data protection on hard drives (insurance)

sports_brah

sports_brah

sports_brah

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I recently had an accident with my laptop thanks to me being a ****. Anyway, I'm covered insurance wise (Thank you parents for suggesting it at the start of the year!), and they are picking up the laptop today to inspect it.

My problem is that there is some ahem sensitive stuff on there, something which I would like very much to keep private.

Whats the deal with insurance companies? Are they willing to sell the hard drive back, or do they have policies in place that they will destroy or securely wipe the hard drive afterwards?

Edit: Will they check the hard drive as well? I would rather keep my privacy. There's nothing WRONG with the content (my name isn't Jimmy :p), I'd just like to minimise it all. :)
 
When I was in Australia i worked for a computer leasing company, my job was to sort out all the equipment returned at the end of leases, wipe it, fix if possible and prepare for auction. There was some interesting stuff on laptops for sure

The insurance company may not look at your computer, but they will probably send it on to someone who will. Doubt you will get in any trouble though.

What's wrong with your laptop? Can you not take the hard drive out, mount it in a caddy and delete the stuff you want rid of?
 
sports_brah said:
My problem is that there is some ahem sensitive stuff on there, something which I would like very much to keep private.

Whats the deal with insurance companies? Are they willing to sell the hard drive back, or do they have policies in place that they will destroy or securely wipe the hard drive afterwards?
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"oh don't worry about it babe, the red light on the camera means it's switched off."

You'll be on certain video streaming sites soon!

e: wait - what was the accident? Does baby oil fry circuitry?
 
Catanonia said:
Not Gary Glitter type sensitive ? Otherwise get some soap on a rope.
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God no. eurgh!

Spunkey said:
General Discussion > Help! I just sent my insurance company pictures of my wang
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LOL. Not particularly. :p

daver said:
When I was in Australia i worked for a computer leasing company, my job was to sort out all the equipment returned at the end of leases, wipe it, fix if possible and prepare for auction. There was some interesting stuff on laptops for sure

The insurance company may not look at your computer, but they will probably send it on to someone who will. Doubt you will get in any trouble though.

What's wrong with your laptop? Can you not take the hard drive out, mount it in a caddy and delete the stuff you want rid of?
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There's nothing illegal on it (well apart from a load of downloaded films but who really cares?), just some very personal stuff of my own.

I would like to remove the hard drive, wipe it and put it back in, but according to google, that will invalidate my claim?
 
Theophany said:
"oh don't worry about it babe, the red light on the camera means it's switched off."

You'll be on certain video streaming sites soon!
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:D

:o

Cheeky. As if I'm stupid enough not to have put blu-tac over it. :p


Nah, seriously though, its all above board, and isn't fully explicit in any way. I just don't want to find it on the net in a few years time. ¬_¬
 
sports_brah said:
Nope, I managed to fall down the stairs. (I live in a hovel of a place with old stairs). Missed stepped on the top stop and that was the end of it. :(

So gutting, had the thing for ages and it served me faithfully. :(
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Is that "no, I wasn't tugging one off and spilled baby oil on it" or "no, baby oil does not fry circuitry?"





:p
 
sports_brah said:
I would like to remove the hard drive, wipe it and put it back in, but according to google, that will invalidate my claim?
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Rubbish, unless it's some ultra small laptop that you have to take almost completely to bits to access the drive it'll be in an easily accessible slot on the underside or side of the laptop, I've yet to see any laptop have a warranty void sticker (I've yet to see many with them at all) stopping you getting a drive out and data off it before sending it in for warranty repairs. In fact Lenovo even told me to remove the drive and keep it while the laptop was repaired on one occasion when the client made it known to them that there was sensitive data on it.
 
It won't invalidate your claim.

Just mount it up, backup what you need. Pictures and sex vids alike and then delete it from the hdd going to the insurance company.

Done. Takes 10 minutes. Could have done that by now. I imagine you have a pc yes?
 
Theophany said:
Perhaps, but it does ease the pain of the seventh frot of the day.
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:eek::eek::eek:

agnes said:
It won't invalidate your claim.

Just mount it up, backup what you need. Pictures and sex vids alike and then delete it from the hdd going to the insurance company.

Done. Takes 10 minutes. Could have done that by now. I imagine you have a pc yes?
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I only have the one laptop. I'm typing on the GF's laptop which she lent to me whilst she is away. :)
 
Most laptops don't have anything preventing the HDD being removed, no seals etc.

Just take it out, wipe it and put it back. They'll be none the wiser, or at the very least securely erase what you'd rather wasn't left on the drive.
 
Halfmad said:
Most laptops don't have anything preventing the HDD being removed, no seals etc.

Just take it out, wipe it and put it back. They'll be none the wiser, or at the very least securely erase what you'd rather wasn't left on the drive.
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This... People get so paranoid haha. The information on your harddrive is yours, it's personal as you say. the company cannot invalidate your claim for wanting privacy.

The function of the hard drive can be tested with it being blank.
 
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