Dell LATITUDE D400: TravelingWithYourComputer:Dell™Latitude™CS/CS

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TravelingWithYourComputer:Dell™Latitude™CS/CS

Portable Computers User's

Guide

Identifying Your Computer

As an antitheft measure, assign a primary password and a hard-disk drive password to prohibit unauthorized access to the computer.

Dell recommends that you follow these precautions before you travel with your computer:

l Write down your service tag and put it in a safe place separate from the computer or carrying case. If the computer is lost or stolen, use the

service tag number when reporting to law enforcement officials and to Dell.

l Use the Asset Tag utility to place an owner tag in the computer. In the owner tag, you may want to include your name or your company's name

and a contact number or electronic mail address that can be used to reach you.

l Use a text editor (such as Microsoft®Windows®Notepad) to create a file called if_found in your root directory. Place information such as

your name, address, and telephone number in this file. (For instructions on using the appropriate text editor, see the documentation that

came with your operating system.)

l Attach your business card or other name tag to the computer.

l Contact your credit-card company and ask if it offers coded identification tags that allow your property to be returned to you without the risk of

revealing your name, address, or telephone number.

l Use a permanent marking or stenciling device to write your driver’s license number or some other unique identifying mark on the computer. If

a lost or stolen computer is recovered, such marking identifies the computer as your property.

Service Tag

The service tag is an alphanumeric sequence on a bar code label located on the bottom of the computer. The service tag is unique to your

computer and allows Dell technical assistance personnel to identify the computer and its configuration quickly if you call for assistance.

If Your Computer Is Lost or Stolen

If your computer is lost or stolen, Dell suggests that you perform the following steps:

1. Call a law enforcement agency to report the lost or stolen computer.

Include the service tag in your description of the computer. Ask that a case number be assigned, and write it down. Also write down the

name, address, and telephone number of the law enforcement agency. If possible, obtain the name of the investigating officer.

If you know where the computer was lost or stolen, call a law enforcement agency in that area. If you do not know, call a law

enforcement agency where you live.

2. If the computer belongs to a company, notify the security office of the firm.

3. Call Dell technical assistance to report the missing computer.

Provide the computer’s service tag, the case number, and the name, address, and telephone number of the law enforcement agency to

which you reported the missing computer. If possible, give the name of the investigating officer.

The Dell support technician will log your report under the computer’s service tag and flag the computer as missing or stolen. If someone

calls Dell for technical assistance and gives your service tag, the computer is identified automatically as missing or stolen. The

technician will attempt to get the phone number and address of the caller. Dell will then contact the law enforcement agency to which

you made the report of the missing or stolen computer.

Preparing Your Computer for Travel

To prepare your computer for travel, perform the following steps:

1. Detach any external devices attached to the computer, and store them in a safe place. If a diskette is in the diskette drive, remove it. Remove

any cables attached to installed PC Cards (you do not have to remove the PC Cards themselves).