Brunswick technology Department

Laptop Lockdown F.A.Q

Since most students are now using Apple laptops leased from Brunswick,
Lockdown of the remaining PC laptops is no longer being pursued actively

Here is a quick FAQ answering the most common questions / concerns that you might have regarding this initiative.

Why is the Tech Division doing this to me?

This is being done to transform your laptops into ‘working’ educational tools (which is the reason why you bought them in the first place, right?) and to provide everyone a consistent computing environment in the classroom. When you “customize” your laptops, download software, tweak settings and install games, more often than not, the stability of curriculum related software and connectivity to our network is affected. This lockdown will ensure that your laptops will work properly and consistently ALL the time, so that you (and your teachers) can concentrate on using technology as a valuable tool in the classroom as well as at home.

But, isn’t this laptop MY property?

Sure it is, and it will remain so. All that we are doing (using a significant outlay of time and money) is ensuring that your laptop has the latest application software, updated vulnerability and antivirus patches, and is secure enough to be used reliably on the Brunswick / GA network environment.

My friends tell me that I will no longer be able to save my work on the laptop? Is that true?

NO! You WILL be able to save ANYTHING you want, including downloaded music files, pictures, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations etc. to your local “My Documents” folder. ALL other areas on your hard drive will be “frozen”, so that anything saved there will not “take” and all subsequent software installations will fail and /or will be wiped out on simply rebooting the laptop.

So, once again, how is this freezing “good” for me?

Think about it – a common scenario is when you borrow a game CD from a friend and install it, loading an average of 1Gb of assorted files randomly over your hard drive and at the end of the installation, the game either crashes or tells you that you need faster hardware to play. On a frozen laptop, instead of laboriously uninstalling the software and leaving random traces all over the system - just reboot and it’s GONE. That translates into total freedom from any downtime, from a virus attack, from glitches due to software installs….TOTAL FREEDOM!


If my laptop is frozen, how will I connect to the internet & my printer at home?

When you get the laptop back, it will remain in a “thawed” state for 3 reboots, before the lockdown policy automatically “kicks-in” and freezes it. So, when you take the laptop home, DO connect to your ISP by installing the appropriate drivers for AOL, MSN, Optima Online or your cable modem. Connect and install printer drivers for your home printer. You may also utilize this “window” to install specific software that you use regularly e.g. Image acquisition software for digital cameras or any other curricular related software. However, once the laptop has rebooted 3 times….I don’t have to paint a picture, do I ?

So, what is to prevent me from loading Kazaa, Morpeheus, AIM, 50 assorted games and other “frowned upon” software during this “parole” period?

Nothing, except your personal sense of responsibility and a recognition of the fact that even though it may seem extreme now, this measure is ultimately to help YOU utilize the full capabilities of your expensive laptop, in school and out of it.
However, please remember that if you do bring in your laptop to the tech office in a non-working state after we hand it over to you, and if we find that this is due to the fact that it is bursting to the seams with games and “fun” software loaded during it’s thawed state, we will be forced to charge $100 to your bookstore account to “repair” your laptop and reload the software we gave you free the 1st time around.

What will happen to my files on the laptop?

We will backup and restore all curricular related data files such as Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations etc. NO music files, mpeg clips, jpg pictures etc. will be saved. Please do backup such files to CD-R before giving us the laptop for cleanup. If you do not have a CD Burner, you can borrow one from the tech office.

Will my laptop remain frozen for its working life?

Definitely NOT! This measure will be in effect only for the duration of your remaining years at Brunswick School. We will unlock your laptop when you graduate, or if requested, give you the password so that you can continue to take advantage of the enormous benefits of a “maintenance free” laptop.

Please feel free to call or email me if you have more questions.

Happy (and secure) Computing!!

Sunil Gupta
Director of Technology
(203) 625-5890
sgupta@brunswickschool.org

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