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Urgent - Stolen laptop

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  • 16-02-2011 6:18pm
    #1
    Cavehill Red
    Registered Users Posts: 6,109 ✭✭✭


    Hi, another stolen laptop thread here.

    A good pal has had his laptop taken in a burglary in Drumcondra on Monday. Basically, his phd thesis is on it and he has no backup (don't need lectures on this - circumstances are unusual, normally he has backup and he's feeling bad enough already, plus I've already given him the lecture.)

    It's a silver Dell Inspiron 1520, a little scuffed at the front, and boots up to a choice of logins - Jim or Marianne.

    Service tag/Serial Number is 4JVWB3J.

    The thieves cleaned out his house, stole his kid's toys and everything. But the data on the harddrive is irreplaceable. He's prepared to borrow money to get the laptop, harddrive or all the data returned, no questions asked.

    He was on the radio last night asking for its return. I thought I'd help spread the word by asking in here.

    His entire future is on the line, as he was heading back to college to finish his degree in a month or so after years working to raise his kid. Any help in tracking this down will be rewarded. Let's say at least a couple of hundred euro, but I suspect he'd offer more if he could raise it for the return of the data in whatever form.

    Please keep an eye out for it, spread the word and if you hear of anything relating to this computer, feel free to PM me here on boards.

    Seriously, any info leading to the return of the computer will be rewarded, no questions asked. The lad got totally cleaned out in the burglary, cash, jewellery, another computer belonging to a housemate, you name it. This is fairly devastating for him. But the return of that data or the harddrive or the whole laptop would at least give him some sort of hope for the future.

    Please pass the word around, thanks.
    Tagged:


«134

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    #2
    flutered
    Registered Users Posts: 6,678 ✭✭✭flutered


    bastads, i feel your mates pain.


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    #3
    r1scooby
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭r1scooby


    I heard your friend on the radio last night talking about this. What a disgusting act, its bad enough to steal someones possessions but to take away years and years of hard work is inexcusable. I know the thevies wouldn't of know about his work and you friends offer to pay them to return it to him is commendable, I can only hope that he finds it and before its too late. I will certainly be spreading the word on this and keeping my eyes open.

    Best of luck!


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    #4
    Port Royale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 25 ✭Port Royale


    ....makes me rethink if cutting off burglars' fingers and hands really is too harsh a punishment.... :mad:


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    #5
    ricman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,559 ✭✭✭ricman


    IT BE no harm to check the ads on gumtree ,or buynsell ,but the chances are it,ll be sold in a pub .HE could put an ad in buyandsell asking for its return, if the staff allow it, put ads in the local shops,supermarkets , wanted laptop,reward offered.IN EACH AREA theres someone that specializes in fencing,selling certain items, eg cigarettes, jewelery ,electronics ,eg a local might know someone, who sells stolen ipods,laptops etc WITH phones theres an imei ,so the phone company can track them,if they are stolen,,its not so simple with pcs.A hardrive external is 60 euro,even apart from the dangers of being robbed,
    i dont understand how students do not backup their work,as drives can fail, or be damaged by virus, malware anytime.OR IT could be sold to a pawnshop in dublin .


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    #6
    Nothingbetter2d
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,037 ✭✭✭Nothingbetter2d


    Port Royale wrote: »
    ....makes me rethink if cutting off burglars' fingers and hands really is too harsh a punishment.... :mad:

    tell Enda if he brings in this punishment for theft... i vote for him


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    #7
    Snowbat
    Registered Users Posts: 1,064 ✭✭✭Snowbat


    A reward notice on the gate has worked on a previous occasion.


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    #8
    Cavehill Red
    Registered Users Posts: 6,109 ✭✭✭Cavehill Red


    Quick update on this - as some of you have noticed, the word's been spread on the radio thanks to the kindness of the Adrian Kennedy show and there are notices up in the windows of some local shops.
    We're trying hard to get this computer back because the lad's entire future really rests on its return.
    The irony here is especially painful - he HAD the thing backed up on an external harddrive until last Saturday when the harddrive was dropped down a flight of stairs and completely destroyed (disk physically damaged - all data irretrievable.) He was only without back up for less than 48 hours.
    He also had money in the house that he normally wouldn't have - quite a bit of cash that he couldn't afford to lose. What I don't get is why a scumbag wouldn't be happy enough with sticking that up their loser arm and leave what is obviously an item of personal work use that they could only get 30 or 50 quid for.
    Please keep spreading the word around to look out for a Dell Inspiron 1520 silver laptop. If there's any chance of getting this back, it would mean so much to the lad and to his kid.


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    #9
    Jumpy
    Registered Users Posts: 7,606 ✭✭✭Jumpy


    Cavehill Red wrote: »
    Quick update on this - as some of you have noticed, the word's been spread on the radio thanks to the kindness of the Adrian Kennedy show and there are notices up in the windows of some local shops.
    We're trying hard to get this computer back because the lad's entire future really rests on its return.
    The irony here is especially painful - he HAD the thing backed up on an external harddrive until last Saturday when the harddrive was dropped down a flight of stairs and completely destroyed (disk physically damaged - all data irretrievable.) He was only without back up for less than 48 hours.
    He also had money in the house that he normally wouldn't have - quite a bit of cash that he couldn't afford to lose. What I don't get is why a scumbag wouldn't be happy enough with sticking that up their loser arm and leave what is obviously an item of personal work use that they could only get 30 or 50 quid for.
    Please keep spreading the word around to look out for a Dell Inspiron 1520 silver laptop. If there's any chance of getting this back, it would mean so much to the lad and to his kid.

    There are professional services that can retrieve that data.


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    #10
    dilallio
    Registered Users Posts: 2,728 ✭✭✭dilallio


    Jumpy wrote: »
    There are professional services that can retrieve that data.

    +1 to this.

    I'm sure if a local professional service were to do this for free in this instance, the positive PR they would get would offset any cost.


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    #11
    RedXIV
    Registered Users Posts: 8,422 ✭✭✭RedXIV


    dilallio wrote: »
    +1 to this.

    I'm sure if a local professional service were to do this for free in this instance, the positive PR they would get would offset any cost.

    Wouldn't bet on them doing it for free, but Unless the thing has been microwaved, there's a good chance at receiving SOME if not all that data?


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    #12
    drBill
    Closed Accounts Posts: 329 ✭✭drBill


    Cavehill Red wrote: »
    Quick update on this - as some of you have noticed, the word's been spread on the radio thanks to the kindness of the Adrian Kennedy show and there are notices up in the windows of some local shops.
    We're trying hard to get this computer back because the lad's entire future really rests on its return.
    The irony here is especially painful - he HAD the thing backed up on an external harddrive until last Saturday when the harddrive was dropped down a flight of stairs and completely destroyed (disk physically damaged - all data irretrievable.) He was only without back up for less than 48 hours.
    He also had money in the house that he normally wouldn't have - quite a bit of cash that he couldn't afford to lose. What I don't get is why a scumbag wouldn't be happy enough with sticking that up their loser arm and leave what is obviously an item of personal work use that they could only get 30 or 50 quid for.
    Please keep spreading the word around to look out for a Dell Inspiron 1520 silver laptop. If there's any chance of getting this back, it would mean so much to the lad and to his kid.

    As someone already said, there is the chance that the external hard drive can be recovered. There are companies that specialise in this, and it's amazing what they can achieve. Unfortunately these things tend to be priced in thousands rather than hundreds of euro. But if it really is several years of his life then it may be worth considering. The time I used this service, there was an initial charge of one or two hundred euro to assess the disk whereupon you got a report of exactly what was recoverable plus the quote to finish the job. My sympathies to your friend, I can imagine how devastated he must feel. But make sure he minds that broken disk in case he needs.


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    #13
    scotchannie
    Registered Users Posts: 67 ✭✭scotchannie


    I would also contact dell give them the service tag of the system and report it to them as stolen that way if anyone should call in with a technical fault it will show up on their system as being stolen etc...


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    #14
    spider guardian
    Closed Accounts Posts: 884 ✭✭✭spider guardian


    Unbelievable how cruel some people can be. I hope things work out for your friend


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    #15
    Enigma IE
    Registered Users Posts: 1,158 ✭✭✭Enigma IE


    Cavehill Red wrote: »
    Quick update on this - as some of you have noticed, the word's been spread on the radio thanks to the kindness of the Adrian Kennedy show and there are notices up in the windows of some local shops.
    We're trying hard to get this computer back because the lad's entire future really rests on its return.
    The irony here is especially painful - he HAD the thing backed up on an external harddrive until last Saturday when the harddrive was dropped down a flight of stairs and completely destroyed (disk physically damaged - all data irretrievable.) He was only without back up for less than 48 hours.
    He also had money in the house that he normally wouldn't have - quite a bit of cash that he couldn't afford to lose. What I don't get is why a scumbag wouldn't be happy enough with sticking that up their loser arm and leave what is obviously an item of personal work use that they could only get 30 or 50 quid for.
    Please keep spreading the word around to look out for a Dell Inspiron 1520 silver laptop. If there's any chance of getting this back, it would mean so much to the lad and to his kid.


    These guys are EXCELLENT, used them personally. They'll charge a fee to look at the device, but no more if the data can't be retrieved. Simply call in to their shop in Phibsboro, I prefer to deal in person.

    [EMAIL="http://www.computersunlimited.ie/"]http://www.computersunlimited.ie/[/EMAIL]

    http://www.computersunlimited.ie/


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    #16
    CrinkElite
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 890 ✭✭✭CrinkElite


    /Edit

    I really should read a bit more carefully before I post.

    That's a tragedy.
    I hope your friend gets some good luck.

    You never know.


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    #17
    Kinetic^
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,249 ✭✭✭✭Kinetic^


    Cavehill Red wrote: »
    Quick update on this - as some of you have noticed, the word's been spread on the radio thanks to the kindness of the Adrian Kennedy show and there are notices up in the windows of some local shops.
    We're trying hard to get this computer back because the lad's entire future really rests on its return.
    The irony here is especially painful - he HAD the thing backed up on an external harddrive until last Saturday when the harddrive was dropped down a flight of stairs and completely destroyed (disk physically damaged - all data irretrievable.) He was only without back up for less than 48 hours.
    He also had money in the house that he normally wouldn't have - quite a bit of cash that he couldn't afford to lose. What I don't get is why a scumbag wouldn't be happy enough with sticking that up their loser arm and leave what is obviously an item of personal work use that they could only get 30 or 50 quid for.
    Please keep spreading the word around to look out for a Dell Inspiron 1520 silver laptop. If there's any chance of getting this back, it would mean so much to the lad and to his kid.

    www.criticaldata.ie

    Will look at it and quote for free. No affiliation.


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    #18
    drBill
    Closed Accounts Posts: 329 ✭✭drBill


    I used ontrackdatarecovery.com .

    And beware of cowboys and chancers. i.e. if someone 'has a go' at recovering the data and doesn't know what they are doing, chances are that they will destroy it permanently. You really only get one chance at recovering the data so make sure the it's done right the first time.

    Reminds me of a sign I saw in a local garage:

    "Our fees are:
    e20 per hour to fix your car.
    e40 per hour to fix your car with you watching.
    e100 per hour to fix your car if you tried to fix it yourself first and made a balls of it."


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    #19
    ricman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,559 ✭✭✭ricman


    even if the hard disk power supply, and pcb is wrecked it can still be fixed,
    whats the external drive model eg western digital elements 300.
    its possible to substitute a pcb from an identical model drive,take off the old pcb,by removing the drive from the enclosure.
    its not hard to get replacement pcbs,pcb is the electronic circuit on top of the drive ,that connects it to a pc ,for data and power input.
    when powered off drives park the drive heads in a safe position .to protect the drive cylinders.
    see here http://www.harddrive-repair.com/hard-drive-parts.html


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    #20
    smokiebeverage
    Registered Users Posts: 255 ✭✭smokiebeverage


    If your mate has the HDD I'll take a look at it for him for nothing, I work for a Disklabs partner. Just PM me and I'll have look.


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    #21
    Kinetic^
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,249 ✭✭✭✭Kinetic^


    ricman wrote: »
    even if the hard disk power supply, and pcb is wrecked it can still be fixed,
    whats the external drive model eg western digital elements 300.
    its possible to substitute a pcb from an identical model drive,take off the old pcb,by removing the drive from the enclosure.
    its not hard to get replacement pcbs,pcb is the electronic circuit on top of the drive ,that connects it to a pc ,for data and power input.
    when powered off drives park the drive heads in a safe position .to protect the drive cylinders.
    see here http://www.harddrive-repair.com/hard-drive-parts.html

    Given the importance of the data I don't think a DIY attempt is the way to go.


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    #22
    Enigma IE
    Registered Users Posts: 1,158 ✭✭✭Enigma IE


    Kinetic^ wrote: »
    Given the importance of the data I don't think a DIY attempt is the way to go.

    I'd agree 100%. There's a few places locally to go, I suggest your friend pick one and go straight there himself. I posted earlier in the thread the place I went. They will know quite quickly whether they will be able to retrieve anything. In my case, it wasn't my data but company data, the 90€ inspection fee obviously wasn't an issue.

    I sent a friend of mine there too, problems with his laptop hard drive, they managed to retrieve everything he needed.

    Leave it to the specialists, forget any DIY jobs.


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    #23
    ricman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,559 ✭✭✭ricman


    The point i,m making is unless the heads, or platters ,critical parts are damaged ,an expert should be able to open say the wd 540 enclosure ,take out the naked hardrive and put it into another wd enclosure with the same ,power supply voltage/ampage ,eg 12v 500ma, with the same pcb .OR even put in a new pcb ,ie its a job for an expert.
    AND ITS easy to find an identical enclosure, even its like 5 years old.
    Even IF THE DRIVE is ten years old its possible to put on a identical pcb, circuit board.This would need to be done by a professional technician who can source all the parts needed.
    each drive pcb has a unique serial no eg lkdf50789jk90c .AND THE pcb drive firmware would need to be the same ,as far as i know.
    SO its possible the drive could be fixed by a specialist technician.


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    #24
    Cavehill Red
    Registered Users Posts: 6,109 ✭✭✭Cavehill Red


    Enigma IE wrote: »
    These guys are EXCELLENT, used them personally. They'll charge a fee to look at the device, but no more if the data can't be retrieved. Simply call in to their shop in Phibsboro, I prefer to deal in person.

    [EMAIL="http://www.computersunlimited.ie/"]http://www.computersunlimited.ie/[/EMAIL]

    http://www.computersunlimited.ie/

    This firm has confirmed that all the data on the external harddrive is irretrievable as the disk itself has been gouged and is physically damaged.
    So the situation remains that the only copy of the lad's thesis (and all his other work) is on the missing laptop. Please keep an eye out for it, everyone.


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    #25
    CrinkElite
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 890 ✭✭✭CrinkElite


    Before you give up on data recovery I suggest you try running spinrite in the drive at level 2.

    you can find it at GRC.COM

    Only problem is the software costs around $90

    being a poor student and given the circumstances I reckon the gods would forgive him for trying it before he buys it. (I'm not advocating piracy)

    If it works I'm sure your friend would be happy to purchase a copy or maybe even 2.

    I know it's hard to believe that a software solution could work but you've got nothing to loose.
    If you can see the drive in the BIOS it's definitely worth a shot.


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    #26
    Enigma IE
    Registered Users Posts: 1,158 ✭✭✭Enigma IE


    Cavehill Red wrote: »
    This firm has confirmed that all the data on the external harddrive is irretrievable as the disk itself has been gouged and is physically damaged.
    So the situation remains that the only copy of the lad's thesis (and all his other work) is on the missing laptop. Please keep an eye out for it, everyone.

    That's a real shame. I hope the laptop shows up. Good luck.


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    #27
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,978 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Cavehill Red wrote: »
    This firm has confirmed that all the data on the external harddrive is irretrievable as the disk itself has been gouged and is physically damaged.
    So the situation remains that the only copy of the lad's thesis (and all his other work) is on the missing laptop. Please keep an eye out for it, everyone.
    doesn't matter if the drive is physically damaged as long as the platter (disc) inside it is still flat and unscratched

    specialist data recovery companies can extract the platter from the drive in a clean room and read with a different head. Most companies in this country won't do this instead contracting a UK company to do this.


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    #28
    partyatmygaff
    Registered Users Posts: 10,992 ✭✭✭✭partyatmygaff


    Specs of the laptop as per the service tag according to Dell's website

    INSPIRON 1520 CORE 2 DUO T7250 2.00GHZ
    JET BLACK COLOUR WITH MATTE FINISH (NO WEBCAM)
    MEMORY DUAL-CHANNEL 2048MB (2X1024) 667M
    160GB (5, 400 RPM) SATA HARD DRIVE
    INTEL GMA X3100

    I'll keep an eye out and see if I find anything matching the description.


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    #29
    Nothingbetter2d
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,037 ✭✭✭Nothingbetter2d


    the best way to ensure u dont lose a your thesis in future is to email it to yourself -- setup a gmail account and email it to it. google will kindly store it there until the end of time or they go bust...which ever happens 1st.


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    #30
    Cavehill Red
    Registered Users Posts: 6,109 ✭✭✭Cavehill Red


    partyatmygaff wrote: »
    Specs of the laptop as per the service tag according to Dell's website

    INSPIRON 1520 CORE 2 DUO T7250 2.00GHZ
    JET BLACK COLOUR WITH MATTE FINISH (NO WEBCAM)
    MEMORY DUAL-CHANNEL 2048MB (2X1024) 667M
    160GB (5, 400 RPM) SATA HARD DRIVE
    INTEL GMA X3100

    I'll keep an eye out and see if I find anything matching the description.

    This particular model was silver rather than black, but otherwise as you describe.

    @Capt Midnight: I can only tell you again - the disk is PHYSICALLY damaged and experts have insisted (after billing to do so) that no data can be retrieved from it.

    This is a salutory lesson indeed in the importance of backing things up. I like storing data on DVDs in a third party location myself (you never know when google might go bust) but I was taught back in the days of the Comp Sci O Level that it is rare for more than two forms of storage to be compromised or damaged at once (hence the grandfather-father-son system of yore.) Therefore, an emailed copy and an external copy in addition to whatever's on a computer is probably the best way forward.
    My mate's in shreds about this. His whole life was on that laptop. I'd advise anyone in a similar situation to go and back up NOW. He was only out of the house a few hours and it was well locked up on a main road in full view of hundreds of passers by in the middle of the day.
    It does happen and it could happen to you too.
    In the meantime, there is a small reward for any info leading to the return of the laptop or the data. If you hear anything, especially in the North Dublin inner city area, please get in touch.


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    #31
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,978 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Cavehill Red wrote: »
    @Capt Midnight: I can only tell you again - the disk is PHYSICALLY damaged and experts have insisted (after billing to do so) that no data can be retrieved from it.
    I was just asking the stupid question on the off chance that the rectangular box was damaged but that the round disc inside it was OK.
    http://www.computersunlimited.ie/datarecovery.htm
    The second is recovery through the use of Hardware Engineering to physically “fix” the drive to a point where we can extract the data from it.
    To me the third phase is where you remove the platter and read it directly bypassing all the electronics and motors of the original drive. AFAIK no Irish company has the technology to do this. It's bloody expensive as well.

    For others reading this
    you need at least 3 copies of a backup
    having something that valuable with no offsite backup ...
    and not backing it up again when the backup was damaged


    any chance the data was ever copied anywhere else at any stage , email usb key , cd ?


    any printouts that could be OCR'd ?

    was it ever given to anyone else to review ?


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