Secure your computer

Author
Aron Schatz
Posted
August 11, 2001
Views
57335
If your going to college and your going to be living in a dorm, you should read this.
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Page 1
<p>Since I am going to college on the 19th of August, mom told me to becareful
because everyone will take advantage of a situation. What does that mean? Assume
people will steal anything you own as long as it is in the open. Always listen
to your mom!! Anyway, I was thinking about what she said and I didn't want that
to happen to my computer. I spent maybe a day trying to figure out how to secure
it to, lets say, a table leg. You can secure it around anything you see fit...</p>
<p>Now, I just had to figure out what to secure it with. I originally thought
of a bicycle lock. Dad agreed with me that we had to secure the computer, so
he took me to the Home Depot around here. He had a different reason to go, he
needed to fix a toliet Wink. After we got what Dad needed, we search for a drill
bit. After searching in the fastener section (we needed velcro, another article
on that later), we saw the very small cable. It was 1/8 of an inch thick. I
remembered that I had small holes in the case already. Now I wouldn't have to
drill anything Smile.</p>
<p><center>
<img src="../images/dormroomlockdown/location.jpg"><br>
Most cases have something to this nature
</center>
</p>
<p>Okay, so we needed the cable now. Well, saving money, Dad remembered that he
had fishing line that he didn't finish. Now before you jump to conclusions,
it was for tuna fishing and it was thin metal cable. Perfect for what I needed.
Anyway, we went home...
<p><center>
<p><img src="../images/dormroomlockdown/crimpnotneat.jpg"></p></center>
<p>As you can see above, we have a cable and something on the cable. That
something is a crimp. It basically smashes down to hold something in place,
and in this case, two strands of cable.</p>
Page 2
<p>I suggest to leave the cable on the spool, it makes it easier to measure,
and it helps just in case you screw up.</p>

<p>Anyway, as you can see below, the cable end needs to be nice and clean. This
helps for when you string the cable through the small holes of the case.</p>
<p></p>
<p><center><img src="../images/dormroomlockdown/neatcut.jpg"></center></p>
<p>And the tool to cut the wire?</p>
<p><center><img src="../images/dormroomlockdown/tool.jpg"></center></p>
<p>Let me say now that this won't prevent the person that hates you and only wants to take your stuff. A heavy wire cutter will get through this. I think of it as a deterant. Most people will pass it by if the have to work to get it.
And it takes time also, which most crooks don't want to take. All of this helps you.</P>
<p>Back on topic, you'll need to feed the wire through the holes and what I did was loop it through 3 of them.</p>
<p><center><img src="../images/dormroomlockdown/inhole.jpg"></center></p>
<p><center><img src="../images/dormroomlockdown/twisted.jpg"></center></p>

<p>And only thing that is left todo it to smash down the crimp to hold the wire. Next thing you need todo cut the wire off the end of the crimp you just made. Hey, it makes it look nicer.</P>
<p><center><img src="../images/dormroomlockdown/crimpoutside.jpg"></center></p>
<p><center><img src="../images/dormroomlockdown/crimpoutcomplete.jpg"></center></p>
Page 3
<p>Now, you need to estimate the amount of wire you'll need, I basically took 6 feet of wire. At the other end of the wire, make it into a loop.</p>
<p><center><img src="../images/dormroomlockdown/loop.jpg"></center></p>
<p>then, crimp it, this will be the loop that will secure a lock. Make sure you get your favorite lock also. I chose a 3 combination MasterLock.</p>
<p><center><img src="../images/dormroomlockdown/almostcomplete.jpg"></center></p>
<p>Now, just find something to loop it and lock it!! I used a chair leg to show that it works...</p>
<p><center><img src="../images/dormroomlockdown/completedsetup.jpg"></center></p>
<p><center><img src="../images/dormroomlockdown/inside.jpg"></center></p>
<p><center><img src="../images/dormroomlockdown/inside2.jpg"></center></p>
<p>As you can see above, the inside wire doesn't come near anything inside the case. I think that this small thing will lower your chances of getting the computer that you worked so hard to put together,
stolen from you. You can change the wire to make it more secure. I hope everyone learned something by reading this.</p>

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