How to Recover Your Lost or Stolen Laptop

December 8, 2007 · Filed Under How To and Online Tutorials · Comment 

How to Recover Your Lost or Stolen Laptop

Laptop theft is the top 3 computer crimes along with virus and hacking, on a bigger picture, laptop theft is the second most common crime according to FBI. What are your odds of being mugged? or encounter a car accident? How do you protect your data and laptop against theft today? There are hundreds of software and services that promise you the ability to pin point the exact location of your laptop when it is stolen, these services are like insurance and it is costly in the long run.

Inspire Trace | Price: $29.95
nspice Trace is a laptop tracking and remote data destruction software. The security software emails you precise location of your laptop. In addition, it lets you unrecoverably destroy your sensitive data in the laptop to protect the data from any unauthorized access. The highlights:

  • Destroy data in stolen computer.
  • Tamper-proof.
  • Accurate and worldwide tracking.

PC PhoneHome Price: $30
Once installed, PC PhoneHome will secretly send an invisible email message to an email address of your choice containing the physical location of your computer every time you get an Internet connection.

  • Locates lost/stolen computer in virtually any country of the world.
  • PC PhoneHome sends a stealth e-mail message containing its exact location

ComputraceComplete | Price: $49.99
This could possibly be the best tracking software in the market, what makes Computrace stand out among the rest is the guarantee compensation if they failed in recovering your laptop and the software will remain in the laptop after formatting, making it easier to trace the thief.

ComputraceComplete is a comprehensive solution that combines Computer Theft Recovery, Data Protection, Secure Asset Tracking and the peace of mind offered by a Recovery Guarantee. ComputraceComplete allows IT administrators to centrally manage their assets by monitoring computer movement, call history, asset leasing information and software license compliance. It also offers up to a $1000 Recovery Guarantee if a stolen computer cannot be located within 30-60.

  • Connect to absolute-protect.com, which establishes location of the computer.
  • Calls phone number(s) you specify.
  • No monitoring fee required.
  • Saves owner info on hard disk that can prove ownership of the computer
  • Survive hard disk formatting.

XTool Laptop Tracker | Price: $70
What makes XTool Laptop Tracker unique is the camera function; more and more laptops are now made with built-in cameras due to the higher availability of bandwidth and the increasing demand for more personalized contacts. XTool Laptop Tracker has the ability to detect a camera connected to a laptop and can take a snapshot of the unauthorized user that is then relayed to the XTool Monitoring Center! Since statistics show that approximately 90% of laptop theft is committed by insiders (friends, employees, colleagues, etc), a picture of the unauthorized user not only quickly leads to the location of the thief but can be used as evidence in case the laptop is sold to a 3rd party!

XTool Laptop Tracker is a service designed to locate and recover lost or stolen laptops. The XTool Laptop Tracker service uses a smart agent designed to collect and transmit critical information needed to pinpoint it’s location when lost or stolen and/or to identify the unauthorized user in case of a theft.

  • Laptop Camera Information, snap a pic of the theft
  • GPS location detection
  • Wifi Connection Information
  • Gurantee Recovery or else Xtool will compensate your lost

Laptop Alarm | Price: FREE
Yes, Laptop Alarm is a freeware, it doesn’t monitor or track your stolen laptop, it prevents. Once installed, Laptop Alarm will emit a LOUD ALARM on

  • A/C Power Removal provided the battery is attached
  • Mouse Removal
  • Mouse Movement
  • Attempt to Shutdown / Suspend

The hardest part when it comes to losing a laptop is when all of your important data is not recoverable or worst, it falls onto the wrong hands, thus making you and your company vulnerable to potential lawsuits and lost of profit. If purchasing these services appears to be expensive, try some of the freely available encrypt software, they may not be the best but at least it keeps your data safe for a certain period of time.

It is crucial to backup your data to a portable harddisk at least every week. Here are some interesting facts on Laptop theft:

  • One out of every 10 notebook computers stolen, 90% are not recovered.
  • Laptop theft doubled over the past year.
  • Over 85% of theft is insider job.
  • Laptop theft is one of the top 3 computer crimes along with virus and hacking.
  • 81% of U.S. firms lost laptops with sensitive data in the past year.

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