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Omg, My Mbp Was Just Stolen!!!...

ormandj said:
I hate to rain on everybody's parade, but:

Any thief with half a brain will have long since wiped the drive and re-installed long before you're taking any pictures with your silly programs. Why go through all the trouble of trying to guess passwords and all that crud when you can just pop in an OSX disk, format and install? It's a lot easier to sell a stolen laptop that doesn't have some random named accounts on it, too...
Click to expand...

Which is why Orbicule recommends you turn on your Open Firmware password in order to prevent this...
 
WildCowboy said:
Which is why Orbicule recommends you turn on your Open Firmware password in order to prevent this...
Click to expand...

That's why a thief would remove some RAM, zap pram, and reset to default in OF - which resets the open firmware password setting. :) You can do better than that, c'mon!
 
lol
seriously
i rather have m car being stolen then my notebook
if they can' find my car
they give me a new one
under insurance
but a notebook
there is none
 
ormandj said:
That's why a thief would remove some RAM, zap pram, and reset to default in OF - which resets the open firmware password setting. :) You can do better than that, c'mon!
Click to expand...

Is this true? I have this program installed and I'd like to try. Can you tell me step by step how to do this?
 
ripfrankwhite said:
Is this true? I have this program installed and I'd like to try. Can you tell me step by step how to do this?
Click to expand...

For older macs,
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106482

For newer,

Turn off computer, change the amount of RAM in the computer (take out or add a stick..)

Turn on the computer, holding command-option-P-R to reset PRAM. Once done, boot into open firmware (command-option-O-F), and run set-defaults. Finally, run reset-all, and you'll be good to go with no more password on OF.

Found a link that describes it done in a different way. Haven't tested this way though, only my way:

http://www.securemac.com/openfirmwarepasswordprotection.php
 
ormandj said:
That's why a thief would remove some RAM, zap pram, and reset to default in OF - which resets the open firmware password setting. :) You can do better than that, c'mon!
Click to expand...

True, but I think (not that I have any data to back it up) that most thefts of individual laptops are crimes of opportunity rather than organized theft rings. The average person committing this type of crime almost certainly doesn't have enough savvy to figure that out without turning the computer on first.
 
I would cry if my MBP was stolen. Infact, I often leave it on my desk and wander off somewhere to do something, and I work in an open-planned environment.

I'm gonna get a lock.

On the topic, my mate emailed me last week to tell me someone stole his gen 3 ipod out of his desk drawer! how rude!!! no respect.

When you get your new MBP, install that software that 'alarms' when your machine is moved... tryna remember where I saw that. basically the machine goes crazy when it's moved at all (using inbuilt motion sensor)

James
 
rs1985 said:
lol
seriously
i rather have m car being stolen then my notebook
if they can' find my car
they give me a new one
under insurance
but a notebook
there is none
Click to expand...

Are you high? You need some help...seriously. Nobody knows what you are saying. I don't even think YOU know what you are saying.
 
Washington said:
Are you high? You need some help...seriously. Nobody knows what you are saying. I don't even think YOU know what you are saying.
Click to expand...

Naw, he's just writing MBP Haikus.
 
ormandj said:
For older macs,
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106482

For newer,

Turn off computer, change the amount of RAM in the computer (take out or add a stick..)

Turn on the computer, holding command-option-P-R to reset PRAM. Once done, boot into open firmware (command-option-O-F), and run set-defaults. Finally, run reset-all, and you'll be good to go with no more password on OF.

Found a link that describes it done in a different way. Haven't tested this way though, only my way:

http://www.securemac.com/openfirmwarepasswordprotection.php
Click to expand...

Man this is really disappointing. I don't intend to let my Mac out of my sight, but things happen. And now I know that my Undercover can be bypassed, I'm pretty bummed.
 
viperguy said:
LOL , excuse me, but a car is much more expensive than a MBP.
Click to expand...

i agree. but on the other hand, my 5,000 dollar car has full coverage insurance on it.

my 2,000 dollar macbook pro has applecare. which does not cover falling/stolen/beer spill etc.


so, someone steals my car, i'm looking to not lose as much than if my laptop got stolen.


just my two cents.
 
You can get insurance - I'm in the position where I'm not the primary interest in household contents - so one of those IT insurance companies sure comes in handy. For about AU$130.00 - will cover you for accidental damage, theft etc with your MB/MBP.

Take out specific IT insurance - I personally will use my apple care allocated funds for this instead.
 
ormandj said:
That's why a thief would remove some RAM, zap pram, and reset to default in OF - which resets the open firmware password setting. :) You can do better than that, c'mon!
Click to expand...

I have a saying for this situation: the only people smart enough to get away with a crime are the ones who won't commit it in the first place because they know they'll get caught.
 
ripfrankwhite said:
Man this is really disappointing. I don't intend to let my Mac out of my sight, but things happen. And now I know that my Undercover can be bypassed, I'm pretty bummed.
Click to expand...

Yes, but I would bet it is some street urchin who stole his Mac. They probably saw the opportunity and took it. I doubt the average thief would know what to do with a stolen notebook except pawn it. Anything to make another buck for their drugs...

BTW Slick316, did you notify the pawn shops? I guess the police should do that for you, but just in case...

I still think that software is of some value. For someone who knows Macs well, then there isn't much you can do. Again, most thiefs have no clue & just want the fast buck...
 
rs1985 said:
lol
seriously
i rather have m car being stolen then my notebook
if they can' find my car
they give me a new one
under insurance
but a notebook
there is none
Click to expand...
As a car enthusiast, I can disagree. Unless your idea of a car is a Toyota Corolla, or something else without a soul, then yeah, I wouldn't care.


Your important data should be backed up anyway.

-Matt
 
rs1985 said:
lol
seriously
i rather have m car being stolen then my notebook
if they can' find my car
they give me a new one
under insurance
but a notebook
there is none
Click to expand...

By the time your insurance company pays off your car note, minus your deductible, you might have 1k if you are lucky. Thats assuming that depreciation hasnt hit and you may still be making payments on a stolen car because the insurance company wouldnt pay out whats owed (get gap insurance). They will not give you another car, either you are young and naive or not well versed with how insurance really works.

Any Homeowners or Renters insurance would cover a laptop if it was stolen and so long as you carry "replacement value" you will get the amount it would cost in todays market to replace the the item. If you have more traditional they will depreciate etc.

Ed
 
ormandj said:
I hate to rain on everybody's parade, but:

Any thief with half a brain will have long since wiped the drive and re-installed long before you're taking any pictures with your silly programs. Why go through all the trouble of trying to guess passwords and all that crud when you can just pop in an OSX disk, format and install? It's a lot easier to sell a stolen laptop that doesn't have some random named accounts on it, too...
Click to expand...

Not with a firmware pasword, then they can't format.
 
WildCowboy said:
True, but I think (not that I have any data to back it up) that most thefts of individual laptops are crimes of opportunity rather than organized theft rings. The average person committing this type of crime almost certainly doesn't have enough savvy to figure that out without turning the computer on first.
Click to expand...

Well we've just educated a few hundred potential MBP thieves here with this bit of knowledge... and for a while I was seriously considering buying that software because it seemed so bulletproof with "OpenFirmware password protection", guess not... OpenFirmware is just a fancy name for a PC's BIOS
 
generik said:
Well we've just educated a few hundred potential MBP thieves here with this bit of knowledge... and for a while I was seriously considering buying that software because it seemed so bulletproof with "OpenFirmware password protection", guess not... OpenFirmware is just a fancy name for a PC's BIOS
Click to expand...

The key to understanding how to deal with this potential situation is to understand the reality of theft. Anything you own (well, almost...) can be stolen. Certain items (laptops, cell phones, etc) - very likely at some point in your life WILL be stolen.

Put your laptop on a homeowners policy or something of the sort. This protects your financial investment. The second key to this harsh reality is simply to keep a solid backup of your data. Get an external HD, they aren't that expensive at all. Setup some form of backup to occur every night. Every morning, stick your backup drive somewhere out of the way (unlikely to be stolen.)

When you go on trips, leave the external drive safely at home. That way - worst case - you only lose what you do on your laptop while on the trip. Trips happen to be the most common time of laptop theft, because you are more likely to leave it unattended in a public place. It only takes a 5 second glance away on a bus or in a cafe, and your laptop can be stolen.

If you follow this advice, you won't have anything to worry about. Not to mention, the external hard drive/backup situation will save your butt from the fire in other situations too (drives do fail, you know? Accidental file deletions, family members, etc...) :)

Cheers,
David
 
The General said:
A bit late for this, but I thought it was such a neat idea that I bought a license and it's installed on my MacBook Pro right now. :)

http://orbicule.com/undercover/
Click to expand...

nice idea but pointless if the thief dosnt use the internet or goes through a proxy server, and is aware that programs like this exist. tbh once a thief realises its locked or he/she has been caught its most likely going to be trashed and dumped somewhere
 
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