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Registered
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: dfw tx
Posts: 3,957
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Can they track a stolen Laptop?
My laptop disappeared 2 weeks ago. Since Windows knows if you have a legal copy when you logon, couldn't Microsoft block access on that Software or track the IP of where it was ? Is that possible?
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10-23-2013, 11:02 AM
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The Unsettler
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lantanna TX
Posts: 23,885
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Quote:
MSFT does not publish info on how activation works so we don't know if it phones home every time it has a connection or it it does it on a schedule and for sure there is a grace period that the machine can be disconnected and it won't hose activation. Second, would have to read the privacy statement but typically things like phoning home to validate keys do only that. Those activities almost never send any personally identifying information which an IP address could be. Third, even if it did phone home on every access and did send personally identifying info good luck getting MSFT to actually give a **** much less give you that info. If I want to be really cynical, the only thing a stolen laptop represents to them is the sale of another OS license key so they are incentivized to not help you. Sorry
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"I want my two dollars" "Goodbye and thanks for the fish" "Proud Member and Supporter of the YWL" "Brandon Won" |
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10-23-2013, 11:20 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Roseville, CA
Posts: 3,066
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That does pose and interesting question if MSFT does know the IP and wont say. If someone stole a car and I know the address of where it is, would I get in trouble if I decided not to say?
I'm sure they would fold if someone got a court order but of course, that wont happen over a laptop.
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1992 968 Polar Silver 2010 Toyota Highlander SE 2006 Lexus LS430 ML |
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10-23-2013, 11:32 AM
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Get off my lawn!
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It depends on who the "they" are.
I would bet if it was a important enough laptop, yep they could find it. For us mere mortals, nope they will not bother.
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Glen 49 Year member of the Porsche Club of America 1985 911 Carrera; 2017 Macan 1986 El Camino with Fuel Injected 350 Crate Engine My Motto: I will never be too old to have a happy childhood! |
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10-23-2013, 11:37 AM
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canna change law physics
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James The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the engineer adjusts the sails.- William Arthur Ward (1921-1994) Red-beard for President, 2020 |
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10-23-2013, 11:39 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: dfw tx
Posts: 3,957
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LOL all good points. I guess I was thinking it could be like a LOJACK !!
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10-23-2013, 11:47 AM
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The Unsettler
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lantanna TX
Posts: 23,885
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If you think about it they are not doing a trace.
How many hundreds of millions of copies of Windows are out there? They shipped 100 million copies of 8 and 60+ million are activated. If they phoned home every time they came online and you ran a trace route on each one? Then what do you do with the data? Store it? For how long? Do you store every address a mobile device has ever shown up with or just the last X? Finding your laptops IP address would be the proverbial needle in a haystack. Now there are 3rd party services that do what you want but you need to pay for it and install the solution before the device goes missing.
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"I want my two dollars" "Goodbye and thanks for the fish" "Proud Member and Supporter of the YWL" "Brandon Won" |
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10-23-2013, 11:58 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Posts: 3,963
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A buddy's laptop was stolen from his car a couple months ago (he moved out of the area because of crime) and he was able to track it down (he works as a IT Tec for the largest IP in the area). He walked up to the door of the house and knocked on it with his cell phone in hand and told the 50 year old father of the thief that either he gets his laptop and bag back or the next thing would be a call to the police. He got the laptop back. So they can be tracked.
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Bunch of old cars 
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10-23-2013, 12:24 PM
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Back in the saddle again
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Central TX west of Houston
Posts: 56,135
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I believe there is a feature that can be purchased with Dell laptops that can act as a lojack, but I don't think they include it on all of their stuff. I'm sure you have to pay extra. I think it's used by some companies.
But if you didn't plan ahead for it, I think you're screwed |
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10-23-2013, 12:26 PM
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The Unsettler
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lantanna TX
Posts: 23,885
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Quote:
If he is working for an IP then he has access to geolocation that will get him an address. Consumers can do it as well but you'll pay for the info. Given his job he may have had an automagic VPN connection set up as well and just waited for the box to log in.
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"I want my two dollars" "Goodbye and thanks for the fish" "Proud Member and Supporter of the YWL" "Brandon Won" |
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10-23-2013, 02:14 PM
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RETIRED
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The new "Tile" maybe hidden inside a laptop for future reference. I plan on getting the system. Trackers are good for a year and will alert another users of a "lost' system when they get near.
BUT....what if the thief is a subscriber.
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1983/3.6, backdate to long hood 2012 ML350 3.0 Turbo Diesel |
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10-23-2013, 02:33 PM
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?
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 30,497
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There's a LOT of misinformation in this thread
. Microsofts' "knowing" you laptop's (dynamic or static) IP address when it connects to them is obvious once the connection is made. Tracking it down is a LOT more difficult...you bet it can be done if the stakes are high enough and given enough time however. You're SOL....
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10-23-2013, 02:39 PM
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Back in the saddle again
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Central TX west of Houston
Posts: 56,135
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I'd be pretty impressed if that was any more accurate than knowing what CO you're out of, and I'd be surprised if anyone other than your IP could provide that info quickly and easily.
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Steve '08 Boxster RS60 Spyder #0099/1960 - never named a car before, but this is Charlotte. '88 targa  SOLD 2004 - gone but not forgotten
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10-23-2013, 03:43 PM
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Liberal Prawn
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Just go to the cloud and go to 'Find my iPhone' (works for all newer Apple products - phones, tablets, Macs) - then you can track it - lock it - and if necessary erase all your personal data on it.
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'Such are promises - All lies and jest - Still a man hears what he wants to hear - And disregards the rest. Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie' Paul Simon '87 Black Targa "Welpe" • '93 Cadillac Allante "Amante" • Various other boring cars |
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10-23-2013, 04:01 PM
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Fritch, Tx
Posts: 144
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yes
A few years ago, a young (and very stupid) material handler/truck driver where I work thought he could get away with loading an occasional piece of electronic equipment in the trunk of his car when no one was looking. He was doing OK until his daughter logged onto the Internet with one of the stolen Dell PCs. I'm not sure if it was programmed to tell on itself or our IT group did a search. Bottom line; young, stupid guy is now in prison for stealing federally appropriated computer equipment along with a few other items and his family is without a bread-winner.
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10-23-2013, 06:37 PM
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Now in 993 land ...
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Quote:
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/ G |
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10-23-2013, 06:43 PM
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The Unsettler
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lantanna TX
Posts: 23,885
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Quote:
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"I want my two dollars" "Goodbye and thanks for the fish" "Proud Member and Supporter of the YWL" "Brandon Won" |
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10-23-2013, 06:56 PM
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Liberal Prawn
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Quote:
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'Such are promises - All lies and jest - Still a man hears what he wants to hear - And disregards the rest. Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie' Paul Simon '87 Black Targa "Welpe" • '93 Cadillac Allante "Amante" • Various other boring cars |
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10-23-2013, 07:01 PM
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Now in 993 land ...
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80% of people probably set things up this way. Of course, all idiots too! Just pointing out that a remote wipe function may not be all that great. G |
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10-23-2013, 07:09 PM
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Liberal Prawn
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If you practice safe computer, wipe function is great, much better than your stolen laptop giving up all the goodies. Maybe people who read this will now not daisychain (stupid) and back up more than once a year.
__________________
'Such are promises - All lies and jest - Still a man hears what he wants to hear - And disregards the rest. Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie' Paul Simon '87 Black Targa "Welpe" • '93 Cadillac Allante "Amante" • Various other boring cars |
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10-23-2013, 07:14 PM
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Carrera
1970/1982 Porsche 914-6/911SC 2.7 RS
Da cab
Welpe
Amante
