Format your HDD automatically if lappy is stolen

delpieropadova · 30th March 2006, 12:12 AM

Scenario:

You may not be able to prevent a laptop being stolen, but you can prevent your data in there being stolen or misused. I'm sure someone else has thought of this idea, but this is a DIY solution:

=============
In your laptop, you create and install a program that sounds innocent (eg "WinInit.exe") in every user's WinXP Startup directory.

The moment it connects to the Internet, it searches a particular web site (eg my own website) for a particular file. If it finds that file, it formats the hard drive.

So when the laptop is stolen, I put that file in my web site. The next time the thief turns on the computer and connects to the Internet, boom! Of course some innocent user who bought this stolen laptop may get a nasty surprise but hey a stolen laptop is a stolen laptop and I still have legal title to it.
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The challenges are:

- Finding a way to format the C:\ drive without the user's knowledge. I haven't tried to format my own C: drive while in Windows, but has anyone tried that, is that possible?

- If the above isn't possible, then I need to find a way to include a format command in the autoexec.bat or basically before WinXP kicks in. It'll have to be a quickformat with no prompt.

- Even better: Not only a format of the whole hard drive, but destroy the partition table and possibly wipe the HDD with zeros too.
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So, besides looking for suggestions to overcome the above challenges, I'm also looking for ways of how a would-be-thief would go around this little surprise.

Zzapped · 30th March 2006, 12:34 AM

Its not possible to format your system drive from within windows, if its a laptop you would be far better off setting a HDD password , this function is available on most new laptops and cannot be removed even by the manufacturer, that will protect your data when yopur lappy is stolen

Cheers

Z

kasar · 31st March 2006, 9:00 AM

There are BIOS level programs that are supposed to do this, as well as track the PC from the IP address.

EvilGenius · 31st March 2006, 12:43 PM

If I were to steal someones laptop, the first thing I would do would be to format the drive myself...

30th March 2006, 12:12 AM	#1
delpieropadova Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 2,297	Format your HDD automatically if lappy is stolen Scenario: You may not be able to prevent a laptop being stolen, but you can prevent your data in there being stolen or misused. I'm sure someone else has thought of this idea, but this is a DIY solution: ============= In your laptop, you create and install a program that sounds innocent (eg "WinInit.exe") in every user's WinXP Startup directory. The moment it connects to the Internet, it searches a particular web site (eg my own website) for a particular file. If it finds that file, it formats the hard drive. So when the laptop is stolen, I put that file in my web site. The next time the thief turns on the computer and connects to the Internet, boom! Of course some innocent user who bought this stolen laptop may get a nasty surprise but hey a stolen laptop is a stolen laptop and I still have legal title to it. ======= The challenges are: - Finding a way to format the C:\ drive without the user's knowledge. I haven't tried to format my own C: drive while in Windows, but has anyone tried that, is that possible? - If the above isn't possible, then I need to find a way to include a format command in the autoexec.bat or basically before WinXP kicks in. It'll have to be a quickformat with no prompt. - Even better: Not only a format of the whole hard drive, but destroy the partition table and possibly wipe the HDD with zeros too. ======== So, besides looking for suggestions to overcome the above challenges, I'm also looking for ways of how a would-be-thief would go around this little surprise. __________________ AsRock 939 Dual SATA2 mobo \|\| Opty 165 CCBWE 0546 @ 2.2 GHz 1.225v \|\| Arctic Cooling Freezer Pro 64 \|\| Galaxy 8800GT 512 \|\| Antec NEO HE 430w Dell Inspiron 1520: 2.2GHz T7500, 2 Gb DDR2667, 160 Gb SATA 7200, nVidia 8600MGT

31st March 2006, 9:00 AM	#3
kasar Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Inner West, Sydney Posts: 3,525	There are BIOS level programs that are supposed to do this, as well as track the PC from the IP address. __________________ "Aerodynamics are for people who cannot build engines" - Enzo Ferrari

31st March 2006, 12:43 PM	#4
EvilGenius Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: _Rocky Status:_Folding! Posts: 4,365	If I were to steal someones laptop, the first thing I would do would be to format the drive myself... __________________ Q9450@3.4 \| GA-P35-DS4 \| 4GB Team Xtreme Dark PC-8500 \| 8800GT \| Enermax Revolution 1050w \| CMStacker810 Once more unto the breach dear friends, once more Cry fold for Team24, OCAU and all the world! WANTED: Large and/or well ventilated case. Pickup greatly prefered in Rockhampton.