What good to enable embedded security chip?

[ludu35]

should I enable it? Thanks

[ctbenski]

Do it iff you need high security for your files.
It is there for a purpose, not just for paranoids:-).
And the purpose is - your machine can be stolen, but your files cannot be.
Some people would need this type of protection.
I personally used to do certain translations of documents concerning mostly technologies of manufacture of drug substances for a pharmaceutical company; of course, this stuff is potentially valuable- my agreement included a confidentiality clause- should their documents fall in the hands of unauthorised persons, I could REALLY land in financial trouble...
Something like this makes you think this way - protecting the hardware is one thing, thieves look for laptops because they can sell them. BUT - if you carry around any data in your machine that - when stolen - are worth money to someone else - enable the security.
Anyway, make sure you never forget your password...if you do, your laptop will be unusable

[wdub]

For me is enought to use startup and setup passwords to make the maschine unusable in false hands.
Everybody need to protect some sensibe files too, but You can do it without security chip. I use PGP, I have 20MB sise virtual PGP drive to keep my secrets. I can mount this drive for use and after dismounting PGP driver is complet unloaded and wastes no ressources.
I have tried to activate my security chip an have found, that my net surfing is 5-times slower after that.
I have the possibility to secure surf with füll entcripting of my traffic, but I need not this.
Therefore I have desactivated my security chip.

[TimWang]

Being a University student, I didn't find the security chip useful and deactivated it after just a few days. I found that constantly entering my 14 character password became too bothersome and I much preferred the fingerprint reader/Windows logon. In addition, I have no useful information on my laptop so there's no security issues to worry about.

[GomJabbar]

should I enable it? Thanks

While I like the idea of security, for me the risk of getting an unusable laptop at some point in time was the deciding factor for not enabling the security chip. I did have it enabled for about a week, but then removed the CSS software and disabled the chip.

If you have information stored on your ThinkPad that would really be harmful in the wrong hands, then the security chip might be for you. I believe the average user is better off not using it. I do not store any passwords or critical information on my ThinkPad, so I don't use the security chip.

If you search these forums, you will read posts where encryption and security caused problems. Here are a couple of them.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=14326

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=13675