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Low Profile security case suggestions?

R

Rampart

n00b
Joined
Aug 7, 2003
Messages
4
I'm currently rigging a computer for college, as a Media Arts major who will be doing just an insane amount of high-poly editing and rendering, as well as gaming when study habits allow. That means I'm going to have about $1.5K in hardware, and then Another $1.5K in student license software on this machine. (Max, Maya, Zbrush, and Photoshop specifically) I am seriously worried about theft.

I am sharing a dorm with two other people, and while I'm sure they are good enough people to not steal, I am sure that just by virtue of a shared room, there are going to be a lot of people I don't know who have oppurtunities at my stuff I don't want them to have.

I am looking for ideas on how to keep my system safe, and would like to hear any suggestions possible.

First, I don't want people to know what kind of hardware I have easily, I'm not going to brag, I'm just going to work on my stuff, in this spirit, I want a low profile case, something that doesn't attract attention. For building purposes, I'm hoping to have one with a motherboard tray, decent airflow, and a solid construction, but I don't want it to really look like anything special. Any recomendations?

I also plan to tag the case in some easily identifyable manner, being an art major it's easy enough to fake just painting my computer all nifty 'cause I think it looks cool. I want to do something easily identifyable, but again, something that doesn't attract attention to it. I'll probably tag my name on it or something. Something personal so it wouldn't get stolen for the artwork.

Anything can be stolen given enough time, and there are weekends at a time where I will be gone, but in general I trust that my roomates will be good guys and that at least a few people on my floor would look out for me. I would, however, like to make it take more time. I was wondering if there were any known ways to say, belt a PC to a bedframe or a heavy desk. I'm pretty sure the floors are carpet on concrete, so I can't bolt down. But some sort of heavy strap, or metal band that would require extra time to work around would be good. Any ideas on this?

Just, in general, what do you do to keep people from stealing a PC in an enclosed but semi-public area?
 
Hey. I'm hoping to be some sort of help here. I was thinking about an HTPC case from what you're telling us. Something that can bolt to your desk,could have under your desk and really low profile. Here is an example. Also, at computer shops there are brads you can buy that screw into the inside and when that is done they stick out through the side panel so that you can lock them up. Thus keeping the side panel on, until boltcutters are used. (I think someone would look very suspisious going into a dorm community carrying bolt cutters. There are also many types of metal shapes for fences and welding parts at your local hardware shop you could use to bolt your computer to something. Also, if you do have the side panel locked/or the top (the case I gave you a link to) you can attach the computer safety wires that use a chemical like JB weld to attach where ever you want it to. Just dont lose your key , or else you'll be looking like you're trying to steal your own computer.

Floppy Lock
Pc and Monitor lock

I hope I helped you out. - g0at
 
if its people you know there is alwase respect and the fear of god, but get a heavy steal case, (im a fan of inWin for that, im not sure where to get their cases, ill try to find a place) but they make a kick ass full tower server case, and then the same thing in a mid tower, (im sure youll be ok with painting it).

if you want to bolt it down, screw an big I hook into the case and bolt it in, then run a chain from that to what ever you want, like a bike chain. Be sure to turn off all the wake on features on your pc, lock your work station when you leave, stealth your drives so people dont know what drives you have. though its a pain in the ass for you, dont use thumb skrews, its just going ot make things eisier for people to get in there and grab your hardware, (why take the time to hack threw a chain when you can just pop open the case and pull the ram, cpu, vid card, in a min or two)

I dont know where your going, and i hope your wanting to bolt your stuff down is just an over reaction, and that it wont be an issue (if its that bad maybe you shouldnt go there).

good luck and happy modding.
 
What I would do, personally, if I really cared about it, is find an old Gateway case off of eBay. You know, something that used to be beige, but has faded to a yellow over years of sitting around, cigarette smoke, etc.

Then I'd probably find some way to chain it to my desk with a pad lock :p
 
some of the full sized towers have a piece that comes out on the side panel that allows you to bolt the panel on so nobody could get it open.
get a full tower if you don't want anyone moving it. those things can easily weigh 100 lbs.

if you're really paranoid, you get put a motion sensor on it. you know like on of those personel motion sensors that hang on doors or something. i'm sure you could find something like that (although it would be a problem if your roomates get drunk and knock into it or something).
 
Get yourself an ugly ass steel case. Then get yourself one of those bumper stickers that says "Insured by Smith & Wesson." That should take care of it :p

Seriously...I think you'd probably be okay with your average Antec case. You can forget any silly locks, alarms, WMDs...cause they won't work. Just stick it under your desk and be done with it. Unless you plan on wiring the computer directly to your brain, the monitor is going to be a dead giveaway that there is a computer in the room, so trying to hide it is just going to be a waste of time/$$ :)
 
Take it from someone who just graduated college last May and did his fair share of dorm-duty...

Get what PC you want. Don't worry about it. Back your stuff up on your school's network so that important files are not solely on your PC. Then... go talk to your parents about Renter's insurance. It might even be included in your parents' home owners insurance. If possible (and not cost-prohibitive) have them line-item the computer and monitor in their policy.

That way you'll sleep soundly at night with gear you like.
 
Here's an easy way to "bolt down" your computer: Bolt it down. Set the case where you want it, and drill 2 holes through the bottom of the case into the desk/table. Get yourself some long enough bolts to go the whole way through both the desk and the case. Then get some big-ass washers and bolt it down. Just make sure the nuts are inside the computer, so you can't just come along and unbolt the computer without openning it.

And to keep the cover on the machine, get a case with a lockable door. Not the kind with a locking handle, but get one with the little hoop thing in the back where you can put a padlock on it.
 
Having lived in Dorms for the last two years, I should point out a few of my experiences. People *probably* won't be coming to steal your computer. You should however, watch out for people pouring/spilling alcohol in it. I did lose my mouse after a party though, it looks like someone just grabbed it and reefed on it, and threw it out the window.

Maybe you should put splash-guards over the vents or something :).

For actually securing it, you can get laptop-locks that are compatible with desktop cases. Basically, its a loop that goes through a special place on the back of some cases. These have already been mentioned though...

If you wanted to get really hardcore, you could make a f*cking heavy case out of Diamond-stamped steel with an internal locking mechanism holding the side panel on. That'd be pretty hardcore.
 
Renters Insurance - good call. Last time I had to add it on to a policy it was only about $10-12/month
 
Wonder if you can mod a computer into a fireproof safe..
installing and cooling would be a pain though...
 
I agree with some of the other posters. Most people arent going to be looking to steal a computer, especially a full size desktop. A laptop would be a much easier target, and something that they can sell easier. Dont you think a bunch of dudes trying to haul a big ass monitor and huge server style case down the hallway would alert anyone?

If I were in your position, needing a very high power computer, but not wanting it to be flashy, I would get one of those yeong yang server cubes... they're huge, plenty of airflow, and they arent flashy at all... not to say that I dont think they look cool, but I dont think that anyone who is interested in stealing a computer would find them attractive....

You could plop the thing under your desk and use it to put your feet up. No one would even know you had a computer...

If you wanna go for the ultimate stealth, go buy and old imac case offa ebay and stick your monitor in it, then people will think you ahve an imac and stay FAR away from your computer. No spills, no theft. :D
 
Thanks guys, all the posts (yes even the scathingly sarcastic ones) were very helpful. I had no clue to look into renters insurance, and that seems like the best option for me.

I just know that I'm going to plunge a lot of money into this thing, and going to be gone for multiple days, so its just going to be sitting there in a semi-public room. I just wanted to make sure I didn't get boned.

I'll probably get an antec fulltower like was suggested, and get renters insurance, sounds like a safe bet to me.

(Aside from the renters insurance, the case bolt on the towers could have been easily attached to something, and that would have been a nice little deal, but the insurance seems like the best bet.)

Thanks guys.
 
Ever see that car commercial where the guy had his nice car covered with a cover to make it look like a pieceof shit car?

You could do that. Put a nice computer inside a Packard Bell or eMachines case.
 
yeah and when you do that take lots of pics, like of the case, the room, the door number, a map of campus, the schedual of you and your roommates, and directions on how to get to your dorm from NY....


no?

aw come on man it will be fun, trust me!

good luck with everything, i think not worring too much about it is a good call, otherwise, a shitty case, or bolting it down is your best option of those listed, but anyone with a bolt cutter, or a leathermen and 5 min alone in your room can take anything they want, its life, we just kinda trust and expect its not gong to happen, everything is a theaft deterant, nothing is 100%

again good luck with your pc, and with school, i hope all goes well with you, (g/g sea lab is on)
 
Actually, the last post about pictures reminded me...

I'm glad the suggestion about the insurance helped. Make it easier on yourself though - document it. Save the recepits for what you buy... everything expensive that you buy... that you bring to school. The really important stuff, like your monitor, make a copy of the receipt and leave a copy at home. Put everything in one of those 15 cent folders with an elastic tie around it and drop it in the back of a drawer to collect dust. Take a quick photograph of the stuff and write the serial number on the back of the picture if you're really paranoid.

I had a number of bikes stolen in my 4 years at school. The recepits and the renters insurance more than paid for itself. I even had two locks on the bikes at the time they were stolen. I guess that's what you get for going to a major university near downtown LA.

Good luck with it. I'm sure you'll be fine. You'll find people in the dorms are for the most part very respectful about your stuff.
 
You could always put a Lo-Jack type of tracker in it. I'm not sure what they run, but you might look into installing a locater from a set of keys or a remote control. It sounds a bit far fetched, but depending on the range you may be able to simply walk around with the finder and track it whatever is stolen down.

This is also an intersting option http://www.computersecurity.com/stealth/computer_tracker.htm
 
Whatever you do, take backups of all your original software disk. Write down the serial number on the CD case you keep each install disk in. Then lock away the originals - send them home - whatever. Make sure you have a burner in your new machine DVD pref, CD OK, and make regular backups.

You are far more likely to come unstuck if someone knocks you computer over on Saturday night when they stumble in after a couple of "adult beverages", and your HDD gets trashed. Just make usre you can get up and running again quickly.
 
get a big ol' full tower no window good locking mechanism... and put about 50 lbs of lead or somthing into the bottom of the case... anyone looking to pick up that case will get what they deserve.. they will prob even wonder if its glued to the floor
 
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