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preventing a reformat on your laptop

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  • 24-10-2012 6:41pm
    #1
    purplehaze901
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭


    Hi Folks
    I recently had an iphone 4s stolen and now im paranoid about my mac been stolen its worth nearly 2000 euro so i cant afford to lose it so ive now installed 2 tracking apps (prey) and (gadgettrak) but i understand when thieves steal labtops they reformat them or something, i have a password on mine so im wondering can someone still reformat the laptop without getting past the password ? and also ive heard something about setting up a dummy account so they cant format the laptop could someone explain that to me ?the reason why i want to know this is my understanding is if the labtop is formatted then the tracking software is useless. and also can someone actually get past the password easily on a mac as i understand its easy to do it on an iphone 4s ?

    Thanks in Advance :D


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    #2
    yoyo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,011 Mod ✭✭✭✭yoyo


    purplehaze901 wrote: »
    Hi Folks
    I recently had an iphone 4s stolen and now im paranoid about my mac been stolen its worth nearly 2000 euro so i cant afford to lose it so ive now installed 2 tracking apps (prey) and (gadgettrak) but i understand when thieves steal labtops they reformat them or something, i have a password on mine so im wondering can someone still reformat the laptop without getting past the password ? and also ive heard something about setting up a dummy account so they cant format the laptop could someone explain that to me ?the reason why i want to know this is my understanding is if the labtop is formatted then the tracking software is useless. and also can someone actually get past the password easily on a mac as i understand its easy to do it on an iphone 4s ?

    Thanks in Advance :D
    Very easily. Set up a bios/firmware password on the Mac will make it more difficult. In fact I think with the newer Macs the firmware passwords are very very difficult to bypass. Just don't forget the password!
    Moving over to Mac..

    Nick

    My Beer Glass collection site 🍺

    My Irish Callcards site



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    #3
    purplehaze901
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭purplehaze901


    so how do you setup a bios firmware password ?


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    #4
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,671 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    Macs don't have a BIOS, they have an EFI. /pedantic

    You can set a firmware password by booting off your install disc or recovery hd and running Firmware Password in the Utilities menu.

    However, I'm not sure how much this will help. A firmware password will prevent a thief from formatting your hard drive or re-installing OS X, but the tracking software is useless unless the Mac is turned on and connected to the internet. And even if you are able to track it, what are you going to do about it? Get some mates together, break into the thief's house and beat the crap out of him? Because the Guards couldn't care less about stuff like this.

    A firmware password can render the machine unusable for the thief, but it's not necessarily going to help you get it back.


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