If you’re like most people, you probably keep your tech gear in a safe place. But if you’re like me, you also keep it in a place where I can find it if I need it. That’s why I’m going to tell you how to recover lost tech gear. First, make sure that your gear is still safe and secure. If it isn’t, take some time to look for any clues that your gear may have been taken or damaged. Next, try to find the owner of the gear and ask them for help recovering their equipment. If they don’t respond or they don’t want to help, then you’ll have to go ahead and try to recover the gear on your own. But make sure that you do this safely and responsibly - there are risks involved in trying to recover lost tech gear!
Earlier this week we asked you to share your favorite tricks for keeping your gear from getting lost and getting it back should it go missing. Now we’re back to share some great reader tips.
Johann opts for the most straight forward method:
There’s much to be said for this. If someone finds something and they’re inclined to return it, a straight forward label is certainly easier for them than say, plugging the device in and seeing that the disk label is your phone number.
By all means encrypt etc but this isn’t making it easier to return, just securing your data, and these are two very different things.
If someone who ‘finds’ your kit is the kind of guy to give it back then a label is the easiest way to give the info to them, forget about disk labels, autoruns etc. and just keep it simple.
Mr Blue loads his contact details on the device:
We can’t tell you the number of portable drives we’ve been able to return to their owners over the years because lots of people have their resumes and other identifying documents they’ve taken to a print shop or the like on the drives.
As for my other tech like may others I use tracking software, but I also use the good old UV pen and etch my Name/Postcode into the device that way if someone finds it less appealing to keep with my name on it.
Other readers use tracking software for big ticket items, like Bryan:
While we label flash drives so honest people can return them if we misplace them, encrypting and assuming the worst is definitely a good practice.
As for my flash drive, I usually give up hope and encrypt my files instead.
