Laptops and a quick pass through security? Is it possible?
 

Anyone tried this and had good success?
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Try booting your laptop with a disk. If you get stopped at security and have to turn it on, it will come on with an error. The security folks are happy and you aren't stuck waiting for everything to boot up before you can shut down.
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It sounds good but.. any what if's?

I am in the IT industry and never though of that - excellent idea.

On the other hand, no one, except for AA, has ever asked me to boot a laptop to prove that it is real. Other airlines seem convinced by the machine that clearly shows the hard drive, battery, PC Cards, motherboard, etc. :O

It sounds like a possible thing to do but then I would have to have my floppy thingee installed rather than the nice DVD thingee.

Another thing to do is to boot it up holding the "shift" key down for a faster bootup (I forget why just now).

BTW I have not had to do this silly bootup routine for quite a while.

This sounds like a good idea. I have only had to do this once at the airport in Sun Valley, ID. They were unbelievably cautious, even making people drink from any open containers of water that they had with them.

Genius, doc.

It has been a while since security asked me to bootvup the computer; many use the "sniffer" method now.

In the past, I would put the laptop on sleep mode and if they did ask me to boot it on, I press a button, the NT login screen come up instantaneously, and I would be waved through. I am not too concerned about battery life since since I don't work on the plane (or much off the plane http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif ).

Seems like MisterNice is able to watch movies while I'm forced to read! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

The increasingly rare occurrence of being checked is most apt to happen when one is in a big hurry, no? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Wish I could take credit for the idea! A friend/colleague had suggested this simple and harmless ploy and recently (maybe yesterday biztravel) I read it as well! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

How about putting it into sleep mode and
then just hitting the button and having the
thing leap to life? I used to do this with
my first notebook (386sx20) but like many
others haven't had to turn the box on in
some years now,

I have Partition Magic installed along with Boot Commander (or whatever it's called) so if I have to turn the laptop on for security it reads the BIOS and then stops to wait for me to tell it which partition to use. Therefore if I turn it off then Windows hasn't actually started loading yet. I didn't set it up this way for that reason but it turns out to be an extra added benefit. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by RichG (edited 06-09-2000).]

May be slightly off-topic but I've found that if you carry your laptop in a pc carry case, chances are high it will be selected for further checks when it goes through the x-ray.

BUT....put the laptop in a backpack and no-one checks (or in my case for 98% of the time no one does...). Yet the X-ray signature is the same!

I've had the exact same experience as PITBULL1K. And, besides I occasionally leave my backpack unaccompanied with my notebook in it (in the lounge only) - I would never leave my notebook in it's carrying case unaccompanied. (Leaving a backpack for a few minutes is generally okay in N. America lounges - I did that once in Frankfurt's Diners Club lounge and security was all over it within 15 minutes. Luckily they didn't blow it up) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by megamiles (edited 06-09-2000).]

Fortunately with my Toshiba I have a far easier solution. When I pull my laptop out of my bag I slide the SelectBay switch which unlocks the DVD drive to be swapped with a floppy drive. The computer then starts with an error message stating the lock in unlocked. Takes all of 4 seconds.

Dorian

I haven't been asked to boot up my computer in over two years now. Before that, I was asked 50% of the time I traveled. I was taking the DL BOS-LGA route at that time. Now, they just use the sniffer test, but a great idea Doc!

misternice: sounds like an old mac secret.. holding down the shift when you boot does a clean boot without any extensions.. useful if you're having conflict problems.. not sure if it still works under current mac os.. although not sure why it wouldn't.. don't think it'll work under dos/windows though..

Interesting idea.

I always chuckle when they ask you to turn on your pilot and your cell phone. In Hartsfield signs ask you to put your cell phone in your carry-on to save time. It shows how ridiculous it all is...either a cellphone is a danger or it's not. If it is, then they should check them religiously, if it's not, why check them at all?

I've taken my PC through security and probably once in 25 times they "sniff" the bag. The rest of the time I'm never asked anything or delayed. It is rare that they check. It seems that about 2 years ago they used to check laptops a lot more than they do now. I travel with people who get theirs checked out a lot more than mine. Go figure.

Try going through a tier 3 airport like Appleton, WI. Make you turn your laptop on for sure due to their older x-ray unit.

Dorian

Airport security is so easy to fool when it comes to bringing electronics through.

If one wanted to, they could get one of those dummy cell phones that they have at the phone retailers, stuff it with C4, and you're good to go.

I will never leave my faith in airport security unless they make some severe changes in which the checks are made.

US security is a joke and really a risk, especially when one can compare to the seriousness of European security and security personnel. Wish there were more spot inspections and tests. But then our solution to fake FBI agents gaining access to buildings is to require genuine FBI agents to check their weapons.

I got a smallish laptop (Sony PCG-CX1) which security doesn't even notice! I've never been stopped since I bought it.

Also my new cell phone doesn't set off most metal detectors. So if I hang my shirt out over the phone on my hip, they don't even realize it's there. Yet if my shirt is tucked in, they ask to see the phone turned on. What a joke!

I agree with Pitbull1K,

The trick I use for my laptop and the airport x-ray machine is to put the laptop in my roller-bag. I can't recall the last time my laptop has been checked since, while other less fortunate souls both before me and after me in the x-ray line have been "chosen". I think they focus on laptop carry bags.

Also, here is a pretty interesting article on the subject I found today.
http://www.apbnews.com/newscenter/br...er0529_01.html

Reprise for newbies! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

You know, I have never been asked to turn on my laptop - and I have never traveled without it. I would say about 1 out of 4 times I am asked to let them do the residue test thing, but that's all. If you're worried about getting held up why don't you just close the lid and put your laptop on standby - that will save a lot of time waiting for a reboot.

I do this all the time and highly recommend it to everybody else. Besides coming up very bast, traveling with a disk in the drive keeps stray items in the bag (like paperclips) from getting in.

It's becoming a moot point though, it's rare now I get asked to turn the laptop on, mostly they just swab the case.

I've been doing this for years - and I must look suspicious (no comments please) because I'm forever being asked to power up.. having a diskette in the A drive makes it painless -well, less painful. My battery is dead, so I CAN'T powerup without dragging out the power cord, finding an outlet, having them hover over me, etc.. one of those inexpensive tasks I never seem to get around to http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Ever notice a correlation between being asked to power up and the number of minutes you have to get to your gate? When I have two hours, I'm NEVER asked http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I don't know where you guys are going through security, but I've never been asked to power up my laptop. Just put it through the x-ray machine and keep going.

I frequently have it checked for gunpowder and remains of explosives (as described by the security droid, but who knows) with the cotton swabs, but never have to remove it from my briefcase.

Since I got the Sony Picturebook over a year ago, I never even get the cotton swab check. They must think it's a large Palm Pilot. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I have never had to power it up; however they often do the swab thing when it is in a PC case, but never when it is in a backpack. Now what happens when the residue thing makes a mistake and it comes back positive. What do they do?

I haven't had anyone ask me to boot up my notebook in years-- but I also carry it in my briefcase.