4X4BOB

My laptop is going in for a screen repair tomorrow and is gonna be out of my hands for about a week...
well I have a lot of files (word docs, images etc) that I would prefer to keep secret (not to mention the naked pix of the missus ) plus usernames & passwords received in emails.
Whats the easiest way of ensuring security of my details? Could I copy them to CDR's then erase the originals? or is there a better / easier method?

Or am I just paranoid and in reality the repair folk dont bother having a noisy?

Cheers,

Bob

I would just like to add before someone makes a snide remark, that i DONT have any illegal "Gary Glitter Specials" to hide

[Edited by 4X4BOB - 12/3/2003 1:13:04 PM]

Mogsi

Yes I would burn anything confidential/secret to CD and then remove it from the laptop...

Like you say could be nothing to worry about.. but hey you never know...

Hobo_Jojo

if u cant be arsed burning cd's theres some software u can get which basically creates a file (name and type of your choice) which when opened with the program using your pass phrase which u come up with opens as a removeable drive which u can bang all ya files in then unload the drive to lock it again think its called cryptainer or something but the free version only allows volumes of 5 meg to be created so u could either make several volumes or buy the bigger version which allows upto 2 gig per volume.

Scooby96

BOB - where are you getting your screen repaired as I dropped my lappy lastnight!?

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

take the hard drive out, the people fixing it should have a spare hard drive for your machine anyway.

4X4BOB

Scooby96 - Its under warranty so is going back to Fujitsu Siemens via courier.

I think I'll just burn the files to cd as all the sensative stuff will probably fit onto a couple of cd's
The emails I'll just delete and saved any details into a word doc.

Thanks,

Bob

boxst

Hello

I would take the hard drive as well...

Steve.

Mcbrun555

.zip file with a password anyone?

mcbrun555

R1916v

zip file with password? lol, give it ot a techie and within a few secs it wil be opened and theyll be rifling through all your ****.

Remove the hdd.

Stueyb

Removing the HDD isnt an option if you want to keep the warrenty !!

I had a similar problem with a can of lager and the laptop. !!

As for the mail, if you use outlook just export the database, File/Import and Export and then delete it all. Once you have it back you can restore it.

By the way dont forget to empty the recycle bin (not that it stops peeps recovering the files)

TopBanana

I removed my hard drive when it went off to Dell. It won't invalidate your warranty

R1916v

Move all your mail into a pst file and burn that a cd.

IWatkins

I would remove the hard disk.

Not only to stop them having a good look but also to stop them messing your system up. It has been known.

Cheers

Ian

boxst

Hello

Why does this invalidate your warranty? I bought my laptop with two hard drives and swap between them. You just remove the cover, and pull the hard drive out.

Steve.

nigelward

Make a backup of everything you don't want to loose just in case the hard disk gets damaged in transit.

dowser

Just deleting the data isn't enough - a recovery tool will get it back quickly. Remove hard drive, or implement an encryption program which works on a user ID basis and create a different ID for repair department (but this gets complicated when you need to share data later.....).

Richard

Richard

Stueyb

With some laptops to remove the hdd you have to strip the laptop right down though

beemerboy

Oi stueyb, your hard drive must be worth a few quid now

BB

4X4BOB

Bit late posting but got my laptop back ok . . .

Basically I got a new machine but with my hardrive and battery fitted to it!

Everything working as it should and my old scratched laptop is now a spanking new shiny one!

Bob
(very happy with Fujitsu siemens warranty)