Question to those who use Lojack

The new laptop I'm considering comes with a trial version of Lojack for laptops.
From reviews and opinions I've read it, there is a high probability of recovery if reported stolen.
The only problem is that you can't lock down your system at all with passwords or fingerprint reader. This is what the company basically told me.
It seems like you have to leave your system completely open so that a thief is able to get into windows.
But for the 99.9999% of the time my laptop is in my possesion, I wan't to prevent unauthorized access to my machine, where someone can access my files or screw things up (such as kids)

To those who have Lojack installed, have you found a way to balance lojacks open-system requirements with a means of protecting your system from unauthorized access when you are away from your laptop?

 

I don't use either so you might take this with a grain of salt... Could you just secure the files that you want to protect within windows via encryption so that while if a potential thief is still able to get into windows so that LoJack could do it's thing the files you want to keep from prying eyes are still safe?

 

What happens if the person who gets the laptop decides not to open Windows and connect to the internet and instead decides to Boot and Nuke?

 

I was under the impression that on certain computers LoJack was either integrated into the BIOS somehow or that there was a piece of hardware installed that made it so that even if the computer was reformatted it could still be traced... I think the only way a thief could get around something like that would be to part out the computer and sell it on ebay.

 

wow, i was under the impression of that too... leaving your computer unprotected is pretty dumb now'a'days... well im not sure how it works but the laptop i ordered comes with lowjack so i guess wen it comes in i'll let u kno

 

they can only recover ur laptop if whoever has it is logged in and connected on the internet

 

My cousin's blinged out Escalade was stolen at the mall and Lojack was key to its speedy recovery.

 

From what I've read here on NBR Lojack is ONLY software.

I.e. reformat, or swap the HDD and its gone.

 

some laptops have integrated lojack in the bios - even if you remove the hard disk, it will install in the new one

Only way to deal with this is install a non-windows OS or put in another bios without lojack integration; both things your average crack junkie won't know about, lol

 

Make 2 accounts on the laptop. One with passwords and stuff, one without passes and Lojack. Just name the passwordless as "kids"

 

Yes, Lojack is only one out of multiple measures that should be used to maintain the security and safety of your laptop. It's a very secure measure, but it's not foolproof and shouldn't be thought of as something you use alone.


With that in mind, you should never depend on just one system to protect your valuable data no matter how reliable you think it may be. Rather, a system of measures should be used--from as basic as a Kinsington lock to an encryption program. Also, don't forget a backup, and an off-site storage, of all your important data.