well as any dozen of electronic devices, not 2 mention HP signal everywhere.

i always put my nb in my car overnight tim.. now i scared d.. ekekekek

Lol....i just past by this thread....Very very very true about the detector i guess....i have beenn hearing over and over again from all my friends.....theese fag laptop nabs are really irritating....sometimes i feel so lazy to take it out from the backseat...

Thanks for the link. Checking it now...

i already checked ths linked..

it stated in the T&C that

snatch thief is under their exclusion lar...

so is stolen from vehicle...

theft without forcible entry...

apart from the detector, now i heard some rumors saying there's a new device (some sort of universal remote that u use to alarm/disalarm) your car.. which enables the thief to open your car without doing any harm to your car.

so basically this thief will wait at any corner and wait for victim.

Example,

Let say you parked your car and *alarm* your car without noticing or suspecting anything (the new device : will detect your alarm during you trigger to lock your car). Therefore , this thief will just come, *dis-alarm* your car, open.. take anything inside ; laptop,TnG,valuebles.. and went off. If the thief is kind enough , he/she will lock back the car for you.

AND YOU WILL NOT NOTICE ANYTHING... imagine that.

its the same as your car remote alarm, just that this device can be used on any OEM alarm?? im not sure myself, just heard thru frens. can anyone clarify this? or have any experience with this new device?