NationStates Jolt Archive

There are two things I value this forum for: political conversation and surprisingly good tech support. So, I have a question. I may have to send my laptop in for repairs and I was wondering about certain files on my computer that I don't want to have seen. Does anybody know if they go through all the files on your computer or do they just replace what is needed to be replaced with little prying? If I were the type of savage who would actually download files through slightly less than perfectly legal ways, could I get in trouble?

As for what is wrong with my computer: A good third of my screen has been plunged into darkness. I have a feeling this is a serious issue.

I'm a complete retard when it comes to computers, so any jargon will be lost on me but feel free to talk amongst yourselves.

There are two things I value this forum for: political conversation and surprisingly good tech support. So, I have a question. I may have to send my laptop in for repairs and I was wondering about certain files on my computer that I don't want to have seen. Does anybody know if they go through all the files on your computer or do they just replace what is needed to be replaced with little prying? If I were the type of savage who would actually download files through slightly less than perfectly legal ways, could I get in trouble?

As for what is wrong with my computer: A good third of my screen has been plunged into darkness. I have a feeling this is a serious issue.

I'm a complete retard when it comes to computers, so any jargon will be lost on me but feel free to talk amongst yourselves.

Always assume the worse.

How much do you trust them?

Remember, deleting files isn't enough. Back them up, delete them (and any temporary files - browser cache etc.), overwrite them by filling the disk (full!), delete the spurious files you just made, repeat to taste, then defrag the disk.
It ain't perfect, but I doubt a repairman cares enough to try and recover data he doesn't know's there from that.

Sounds sucky for me so far...

There are some programs out there that will overwrite your deletions and empty space automatically. I use one called System Mechanic that has a program like that. I'm sure there's some shareware.

Cool... I'll search around for that.

If it turns out to be a graphics card or something like that, is it easy enough to do yourself?

Cool... I'll search around for that.

If it turns out to be a graphics card or something like that, is it easy enough to do yourself?
in a PC yes, in a laptop? buddy you couldn't pay me to open a laptop and go poking around in there.

in a PC yes, in a laptop? buddy you couldn't pay me to open a laptop and go poking around in there.
It's not hard to actually do.

Getting laptop spares? That's the hard part.

Cool... I'll search around for that.



Here's some:

http://www.programurl.com/software/overwrite.htm
http://www.softplatz.com/shareware/delete/

Here's some:

http://www.programurl.com/software/overwrite.htm
http://www.softplatz.com/shareware/delete/
Excellent! Muuwua ha ha ha ha!

ahem

now that everyone has you all paranoid


no they cant be bothered to search your computer for stuff. especially if they are a busy busy place. they cant afford to have those sorts of issues in their business now can they? dont have the teenager down the street do it for you, he will look at everything, important or not.

so if its your collection of child porn, better to move them to another computer and trash this one. if you are worried about the first few chapters of your great american novel, no one wants it.

the more likely disaster is that someone decides to reformat your harddrive and you lose everthing on it. back up your data and get it fixed.

Here's some:

http://www.programurl.com/software/overwrite.htm
http://www.softplatz.com/shareware/delete/
I always used autoclave but he recomended this one too

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

It's not hard to actually do.

Getting laptop spares? That's the hard part.
I should also mention this is a Toshiba so anything that could be made easily accessible is hidden behind a series of trials that would make Indiana Jones blanch.

There are two things I value this forum for: political conversation and surprisingly good tech support. So, I have a question. I may have to send my laptop in for repairs and I was wondering about certain files on my computer that I don't want to have seen. Does anybody know if they go through all the files on your computer or do they just replace what is needed to be replaced with little prying? If I were the type of savage who would actually download files through slightly less than perfectly legal ways, could I get in trouble?

As for what is wrong with my computer: A good third of my screen has been plunged into darkness. I have a feeling this is a serious issue.

I'm a complete retard when it comes to computers, so any jargon will be lost on me but feel free to talk amongst yourselves.


If it's MP3 files of copied music tracks, don't worry. If it's pics of naked women over 18 having sex, they'll just copy the ones they don't have.

Pics of underage children naked or having sex, well, people are busted for that all the time here in the US. The shop turns them in.

Pretty regularly.

If it's MP3 files of copied music tracks, don't worry. If it's pics of naked women over 18 having sex, they'll just copy the ones they don't have.

Pics of underage children naked or having sex, well, people are busted for that all the time here in the US. The shop turns them in.

Pretty regularly.
What about movies or things like that? Are those regularly checked on?

What about movies or things like that? Are those regularly checked on?
Same deal as long as its not something reprehensible you are usaly fine I do not believe there has been any court precidence for shops turning in copyright violaters

What about movies or things like that? Are those regularly checked on?
As long as they aren't movies of kiddie porn.

The people doing the repairs have complete access to your drive.

Let's say it's the drive, and they're able to plug it into another machine as a slave drive long enough to copy the data off of it to a new drive.

They're going to see filenames and types. These guys are bored, and many collect porn, etc. So if you have something really bad (i.e., kiddie porn), they'll turn you in just for fun.

It's not hard to actually do.

Getting laptop spares? That's the hard part.
I don't know I opened up my husband's laptop to try to change out something once and it looked.....well, complicated. ;)

As long as they aren't movies of kiddie porn.

The people doing the repairs have complete access to your drive.

Let's say it's the drive, and they're able to plug it into another machine as a slave drive long enough to copy the data off of it to a new drive.

They're going to see filenames and types. These guys are bored, and many collect porn, etc. So if you have something really bad (i.e., kiddie porn), they'll turn you in just for fun.
I have a couple of comedies... I mean... I'm not a sexual offender or anything.

I have a couple of comedies... I mean... I'm not a sexual offender or anything.
Pfft dont worry bout it then lol

I have a couple of comedies... I mean... I'm not a sexual offender or anything.
Then they'll find your machine boring and just fix it.

So, I have a question. I may have to send my laptop in for repairs and I was wondering about certain files on my computer that I don't want to have seen.

Download truecrypt, http://www.truecrypt.org/ , create an encrypted "container" and dump all your mp3s and videos in it. If the repairpeople can be bothered to crack the encryption they are obsessed.

I have a couple of comedies... I mean... I'm not a sexual offender or anything.
Before you take it in, download a whole bunch of random porn, just as a service to them.

Are you sending the laptop back to the manufacturer?

If you are then do what I did the last time mine blewup, tell the tech support people that you need to keep hold of the hard drive due to important coursework/a family tree/a.n. other excuse. They should be able to just stick in a matching hard drive with all the correct drivers and what not when they receive it.

Of course, this only work if your sending it back to manufacturer and you know its a hardware problem but if your really luck they need to replace the whole unit and forget you still have the hard drive like mine did :D

Are you sending the laptop back to the manufacturer?

If you are then do what I did the last time mine blewup, tell the tech support people that you need to keep hold of the hard drive due to important coursework/a family tree/a.n. other excuse. They should be able to just stick in a matching hard drive with all the correct drivers and what not when they receive it.

Of course, this only work if your sending it back to manufacturer and you know its a hardware problem but if your really luck they need to replace the whole unit and forget you still have the hard drive like mine did :D
That is an awesome idea...

You people are wise.

now that everyone has you all paranoid


no they cant be bothered to search your computer for stuff. especially if they are a busy busy place. they cant afford to have those sorts of issues in their business now can they? dont have the teenager down the street do it for you, he will look at everything, important or not.

so if its your collection of child porn, better to move them to another computer and trash this one. if you are worried about the first few chapters of your great american novel, no one wants it.

the more likely disaster is that someone decides to reformat your harddrive and you lose everthing on it. back up your data and get it fixed.

Tell that to Gary Glitter!

That is an awesome idea...

You people are wise.

Worked for me.

Worked for me.
How much room is inside one of those laptop cases anyway? It's not like a desktop computer tower where you typically have a lot of room for extra harddrives and whatnot.

Tell that to Gary Glitter!
whoever gary glitter is

How much room is inside one of those laptop cases anyway? It's not like a desktop computer tower where you typically have a lot of room for extra harddrives and whatnot.

It more to keep his h/d away from the prying eyes of the repair guys. The free h/d was just a bonus.

whoever gary glitter is

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Glitter

read 1.6

whoever gary glitter is
Just think about what type of porn a man with a name like Gary Glitter has and you have your answer of who he is. He also played music or something or other.

Just think about what type of porn a man with a name like Gary Glitter has and you have your answer of who he is. He also played music or something or other.
i dont see where that name implies child porn.

anyway, to respond to rubicon, i feel that gary glitters situation is fully covered with my advice that if you have child porn on your puter you buy a new one, transfer the material to the new one and trash the old one. that way no one can possibly see it and have you arrested for it.

computer repair personelle are not in the employ of the record or movie industry. they arent interested in turning you in for copyright violations. its not their job and im thinking that their employers would fire them for snooping if they ever did anything like that. (with the exception being for child porn. any decent human being would send that computer to the district attorney without hesitation)

There are two things I value this forum for: political conversation and surprisingly good tech support. So, I have a question. I may have to send my laptop in for repairs and I was wondering about certain files on my computer that I don't want to have seen. Does anybody know if they go through all the files on your computer or do they just replace what is needed to be replaced with little prying? If I were the type of savage who would actually download files through slightly less than perfectly legal ways, could I get in trouble?

As for what is wrong with my computer: A good third of my screen has been plunged into darkness. I have a feeling this is a serious issue.

I'm a complete retard when it comes to computers, so any jargon will be lost on me but feel free to talk amongst yourselves.

I remember hearing that David Asimov, son to Isaac Asimov the Sci-Fi novelist and physicist, took his computer in for repairs and ended up on trial for possession of child pornography. When the techs were looking at the hard drive, they saw it and called the cops.

i dont see where that name implies child porn.


It sounds to me like a child porn type of guy name. Glitter... I guess it would be worse if he didn't have the Gary in front of it.

it's very simple. If you don't want your data seen, take out the hard drive.

They don't need it to fix a laptop screen issue.

now that everyone has you all paranoid


no they cant be bothered to search your computer for stuff. especially if they are a busy busy place.

trust me, as an ex computer tech @ a service center. we have PLENTY of time to look for porn and weird stuff on ppl's pc :P it doesn't matter how busy we were, we had time.

trust me, as an ex computer tech @ a service center. we have PLENTY of time to look for porn and weird stuff on ppl's pc :P it doesn't matter how busy we were, we had time.
if a person is afraid that the puter tech is gonna look at his porn collection, he probably shouldnt put porn on the computer at all. he is too paranoid to be online.

one should remove the digital sex movies you and your girlfriend made and the naked/porn stills you made of each other.

what do y'all put on your computers that a random tech coming upon might be a terrible thing? he's not going to steal your killer movie script, he's not going to care that you have 10,000 pirated mp3s. he will turn you in for child porn. he might make copies of your amateur porn and submit it to a porn site. he's not going to steal your bank password or your AIM account id.