Originally Posted by
adambadam
I have some software on my computer now called Prey (
http://preyproject.com/) which sits in the background and can be remotely activated when a computer is lost or stolen, it free and open source. If the thief connects the computer to the internet it can be triggered to take a picture if there is a web cam and it will capture other information like IP address etc that could be useful for law enforcement. I realize this info is a little late now, though thought I would throw it out there for everyone to be aware of.
From Prey's FAQ:
And what if he formats the computer?
That’s a different story. We encourage you to add a BIOS password and disable booting from removable devices on your PC, so that the thief will be forced to boot into the previous installation and thus, not be able to format your hard disk easily.
I'm thinking Prey won't be of much help if the thieves are any level above a pranking teenager.