Laptop Safety Tips

Laptop Security password tips
Do NOT leave your Laptop unattended. Laptops should not be stored in student lockers.Purchase a locking security cable to attach to your laptop around an immovable object.Set your BIOS password. The BIOS is required to boot the computers. If the BIOS is password protected, the computer will not boot (or you will not be able to enter or change the BIOS settings.) Check your laptop manual on how to set your BIOS password. (This is a separate password than a windows password).Regularly change access passwords (both BIOS and e-mail passwords).
1.Never use any option that “remembers” your password so that you do not have to re-enter it the next time you connect
2.Back up key data onto floppy disks. Carry all disks separately from the laptop.
3.Make hard copies of important files and documents.
4.Keep the amount of data stored on your machine to a minimum.
Write down the laptop model type, model number, serial number and specs.Mark your laptop to make it unique and easy to identify (i.e. engraved).
Laptop advanced safe tips:
1.Always back up your files.
Any file saved to your file server account (Explore, Learn, Reflect, or Discover) will be backed up daily by Computing Services. However, backing up files on your laptop is your responsibility. With a laptop, you are not only at risk for losing work due to a hard drive failure, but also at risk for losing all your files due to loss or theft.
1.We purchase insurance for all new laptops, but this will only help replace your laptop; your files will be gone permanently.
2.This can be devastating if your laptop is the only place you're storing your dissertation, a grant proposal, your tax records, or any other personal or confidential files.There are several ways to back up files from a laptop.
3.You can save a copy to a floppy or zip disk. If you have a modem, you can e-mail files to your office computer.
4.If you have a network card, you can plug your laptop into the LRDC network and save your files to your file server account.
2.Don't save your passwords on your laptop.
remember e-mail and dial-up software allow users to save their passwords. Although this makes using your laptop convenient and easy, if your laptop is lost or stolen, complete strangers will have total access to your e-mail messages and Internet access.
3.Be careful when placing your laptop on an airport .
1.The most common laptop theft scam involves two people working together to steal your laptop directly from the security convener belt. After spotting your laptop carrying case, they get in line for the metal detector directly in front of you.
2.The first thief walks through the security check with no problem.
The second thief has a great deal of trouble, emptying pockets and checking for jewelry several times, which distracts you and the security personnel. At this point, you may have already placed your luggage on the conveyor belt.
3.This allows the first thief to walk away with your laptop, while the second prevents you from walking through the metal detector. To prevent this from happening to you, wait until the last possible moment to put your laptop on the conveyor belt to assure you will be the only person able to pick it up at the other end.
4.Label your laptop and all accessories.
1.Many people at LRDC have identical laptops. Label or tape your business card to the top of your laptop and to all of your laptop accessories to help prevent someone from accidentally taking your equipment.
5.use a laptop carrying cases
2.In addition to being designed to carry all your laptop accessories, laptop carrying cases are designed to provide protection. Newer laptops are more robust, but it's still easy to crack the screen.
3.Replacement screens can cost almost as much as the laptop itself and are not covered by warranties or insurance. Also, repair time will typically be 1-2 weeks.
6.Be careful when plugging your laptop.
1.The modem and 10BaseT connections on your laptop look similar. A 10BaseT cable allows you to attach to a local area network. It is wider than a phone line and will not fit into your modem. However, a phone line will easily fit into a 10BaseT connection.
2.This of course will not work and if the phone rings while you have it plugged in, the voltage will be enough to potentially cause severe damage to your laptop. Also, when traveling to other sites, make sure you use an analog line.
3.Digital lines carry more electricity than analog lines and can also irreparably damage your modem.
7.Never allow other people to use your laptop.
1.When traveling to another site, it can be very tempting to allow someone to make changes to your network settings in order to allow you to connect to their local area network. This can result in them accidentally wiping out your current dial-up and LRDC network settings.
2.Allowing your children to use your laptop also puts you at risk.
3.If they install programs—especially games, shareware, and screen-savers—you are at risk for software incompatibilities, which can result in computer crashes.
4.This also puts you at an increased risk for computer viruses. Either situation can result in a full-days repair.
8.How to maintain laptop(In weather)
It’s that time of year again in North America where temperatures climb and weather becomes erratic. Add to that the possibility of power outages and you have new challenges to face when using your laptop. Take care in warm and hot weather to follow these tips to ensure you use your laptop safely and don’t have any problems with it.

1.Heat Range
1.Most laptop computers operate properly in the safe temperature range of 50 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 to 35 degrees Celsius.
2.Keep in mind that when bringing a laptop in from the warm hot air, the laptop must cool down to the interior temperature before you use it.
3.By the same token if you use your laptop outdoors, then let the laptop warm up to the outside temperature before starting it up.
2.In Cars
4.Just as you wouldn’t leave people or animals in a car in hot weather, you should not leave your laptop and other mobile gear either.
5.Leaving your laptop closed in a vehicle in hot temperatures will cause damage to your laptop.
6.The heat is not good for the internal components or the external casings.
3.sharp Sun
1.Never leave your laptop where it is exposed to direct sunlight, whether it is in use or shut down.
2.If you must use your laptop outside in bright conditions you can use either:
a laptop glare screen which cuts down on the glare caused by the sun
a laptop hood which cuts down on the amount of light directed at the laptop display.
4.Humidity
1.In warm weather people are fond of saying it’s not the heat itself that bothers them but the dreaded humidity.
2.Humidity is the amount of moisture in the air and the recommended safe range of relative humidity is 10-80%.
3.Moisture can cause damage to the internal components of a laptop and you may not even realize that the damage has occurred.
5.Take it Out
1.If you use your laptop in hot temperatures consider using a removable hard drive to store your data on. This way you can help protect your data and ensure that your removable hard drive stays protected from exposure to heat and the sun.
6.Weather Watching
1.In warm, hot weather there are more storms, often with little or no warning and more severe weather occurrences which mobile professionals must face when traveling.
2.Equipment to help protect your mobile gear includes having surge protectors, power investors and spare batteries.
3.External battery charges that don’t require an electrical connection are another wise investment.
7.t Cool
1.Use a laptop stand to disperse heat that your laptop generates.
2.Laptop stands are available in a variety of styles to suit your working needs.
3.There are laptop stands which include fans to help dissipate the heat and keep your laptop working at its best.
Note :Laptop Desks & Laptop Stands
8.Pack it Wisely
1.Using a properly fitted and well-padded laptop case for your mobile gear will help keep it insulated against heat, moisture and direct sunlight.
2.When buying your laptop case make sure all your mobile gear will fit securely and be protected from the effects of weather
9. on the road
3.The newest laptops are powerful, light, and thin enough to fit easily into the slenderest of carry-on baggage. *This makes them a great accessory for flying or any other mode of travel, but also easier to lose or have stolen.
4.It pays to be extra vigilant at airport security checkpoints where thieves know people can be flustered.
5.You should also store your laptop in the seat in front of you, instead of in the overhead compartment when you fly.
6.But even if you're extra careful, it's still possible to lose your laptop.
7.If you spend some time securing your laptop before you go on the road, you could help keep your personal or financial information from falling into the wrong hands.
8.Here are our top tips to help you secure the information on your laptop.
Protect your information If you keep a lot of personal or financial information on your computer, invest in an operating system that includes file protection.
9.Windows Vista and Windows XP Professional have the tools to protect your information through a process called encryption.
10.To learn more, see Encrypt Your Data to Keep It Safe .
11.Protect your laptop with a strong password If you travel with your laptop frequently, you should secure it with a strong password.
12.Check your computer's Help and Support service to learn how to add or change your system password.
13.To find out how to create passwords that are tough for hackers to crack, but easy for you to remember, see Strong passwords: How to create and use them.
14.Back up before you go Always back up your information before you take your laptop on a trip.
15.You can't always avoid the financial loss of your equipment, but you can avoid losing all your information in the process.
16.To learn how to make copies of all of your information using Windows XP, see How to back up manually or by using the Windows XP Backup utility.
For Windows Vista, see Windows Vista: Windows Backup.
If you use Windows Live one care, see Windows Live one care Backup and Restore.
Remember :-
Delete e-mails from your in box folder and save important e-mails to a different folder.
Set your Identification: Under settings, choose control Panel. Click Network Icon and click Identification tab. Computer name: Type your Suffolk e-mail address (first 3 letters of last name followed by first 5 digits of your Suffolk ID number) Work group: law laptop Computer Description: your Suffolk e-mail address.