skipon11
Premium
join:2005-06-09
Pittsburgh, PA | Lo/Jack
Wife just got new notebook from Dell. They give you Lo/Jack recovery software for 1 yr free. Would like to know the pros and cons of this software. Thanks for any input! |
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Cudni
La Merma - Vigilado
Premium,MVM
join:2003-12-20
Someshire
| not something i would pay for, so free is good in this case. Hopefully you will never have to use it.
»www.lojackforlaptops.com/learn-m···tops.asp
Cudni
--
Some are born to failure, others achieve it, all deserve it.Help yourself so God can help you.MVP, Microsoft Windows Security 2006-2007 |
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Bobkd4dii
Premium
join:2004-12-31
Hollywood, FL | reply to skipon11
Sounds good, but what happens if they format the drive or uninstall the software. Like Cudni said, free is good but I doubt I would pay for the service.
Bob
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The aheader we go, the behinder we get. |
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Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1
clubs:
1 edit | reply to skipon11
the first thing when someone steals a laptop is they turn off the wireless and format the computer
there for rendering the software useless
»Re: Free Utility Protects Data on Stolen Laptops |
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lilhurricane
iPurple
Premium,Mod
join:2003-01-11
Purple Zone
clubs:  | reply to skipon11
Some older forum posts:
»Free Utility Protects Data on Stolen Laptops
»[Notebooks] Security Options for Portable Computers |
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skipon11
Premium
join:2005-06-09
Pittsburgh, PA | All great points! Lo/Jack would only be useful if a dumb thief got your computer! Thanks to all! |
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claudeo
join:2000-02-23
Redmond, WA
| reply to skipon11
If the LoJack they sell uses the "stub" version that is tembedded in the BIOS or security chip, then reformatting will erase LoJack only temporarily--it will reinstall itself automatically the next time the computer gets a network connection.
The only downside is that LoJack runs in Windows and if Windows cannot restart, then AFAIK it does not reinstall, and of course it cannot call home. My primary laptop has LoJack on it, but I doubt that would do much good because all the following scenarios:
1 Thief can start machine (power on password)
2 Thief can figure out hard disk password (works only on that machine, on another machine the hard drive is a useless brick)
3 Thief can discover existence of LoJack while running Windows in less time than it takes for LoJack to "call home"
4 Thief reformats hard disk and reinstall Windows
(BIOS downloads and reinstalls LoJack at first opportunity). The thief won't be able to get past #2 and therefore LoJack will never "call home". Bummer. |
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Nerdtalker
Working Hard, Or Hardly Working?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-02-18
Tucson, AZ
clubs:
| reply to skipon11
I've tampered around with a number of LoJack notebooks, and, suffice it to say, the software is pretty much useless.
Anybody halfway decent will just nuke it completely (just drop in DBAN, or fire up KNOPPIX if you want to poke around the HD), re-flash the BIOS, and be on their merry way.
One of my friends found (no joke) a General Dynamics Itronix laptop in a wash that had LoJack on it. Amazingly, it booted. He DBAN'ed that box, and it works like a charm.
--
"Some people never see the light till it shines thru bullet holes." -Bruce Cockburn
I'm testing Gmail's spam filters: Broadbandreports1@gmail.com
Spam: 12900+ messages currently using 406 MB. |
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jervin123
join:2005-04-14
Philadelphia, PA | reply to claudeo
Yes I know have it installed on my machine and it doesn't always call LoJack if connection isn't present at startup... In reality I know it won't do much just kind of a morale security thing |
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Splitpair
Premium
join:2000-07-29
Cow Towne
 ·T-Mobile US
| reply to Nerdtalker
said by Nerdtalker  :One of my friends found (no joke) a General Dynamics Itronix laptop in a wash that had LoJack on it. Amazingly, it booted. Easy way to clean a GB is put it in a dishwasher and run it through a short cycle. 
Wayne
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If you cannot fix it with a buttset and some beanies you ain't a technician. |
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