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Theft - Punishment Idea

Started by John, 2008.11.03, 23:05:16

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John

Hey All,

Just wanted to mention that I was broken into recently and my OS/2 box taken among other things. Anyway, this gave me an idea I thought I'd like to share...

I think it would be a kewl idea if it was possible to "Hardcode" and "Embed" OS/2 / eCS onto the machine it's been installed to so that NO other OS can then wipe it clean or format the drive. I know too well that those thugs have gone and already installed M$ Windows on the machine - any "Pawn Shop" you walk into here where I am has an almost identical copy of M$ Windows on their "second hand" PC's. Make it so that the only to wipe the partition is to have the original install diskette of OS/2 / eCS to do the "wipe" :-)

Other benefit, potential for more OS/2 / eCS users as they're forced to use the system by virtue of their "second hand" purchase.
Thanks for allowing me to blow off some steam here  :-[

Cheers.

Saijin_Naib

Lock-in is not desireable, sounds like an Apple scheme.

Andi

On Notebooks, and maybe some desktop systems too, you can secure your harddisk with a password. Without that, you can not access it. Drawback - it's not possible to get your data back if you forget the password or the HDD electronics die. Even for professional data recovery companies it not possible/easy to recover.

Anyway, a theft simple put in a new hdd and installs what he/she likes.

RobertM

Quote from: Andi on 2008.11.04, 18:38:11
On Notebooks, and maybe some desktop systems too, you can secure your harddisk with a password. Without that, you can not access it. Drawback - it's not possible to get your data back if you forget the password or the HDD electronics die. Even for professional data recovery companies it not possible/easy to recover.

Anyway, a theft simple put in a new hdd and installs what he/she likes.

One particular model, which goes even farther, are the Thinkpads with their SecureChip Technology. If a SC password is enabled for the hard drive, then the machine is simply useless without that password - even if the drive is replaced. It requires a motherboard and SC replacement (as a set) to get a working machine.

There is supposedly a "workaround" where jumpering and over-voltaging a certain chip on the motherboard and replacing the SC with a blank one will work (and in this case, replacing the hard drive as well) - but the success rates are probably not the best - it's weird how sending too much power through certain motherboard circuits can damage stuff. (ok, maybe it's not weird at all).

IBM does have other secure technology solutions as well - and their smaller workstations and servers (Intellistations and Netfinity line) used to also come with asset management tags that worked with an asset management system, so if the computer was ever removed past a certain point (plugged in or not), it would set off an alarm. As would removing the asset management tag. On older Intellistations/Netfinity systems (for instance, the single and dual processor desktop PII/PIII series), the device was located behind the front bezel. Never enabled or tested mine (didnt have the money for the RFID tracking station and sensors, and wasnt worried about them walking off anyway).

-Robert


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Saijin_Naib

I just realized the irony of the thread title. Making people use OS/2 as a punishment. Lmfao.

Blonde Guy

Expert Consulting for OS/2 and eComStation