| Laptop Insurance: Looking after your | | | | RoboForm is handy - |
| laptop - Some things are obvious - some | | | | Don't travel with your laptop unless |
| are not ... | | | | absolutely necessary - obvious but true |
| You already know how much your laptop is | | | | - o you really need to take it with you? |
| worth. Unfortunately, there's a fair | | | | Laptop theft peaks on Friday, when |
| chance that the laptop thieves as well | | | | office workers take their laptop home |
| … | | | | with them. |
| Here are some tips on looking after your | | | | Put it in a rucksack not the laptop bag. |
| laptop, minimizing the likelihood of a | | | | If you want to use the laptop bag eg |
| loss, theft or damage and also shrinking | | | | because it has stronger edges to keep |
| the possible pain if it does happen. | | | | your laptop protected, put the laptop in |
| First, make sure it doesn't matter so | | | | the laptop bag, and then put the laptop |
| much if you do lose your laptop: | | | | bag in a rucksack. This stops it being |
| Everything that is important on your | | | | visibly a laptop. |
| laptop should be backed up. Buy an | | | | When your do travel with your laptop, |
| external hard-drive (usually about £50 | | | | mentally program yourself to keep hold |
| US$90). Keep it connected to your laptop | | | | of your laptop. On trains etc jeep it |
| whenever possible. Then buy a software | | | | between your legs, so you can feel when |
| system that will automatically copy your | | | | it is not there immediately. There are |
| essential files to the external | | | | many cases of items even being stolen |
| hard-drive. "Second Copy" is a good | | | | from between legs at restaurants etc, so |
| option - | | | | also put 1 foot through the strap. |
| Backup the backup - Copy the back-up | | | | Make sure you have got a good laptop |
| files to another external hard-drive or | | | | insurance policy in place. Make sure |
| computer. Your first may have broken or | | | | you know exactly what is covered. |
| corrupted - and if you did not notice | | | | Avoid traveling on a Friday with your |
| that until your laptop goes or goes | | | | laptop - this is key theft-day, because |
| wrong ... | | | | many staff take their laptop home to use |
| Make sure you have copies of the license | | | | over the weekend. This means that |
| keys for all software on your laptop - | | | | Friday is key theft day. |
| create a text file of the these. This | | | | Complete these simple steps and your |
| makes it much easier to reinstall when | | | | laptop will be far safer - and should |
| you get a new laptop. For security you | | | | your laptop be lost, damaged or stolen, |
| might want to lock this license key file | | | | you will feel the pain far less. |
| away behind a password-protected system. | | | | |