Butterfly security

Lockdowns

I like using a cable system both when on travel and when at the office.

The Butterfly supports the Kensington Microsaver® cable lock system (as do most new laptops). The model 64068 weights 5.5 ounces and has a six foot cable with a loop on one end and a round-key security lock on the other. When I was looking for mine, I found several sources charging around $40.

Another lock system for the Butterfly is called the Compu-Lock NoteSaver. Like the Kensington product, it fits in the Butterfly's security slot. The model TL-NS-1 is for travel and is similar in function to the Kensington model 64068.

BIOS password

The BIOS has support for a power-on password which must be entered before the machine will boot. It's also possible to require the password when resuming from suspend mode. For more information, look up "password" in the index of the ThinkPad 701 User's Guide.

Marking

It's a good idea to mark your Butterfly. As Lt. Tragg always said on Perry Mason when asked if he recognized a piece of evidence, "Yes. It bears my mark."

Marking your Butterfly can deter theft in the first place and help you recover it should it be lost and found. You can put something like your company name, driver license number, phone number, etc. on it in a permanent fashion. One technique is to burn the information into plastic with a soldering iron or wood burning tool. You can also have an engraving shop engrave the plastic directly or make a metal nameplate that can be bonded to a suitable surface.

Insurance

Although it's not something I personally use, some people like to buy insurance for their laptop. One company people on the net seem to like is Safeware.

Travel

You might decide to get a carrying case for travel; I recommend you don't. You're better off packing your Butterfly in something generic like a backpack. That way it's less of a target for theft. Meanwhile I think a carrying case is great for commuting.

Related Craig's Butterfly pages:

Back to Craig's IBM Butterfly page