The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Stolen or not stolen? This is the question...

    Discussion in 'Panasonic' started by Mil3, Sep 9, 2010.

  1. Mil3

    Mil3 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    59
    Messages:
    104
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    How can I tell if a used toughbook that I want to buy is stolen or not?

    Thanks.
     
    Mil3, Sep 9, 2010
    #1
  2. Toughbook

    Toughbook Drop and Give Me 20!

    Reputations:
    1,267
    Messages:
    7,362
    Likes Received:
    372
    Trophy Points:
    251
    Get the serial number and call Panasonic at (800) LAPTOP5.

    I check any one where I have doubts... From my first time suppliers. Most I deal with I know exactly where they get them from.
     
    Toughbook, Sep 9, 2010
    #2
  3. Azrial

    Azrial Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    598
    Messages:
    1,403
    Likes Received:
    87
    Trophy Points:
    66
    Call the local PD and ask them to run the number, most will. They will send a unit out or ask you to come in. Prepair to turn in over and tell them were you got it if it comes back hot.
     
    Azrial, Sep 9, 2010
    #3
  4. Mil3

    Mil3 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    59
    Messages:
    104
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Thanks. I just call panasonic gave them the S/N and model and they confirm it's clean.
     
    Mil3, Sep 9, 2010
    #4
  5. Mil3

    Mil3 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    59
    Messages:
    104
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    That is kind of too late. Don't even get to the point that you have the laptop in your hand on the way to the police station. You realy want to check its S/N before you buying it. Once you in the police station and the HOT laptop in your hand you have to turn it in! Say goodbye to your money. The police will not do anything to give you your money back without getting the cort involve.

    Allways check before you pay the money!
     
    Mil3, Sep 9, 2010
    #5
  6. adamwest436

    adamwest436 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    37
    Messages:
    454
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Yeah for all they know you had a tell tale heart.
     
    adamwest436, Sep 10, 2010
    #6
  7. Azrial

    Azrial Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    598
    Messages:
    1,403
    Likes Received:
    87
    Trophy Points:
    66
    It was my understanding that you already had the laptop and had begun to supect it stolen.And yes, the police do not normally collect civil debts. Calling Panasonic will still only give you part of the story, not every stolen laptop will be in their database. Of course the same could be said for NCIC.
     
    Azrial, Sep 10, 2010
    #7
  8. adamwest436

    adamwest436 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    37
    Messages:
    454
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Not only that, most people never keep track of serial numbers nor register brand new things unless it's M$ windows. I saw a random wiki site that said some tougbooks had a form of "Lojack" was that true?
     
    adamwest436, Sep 10, 2010
    #8
  9. interestingfellow

    interestingfellow Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    280
    Messages:
    995
    Likes Received:
    34
    Trophy Points:
    41
    It's called computrace. And I don't know of any 29's that have it built in.

    Basically, there is a little program in the bios that get's loaded onto the mbr of the boot drive. It then gets installed and ran as a background service in winxp or later, that can't be turned off without the program's password.
    The program checks, on a certain specified interval, the servers at computrace to see if it's been reported stolen. Once reported stolen, the program will send certain data to computrace, which computrace will then forward to the appropriate police department. It uses triangulation of available access points' ip addresses to determine it's location.

    I think.
     
    interestingfellow, Sep 10, 2010
    #9