TPM Security Chip: worthwhile?

My new nw9440 has the TPM Embedded Security Chip, and I gotta say I don't know much about it. Is it worth enabling the chip for added security, or is it just cumbersome? Anyone using or not using this thing have any thoughts?

My initial thought was to leave it uninitialized. "No point," I thought. Then I read a little about it from HP here: http://h20331.www2.hp.com/Hpsub/cache/292199-0-0-225-121.html

Then I thought, "why not?" and considered turning on the TPM chip. After all, I couldn't figure out how to get the darned thing out of my systray anyway.

It, of course, gave me an error and told me that I had to first enable it in my BIOS.

So, ... is it worth the hassle?

 

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Depends if you have data on your dard drive worth protecting.... and I think it makes the machine itself worthless to thieves?

Features
.Embedded Security for HP ProtectTools is a hardware chip, called the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) that is deployed on the motherboard of the business PC, and is available as a configure-to-order option on select business desktops and workstations.
Embedded Security Manager software for HP ProtectTools has two key functions:
Controlling the basic operation of Embedded Security for ProtectTools (enabling, ownership, and more)
Providing simple file and folder encryption
Each TPM Embedded Security chip is unique and is bound to a specific system
Each performs key security processes independent from other platform components (such as processor, memory or operating system)
Benefits

Embedded Security for HP ProtectTools creates a unique root encryption key (random numbers) and stores it in silicon - extremely difficult to compromise!
"Virtual" smart card, can complement some functionality in smart card/token id deployments
Enhances other security products such as Smart Cards, fingerprint ID, etc.
Can strengthen wireless user authentication and data protection & integrity (limit spoofing threats)
File and folder encryption - helps protect local data as well as sharing across the Internet
TPM strengthened encrypted email - Master encryption key for email securely generated and stored by TPM
Can help to control which machines connect to corporate network and/or limit access rights
Can help to reduce hacking (system attacks, denial of service, network attacks)

..

 

How about this?

I enabled TPM in BIOS. At start up Windows informs that new device has been found, Infineon TPM that is, but it can't get the drivers installed automatically and I haven't managaged to do that manually, either. I just get an error message:

"TPM embedded security chip driver installation error: installation of TPM embedded security chip driver failed because no device to be updated could be found".

The same thing happens every time I start up the machine and it is pretty annoying. I'm not really understanding what is happening with the machine (HP NX9420) or with the TPM.

I've disabled TPM for now but still I would like get it to work. At least to see that my laptop is working OK.

 

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I haven't enabled mine yet, but I got no error messages.. since the function of the device, if something is wrong and it deceides to re-enable itself could lock you out of the laptop I'd contact HP... if for nothing else to have a record that you did contact on this issue in case something gets screwed up.


PS: Post back the "fix"...

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Well I went ahead and enabled it and then went through the steps to initialize it. I don't really see any difference in normal use, which is probably a good thing. So I guess that means it's working fine and transparently, which is what I wanted.

I got the 9440 but one of my coworkers got the nx9420. I'll take a look at his and see if there is any difference with the TPM chip enabled as soon as I see him again.

 

TPM makes BitLocker on Vista usable. If you machine doesn't have tpm and you want to use BitLocker, you have to use a flash drive to store the hardware side of the encryption key.

 

I'm new to HP, Lenovo convert, and I'm impressed with HP Protect Tools.
I think it's worth it to enable the TPM to store your SSO ID and to store you're Hard Drive Encyption key. So I did enable it and setup owner and user account.

This way I can rest asure that no one can access my data even if my laptop is stole and the hard drive removed etc. No one will access it even with my passoword on another laptop as the password is tied to the TPM in this particular machine, MHUAHHA

I don't think this will slow down the HD much, say 1-2% at max, if more I'd very surprised. So my advice is to enable it if you're "nerd" enough to do it.

Simon