My stolen laptop has resurfaced!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter JRY
  • Start date Start date
SherberT* said:
I think you are doubting the intelligence of the populous.

Never underestimate stupidity.

Not a lot can withstand be overwritten with '0's.
Click to expand...

Formatting the hdd doesn't overwrite everything with zeros though, it doesn't delete anything infact. And the program need not be on the hdd, I've seen similar programs on rom chips. Though if you have a bios password it can't be reset on a laptop and you wouldn't even be able to access the hdd on the laptop. Not that a chav would know how format the hdd anyway. He certainly isn't going to have the software at hand...
 
Last edited:
Energize said:
Formatting the hdd doesn't overwrite everything with zeros though, it doesn't delete anything infact.
Click to expand...

There are free format programs available that will do just that. Mainly used if you're selling a drive that had important information that you don't want people getting their mitts on.
 
Can't you just ask Apple to give you the new address that it's been registered at?

If they say they can't because of data protection just explain it's been stolen, and you need to give the police the details :)
 
iviv said:
There are free format programs available that will do just that. Mainly used if you're selling a drive that had important information that you don't want people getting their mitts on.
Click to expand...

Your missing the fact that the chavs who steal these have no idea how to do that.
 
SherberT* said:
I think you are doubting the intelligence of the populous.

Never underestimate stupidity.

Not a lot can withstand be overwritten with '0's.
Click to expand...


There is a wide range of software available that will pull data off formatted disks.

Never, ever, put yourself in the position of relying on a format to stop people reading data off a disk. I've seen people fired after thinking that a format would get rid of the pr0n they stored on company USB external hard disk.
 
Stolly said:
There is a wide range of software available that will pull data off formatted disks.

Never, ever, put yourself in the position of relying on a format to stop people reading data off a disk. I've seen people fired after thinking that a format would get rid of the pr0n they stored on company USB external hard disk.
Click to expand...

If in doubt, full disk encrypt. :D
 
divine` said:
Says who?

It's hardly rocket science.

Download one of many hundreds of such apps. Put on CD if required. Run.

All gone.
Click to expand...

You seem to be forgetting that these people aren't that self suffucient, nor would they even realise the program is on the pc.
 
http://www.hermetic.ch/dd/dd.htm
There's one example I just pulled from google. I know there is an awsome free program that does this as well, but the name escapes me.
If you overwrite the hard drive multiple times with junk data, after a few passes, anything that was on there should be unrecoverable.
 
If the laptop was passworded, then they would have to get the install CD.

OS X Disk Utility has 3 overwrite options, once, 7-times, 35-times.

So yea, its just a paperweight if they don't know whats what.
 
Erm even if you manage to track down who has it now, is it not possible or indeed likely that the person who stole it sold it sharpish to a fence for cash and its now owned by some gullible person?
 
SherberT* said:
Never heard of the fact you can format HDD's nowdays?
Click to expand...


Not all that type of software is on the HDD. Dell,IBM and HP have started to embed computrace 'call home' technology into the BIOS of the laptop now, doesn't get overwritten by a BIOS flash and once activated as soon as that laptop gets on the net it calls the designated security people every 15 minutes so they can trace it. Very smart piece of kit, although not many places use it due to the expense of the annual subscription. It can also be set to delete/destroy data on HDD's when it is notified it has been 'stolen'.

http://www.absolute.com/computracecomplete/faqs.asp#general
 
SiD the Turtle said:
Erm even if you manage to track down who has it now, is it not possible or indeed likely that the person who stole it sold it sharpish to a fence for cash and its now owned by some gullible person?
Click to expand...
Tough luck to them.

If its registered, with some luck they used their real address, from which the police can make a visit, confiscate and after no doubt many months of red tape processing return to original owner.
 
Mephisto said:
A similar thing happened to my Dad, although it was a generator.

He hired it out to someone and basically they just dissapeared. By pure luck he found that the guy was trying to sell it on Ebay, so he contacted the police.

Now this is the part you won't believe. The police wanted my Dad to go over to this guys house and simply try and get it back, they didn't even seem interested in getting involved. I mean WTF, ridiculous. Just shows you what a state the police is in these days.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't have bothered phoning the police because
A) I know how useless they are, I got a mate who's a copper, he's okay but lazy.
B) It'd be quicker to knock on his door and get the bugger back

Your old man just had free reign to enact some police brutality for them anyway :D
 
hey guys, thanks for the posts

gurdas said:
If you report your laptop stolen to Apple, they will log in into the system and if the thief brings it in for repair to an Apple Store, they will retain it and call the original owner.
Click to expand...

apparently not. that was the first thing that I did when it was stolen. called them a few months later to ask if anyone has brought it in for servicing and again told them to make a note of it in their system.

unfortunately, at that time I was moving around a lot. was working temporarily in Nottingham. that's where the laptop was stolen. I didn't have insurance and the place that i was working at didn't cover me. :(


EVH said:
Can't you just ask Apple to give you the new address that it's been registered at?

If they say they can't because of data protection just explain it's been stolen, and you need to give the police the details :)
Click to expand...


yup, I've mentioned this but all the customer service rep could tell me to do is get in touch with the police. then the police will fill out a form requesting for the individual's details. then it goes on from there.

will try and get in touch with the officer again 2morrow. I WILL keep badgering him :)
will be posting a letter to Apple with a photocopy of the receipt which has the serial number and a photocopy of the police card.
nothing else I can do really. just fingers crossed
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom