Laptops:Caring for Your Laptop

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The Care and Feeding of a Laptop

  • ALWAYS USE AN ANTI-THEFT DEVICE. Portable locking devices and motion sensor alarms are fairly inexpensive and easy to use. These should be in use whenever you leave your laptop.

  • NEVER LEAVE YOUR LAPTOP UNATTENDED. A laptop left in an unattended place, especially in open view, makes it an easy target for thieves.

  • SAVE A COPY OF YOUR PURCHASE RECIEPT – AWAY FROM THE LAPTOP. Copy the serial number, and describe the system on it. In the event that your laptop is stolen, this will aid police / public safety in locating your system.

  • CARRY YOUR LAPTOP IN AN “UNASSUMING”, PADDED BAG. This avoids the unwanted attention that a laptop bag or leather briefcase can generate.

  • NEVER LEAVE YOUR BAGGAGE UNATTENDED AT AIRPORTS. Airports are great targets for laptop thieves because they can easily blend in with the rest of the travelers. While making phone calls, or eating at an airport facility, ensure a good grip on your laptop. When going through the X-RAY Scanner, make sure that you have a quick and clear path to grab your bag at the other end of the belt.

  • ALWAYS LOCK YOUR SCREEN. Having an unlocked screen while away from your system allows anyone access to your personal data, as well as the data of others. Locking your screen provides increased protection against theft.

  • THE MTU INSURANCE WILL NOT PROTECT YOU. If you lose your laptop, it will not be covered by the MTU insurance policy, due to our $5000 deductible. It will be your department's responsibility to replace stolen systems.

  • BACK UP IMPORTANT DATA. All important data should be stored on your H drive before leaving the office, and should be copied there upon your return.

  • TEST THE BATTERY REGULARLY. Every so often be sure to take your laptop off it’s docking station and unplug it. Running the laptop off of external power will shorten your battery life, so be sure to run it regularly from the battery.

  • CARRY THE LAPTOP. When flying, don’t put the laptop with your standard baggage, take it as carry-on. Otherwise it will get stored under the plane in a very cold area with a lot of pressure changes. This can cause damage to the LCD screen.

  • TEST DIAL-IN BEFORE LEAVING TOWN. Be sure to test all of your dial up connections at home before leaving town. Make sure you completely understand how to use your Dial-Up connections.

  • USE THE CORRECT PHONELINE. Be careful to use the correct type of phone line. A powered phone line (like those in offices) can destroy a modem in a machine. Only unpowered phone lines are safe. If you are not sure, ask if the phone line is modem useable.

  • DO NOT USE YOUR LAPTOP IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT. Direct sunlight on your laptop screen will heat up and burn the plasma in the display. Avoid using the laptop in direct sunlight.

  • IF YOUR LAPTOP LOCKS. If your laptop locks completely and/or is doing uncontrollable, strange things, pull the power and the battery. After the power has been stripped, plug the laptop in and try to boot it. If it boots correctly, shut it down, put the battery back in, and boot it again.
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