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I stole this laptop, can you tell me how to fix it?

Hi Mr. Dave, I've tried to reformat the PowerBook G4, but when I hold down the C button, it froze, just a light gray screen with a dark gray apple, and nothing happen. Can you please help, don't remember the username or the password.

Dave's Answer:

On the surface, questions like this seem reasonable, but I'm a bit less trusting than most, perhaps, because when I receive questions like this alarm bells go off in my head: if I had ripped off someone else's laptop, this is exactly the kind of question I'd have if i didn't know much about Apple laptops.

So here's my standard response:

"I can't help you with this kind of question. Take it in to an authorized repair center so you can demonstrate legal ownership and they'll be able to help you out."

Since I'm not going to answer the question posed, let's instead take the space to talk about ways you can ensure that your own laptop, Mac or PC, isn't stolen.

Ditch the Geeky Computer Bag

First off, the obvious: don't travel with it in an obvious computer bag and don't have a vendor logo on the bag either. There are some very nice alternative computer bags that look like backpacks, messenger bags, or even book bags, but still protect your valuable gear. A good site to see options is eBags. Me? I have a great, tough Spire Endo. It's kind of expensive at $80, but I'm a very satisfied customer and after years of abuse, it still looks like new.

Keep an Eagle Eye On Your Laptop

Don't let your laptop out of your sight. This is especially true at airports when you're going through the security check. Now that laptops are required to be taken out of bags, it's even easier for someone to swap laptops with you and boogie down the airport walkway before you realize what's going on. My rule of thumb is to always put everything else in front of your laptop on the conveyor belt, and keep an eye on it while you're going through the scanners. But even when you're waiting for a plane, at a cafe, or similar. It's not hard to close it, bring it with you to the bathroom or counter, then open it back up when you're ready to work again.

An addendum to this is that you also shouldn't leave your laptop on your desk at work if you're leaving for lunch or a meeting, you definitely shouldn't leave it visible in your car when you park, and even in a hotel room, put it in the bag and tuck it under your clothes in a drawer if you must leave it at all.

Lock It Down If It's Sitting On Your Desk

Consider using a lockdown, security tie or sonic alarm with your laptop so that if someone moves it, they either encounter a physical cable that can't be easily cut or trigger a loud alarm that scares them and hopefully causes them to run away without smashing your laptop out of frustration. As with many other security products, visible and overt is always better than subtle and hidden, because it's the "steal, don't steal" decision you want to influence in your favor.

Use The Security In Your Operating System

Make sure you at least have a password for your account so that if your computer is booted up it asks for an account / password pair. That's what the person mailing is talking about, isn't it? I mean, if it's your computer and you use it every day, how could you not remember your own username? Uh huh. Suspicious, eh? You can go further and actually install a BIOS password too, but at that point, your laptop's already stolen so I don't think it's going to do much good other than to protect your data.

Track Your Laptop with Laptop Tracking Software

Finally, there are some very interesting software packages that surreptitiously report to a central server if the laptop appears to be stolen. Again, it's rather too late at that point because it's the theft you want to avoid in the first place, but if you're really security conscious, check out "laptop tracking" as a software category, including CompuTrace and LaptopLocate for Windows, and PC Phonehome and Mac Phonehome, LapCop and StealthSignal for Macintosh laptops.

This is one case where "it's a jungle out there" seems applicable. Good luck, and be safe!

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Comments

Dave! I'm having the same trouble! A family member (in-law) is asking me to look at this laptop he "found". I don't buy it.. he's kind of a shady guy. He claims that he found it in the trash... then said it was on the curb because someone was being evicted. It's a few years old, a decent toshiba notebook. I know I can reformat, but I don't really want to put my hands on it. I'm probably just going to tell him it's too old and I don't know how. He's not too tech savvy so he should buy it. What do you think?

Posted by: matthew at August 12, 2005 10:16 PM

Matthew, I'd run away from that one. Just stonewall with "I can't do it, but CompUSA can install a new oS from scratch pretty cheap" and let them tell him the bad news. Good luck.

Posted by: Dave Taylor at August 12, 2005 10:30 PM

Another tip is in the password reminder for OSX. When you get it wrong, I think 3 times, the reminder pops up. If your password's locked in your head, and you genuinely have no fear of forgetting it, you can make the reminder say: 'This laptop is stolen, real owner at this email address/mobile number' for the cops, on the off-chance that they find it.

Posted by: Nigel at August 13, 2005 12:30 AM

Dave,
I agree with you about helping people get access to any computer system that they can't prove they own. I've had a few times that people have called me in to work on computers that I've refused to help them get access because it seemed questionable as to their ownership. I also always write down any serial number/model number on any system I work on.

I also wonder why you didn't suggest that people check their laptop at the front desk if they are staying at a hotel or motel. Trying to hide a laptop in your hotel room is most likely wasted effort if a crook or motel employee is given a chance to look for it and wants to steal it. Anyway I've had very good luck just checking my laptop when I've had to leave it. Just be sure that the desk knows to only give it to you personally and that it's a computer so they don't just toss it under the counter.

Posted by: Frank Woodman Jr at August 13, 2005 3:21 AM

On passwords: an OS password and even BIOS password isn't going to do anything to protect your data if someone wants it for any reason. It's trivial to pull the drive out and put it into another machine. At that point, unless you encrypt your hard drive, all your data is easily accessible. Windows XP, OS X, BSD, and Linux all provide ways to encrypt your hard drive, search Google and you'll find the answers.

On BIOS passwords: I don't know about Apple, but every PC laptop manufacturer I know of requires a call to the manufacturer to unlock the BIOS password, for security reasons. Unlike desktop machines, where you can just reset a jumper on the motherboard and reset the password, you have to get a master BIOS password specific to that serial number from the manufacturer.

I would strongly recommend setting a BIOS password on your laptop, and keep your serial number on record in a different place from your laptop. If it is stolen, call the manufacturer and report that serial number as stolen. If someone calls tech support on that serial number for any reason, they will see it's been flagged as stolen, and will make up a reason that they need an address. They can then coordinate with you, to coordinate with your local police, to get the machine recovered. I almost exclusively deal with Dell hardware and I know they do this, but I've heard from others that every major manufacturer will also do this.

Of the roughly half dozen laptops I've administered over my career that have been stolen, none have ever been recovered this way. But, it certainly doesn't hurt! Criminals are dumb, you never know.

Posted by: Chris Buechler at August 13, 2005 7:53 PM

Hi, Dave. From on dave to another:
I recently found, yes, found, a Cellphone lying in street, a Motorola RAZR V3/V3c. Now, I'm sure that person that lost it would like to have it returned, but the battery was dead and the SIM card containing the Subscriber info was missing.
I bought a charger and charged it up, turned it on, and it asks for a SIM card. So, without this information, what other means could I use to identify the original owner? There is supposed to be an ESN (Electronic Serial Number) that identifies the owner (I assume) but since I can't access anything other than the welcome screen and dial 911, I can't get to it.
There are a couple of bar codes and a bunch of numbers in the back of the handset, behind the battery. Is one of them the ESN, or anything that can identify the puchaser? These are the numbers:

First Bar Code:
---------------------------------------------
SJUG005108/0P2/08C4
(Bar Code)
S51NA66WNP MADE IN SINGAPORE
----------------------------------------------
Second Bar Code:

(BarCode)
IMEI:3576901/00/003194/3
D54WFTCZ09 MQ3-4411H1
T6748W V3
FCC ID:IMOT56EU1
BD_ADDR:0015A883EC78
-------------------------------------------------
Failing all of the above measures to find the rightful owner, I just may as well keep the phone for my own use. Your opinion on this?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Regards,

Dave Seiver

Posted by: David A. Seiver at February 20, 2006 9:29 PM

i don't see the problem with helping people who have stolen property... If you ask me it is the fault of the origional that there computer was stolen... also bios passwords and startup passwords are easy to bipass if you know what your doing and it can be done without pulling the hd...

Posted by: matt at October 22, 2006 6:50 PM

Drawn here be a Google search. Could the Dave Seiver on this discussion board be the son of George and Edith Seiver? If so, I am a long-lost relative!

Daniel A. Seiver

Posted by: Daniel A. Seiver at November 2, 2006 10:40 PM

Hi Dave,

I just want to thank you for not helping people out who steal laptops......this coming from someone who just bought a brand new Dell laptop and it was stolen at Newark airport. I don't have the money to buy another one now so I have nothing because people don't have the heart to just turn it back in.

Posted by: Kathy at October 24, 2007 8:49 AM

HI DAVE, WHAT RECOVERY CD SHOULD I USE FOR A APPLE MAC NOTEBOOK LAPTOP? 2007

Posted by: KERI at February 2, 2008 5:20 PM

Kiss my ass

Posted by: kissmyass at February 29, 2008 12:15 PM

You can also use monitoring software to track a stolen laptop. If you are concerned about your child or employees proper use of a laptop install eBlaster software. It will not only record everything that they do and send the recordings to you; but if the laptop is stolen you can use eBlaster to track it.

It is actually designed as activity monitoring software and the ability to recover a stolen computer is a bonus. Just Google eBlaster and check it out.

Posted by: Ogden at April 3, 2008 3:21 PM

I agree to not helping people who steal others property. I had my Compaq Armada 1750 stolen in December 2007, I know it is a lost cause but I am still trying to find it. Got it for a present and can't remember the serial code....yay. Sucks, then it was apparently sold to a truck driver who, (when in Chicago, IL) decided to call and try to extort money out of me for it. By the way, his name is Thomas Hank

Posted by: Jessica at April 10, 2008 9:55 PM

Dave,

Plese help me with my crashed BIOS. I downloaded a free softwarte, when asked to restart, an " erasing BIOS" suddenly pop up. Aghast, I was left with a locked-jaw, Now, my ASUS laptop doest work. My son tried to reformat it but nothing happened. Please Help. Muchas Gracias!

Posted by: eddie feliciano at April 25, 2008 8:43 PM

hi, can someone tell me how I can scan my pc for spy programs like eblaster. I do have a good antivirus program but I've been told that programs like eblaster hide themselves well and aren't seen even by a good antivirus. What steps should i take in checking if there's one there. Giving my list a quick rundown i dont see anything there but doesn't mean its not there, right?

Posted by: Mary at June 11, 2008 5:10 AM

I have a lot to say, but ...

I have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but most of all I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a chai!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!