STOLEN PRODUCT KEY

[mARK]

Is there a way to track a stolen product key, like for
instance if someone stole my computer and when he goes
online with it, it could locate the computer?

 

[Eric]

No, there is no way to do that, but you should inform
Microsoft that the computer is stolen.

Then Microsoft can refuse to reactivate XP should the
thief want to do so.

But there is no way that the thief can be located unless
he or she registers his or her address with Microsoft,
because you can reactivate XP online without leaving a
trace. But you can't activate the same copy of XP more
than once unless you have a multiple licence for it.

Eric,
http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/
http://www.sharedbirthday.co.uk/

 

[Vanguardx]

Is there a way to track a stolen product key, like for
instance if someone stole my computer and when he goes
online with it, it could locate the computer?

You need to buy 3rd party security products for that (zTrace,
thecyberangel.com, computrace.com, secure-it.com, stealthsignal.com).
They work similar to security services that monitor your house when they
detect an alarm has gone off while you are away. They install some
software on your computer that probably connects "home" to them when the
thief (or you) go online. If you report your computer stolen, they can
then catch the thief when they go online and probably narrow down where
he is and contact the authorities there. However, if the thief doesn't
go online or reformats your drive (because they want the hardware rather
than your files) then that protection is gone. If it is the data on the
laptop that is important rather than the hardware, consider
password-protecting your drives (so they cannot simply be read or moved)
using 3rd party products, like Safeboot and DriveCrypt (I think PGP
freeware has some utilities, too).

 

[Dick Kistler]

You need to buy 3rd party security products for that (zTrace,
thecyberangel.com, computrace.com, secure-it.com, stealthsignal.com).
They work similar to security services that monitor your house when they
detect an alarm has gone off while you are away. They install some
software on your computer that probably connects "home" to them when the
thief (or you) go online. If you report your computer stolen, they can
then catch the thief when they go online and probably narrow down where
he is and contact the authorities there. However, if the thief doesn't
go online or reformats your drive (because they want the hardware rather
than your files) then that protection is gone. If it is the data on the
laptop that is important rather than the hardware, consider
password-protecting your drives (so they cannot simply be read or moved)
using 3rd party products, like Safeboot and DriveCrypt (I think PGP
freeware has some utilities, too).

Some of these services claim that they can survive a reformat. I don't see
how,
but maybe they can.

If the computer is a laptop, you can use a bios password, which is extremely
difficult to reset without the manufacturer's help. This is not a good
option
with a desktop, because there is usually a jumper on a desktop's motherboard
that allows resetting the bios password. Of course, none of this is useful
if
the computer is broken up into components.

You can also notify the manufacturer of the stolen computer, which will
make it more difficult for the thief to get support.

Sadly, there is not much Microsoft can do about stolen computers, since
the thief usually has all the data he needs to show he has a legal license,
and
there are no built-in safeguards against that kind of piracy. About all they
can
do is to prevent re-activation. I guess that is mostly not their problem,
any more
than it would be Ford's problem if your car were stolen or Sears' problem if
someone
stole your vacuum cleaner.

Dick Kistler

 

[Vanguardx]

Some of these services claim that they can survive a reformat. I
don't see how,
but maybe they can.

<snip>

They assume you only use FORMAT which formats a partition, NOT a drive.
That means the bootstrap program in the MBR (sector 0) is not touched.
They replace the bootstrap program with their own security program. It
can even extend from the 460-byte bootstrap program area in the MBR
(sector 0) to use the other unused sectors in the first track. The MBR
is not part of any partition so formatting or deleting a partition will
never affect the bootstrap program. Safeboot works that way. Of
course, if you do FORMAT and then FIXMBR (or "FDISK /MBR") then both the
partition got formatted and the bootstrap program got replaced; i.e.,
bang, pow, it's all gone. The only way to prevent this is to use
hardware password protection back in the EEPROMs for the BIOS (which, I
think, is used by some laptops, like IBM's Thinkpad). But that just
gives you password protection, not potential recovery and punishment of
the thief.

 

[Dick Kistler]

<snip>

They assume you only use FORMAT which formats a partition, NOT a drive.
That means the bootstrap program in the MBR (sector 0) is not touched.
They replace the bootstrap program with their own security program. It
can even extend from the 460-byte bootstrap program area in the MBR
(sector 0) to use the other unused sectors in the first track. The MBR
is not part of any partition so formatting or deleting a partition will
never affect the bootstrap program. Safeboot works that way. Of
course, if you do FORMAT and then FIXMBR (or "FDISK /MBR") then both the
partition got formatted and the bootstrap program got replaced; i.e.,
bang, pow, it's all gone. The only way to prevent this is to use
hardware password protection back in the EEPROMs for the BIOS (which, I
think, is used by some laptops, like IBM's Thinkpad). But that just
gives you password protection, not potential recovery and punishment of
the thief.

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[Dick Kistler]

<snip>

They assume you only use FORMAT which formats a partition, NOT a drive.
That means the bootstrap program in the MBR (sector 0) is not touched.
They replace the bootstrap program with their own security program. It
can even extend from the 460-byte bootstrap program area in the MBR
(sector 0) to use the other unused sectors in the first track. The MBR
is not part of any partition so formatting or deleting a partition will
never affect the bootstrap program. Safeboot works that way. Of
course, if you do FORMAT and then FIXMBR (or "FDISK /MBR") then both the
partition got formatted and the bootstrap program got replaced; i.e.,
bang, pow, it's all gone. The only way to prevent this is to use
hardware password protection back in the EEPROMs for the BIOS (which, I
think, is used by some laptops, like IBM's Thinkpad). But that just
gives you password protection, not potential recovery and punishment of
the thief.

Yeah, a half pound block of TNT keyed to your password would be nice,
but the neighbors would complain.

Oh rats, activated Carnivore again!

Dick

 

[Vanguardx]

Yeah, a half pound block of TNT keyed to your password would be nice,
but the neighbors would complain.

Oh rats, activated Carnivore again!

Dick

Presumably you meant "keyed to password *failure*". Well, that would
definitely eliminate the neophyte users, too! ;-> Instead of TNT, have
the laptop spray out unwashable blue dye at the user. Then the
thieves - and neophytes - will be easily identifiable in public. "Tried
guessing at your password again, huh, Hal?"

 

[Dick Kistler]

Presumably you meant "keyed to password *failure*". Well, that would
definitely eliminate the neophyte users, too! ;-> Instead of TNT, have
the laptop spray out unwashable blue dye at the user. Then the
thieves - and neophytes - will be easily identifiable in public. "Tried
guessing at your password again, huh, Hal?"

I seem to remember a bunch of little blue guys on Intel commercials.
Any connection there? I would have thought that Striped or Polka-dot
paint would be more identifiable. I'm afraid the TNT would have already
eliminated me too, since I can't ever seem to press the right keys when
logging on.

Dick