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Prey users

wacky17
Grafter
Posts: 134
Registered: ‎25-06-2008

Prey users

Is there any prey free account users on this forum? Im thiniking in using prey for my desktop but was woundering if someone did break in and nicked my pc could they just format the pc and install a fresh copy of windows, so in theory prey wouldnt either have chance to work.
5 REPLIES 5
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Prey users

Unless it modifies the bios - unlikely - then it doesn't stop someone reformatting your hard drive and starting again
wacky17
Grafter
Posts: 134
Registered: ‎25-06-2008

Re: Prey users

So you just have to hope that the thief turns on the pc and lets it boots up with the ethernet pluged in. Not  as straight forward as a laptop as they have wifi built in.
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
Thanks: 145
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Prey users

Quote
Prey uses either the device's GPS or the nearest WiFi hotspots to triangulate and grab a fix on its location.

I don't know about anybody else, but unless it can access BT Openzone then my nearest WiFi hotspot is a few miles away. 
CX
Grafter
Posts: 750
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎16-09-2010

Re: Prey users

If you have a properly secured user account, it won't be possible to login, and therefore the thief won't be able to connect to a new wireless network. If they are still in range of your network, I suppose it would work, assuming that the Prey service runs from boot and not user session. They wouldn't be able to create a new user account either, since your admin accounts(s) should be locked down.
If they can't log into the user account, they're just going to wipe the system and reinstall Windows. Or possibly dump it in a skip, depending on their IQ level.
It seems to me that for Prey to work on a PC, you need to leave your system unsecured, and inviting the thief to log in. Personally I would rather have my data secure and claim the stolen hardware on insurance.
Ellis
Grafter
Posts: 213
Registered: ‎04-02-2011

Re: Prey users

Quote from: wacky17
format the pc and install a fresh copy of windows, so in theory prey wouldnt either have chance to work.

Being a Linux user, I have often carried out this procedure when installing my own system. You just have to hope that the thieves are not very intelligent.