Identifying laptops owners

I am assuming a quick format.

I would data carve for .DOC, .DOCX files. Many users write letters with their name and address included.

In the same vein, photos can be useful.

Neither of the above is proof, but they can be useful indicators

Once I found a camera in the sand (camera dead, but memory chip OK). One photo was of a graduation ceremony with a certificate, and fortunately and unusual surname. Facebook/Google and eventually memory chip and owner were re-united.

I am assuming a quick format.

… or a pre-Vista OS. wink

Normally when you install Office (*any* version that I can recall) you are asked to provide your initials that are normally used in the metadata, again not "proof" of anything, but if you have a list of the names of "candidates" they may as well be useful for "matching" them against the list.

jaclaz

Yes, I assume a quick format too )

@mscotgrove Thank you for your suggestion but there are too many laptops to review. I can not allow myself to look at millions of photographs.
I mostly search for items that can be analyzed using a script.

@mscotgrove & jaclaz Yes, the analysis of Office metadata and data can be interesting. I'll see if I can automate it easily.

I have used a regex to find user profile folders as the user name is often significant. I once had one which had been stolen from a school and I recognised a teachers name in a profile.

H

Is this a hypothetical question from a test paper?

If so - my smart a**e response would be to compare the serial numbers of the physical hardware with the institution's inventory/asset management system.

And call it forensics…… )

I had that happen once. Fortunately I had a very odd set of initials that very few people in the world have. JS I mean how many Jon John Smith's are there like 2. One in England and one in Virginia.

I am assuming a quick format.

… or a pre-Vista OS. wink

Normally when you install Office (*any* version that I can recall) you are asked to provide your initials that are normally used in the metadata, again not "proof" of anything, but if you have a list of the names of "candidates" they may as well be useful for "matching" them against the list.

jaclaz

I had that happen once. Fortunately I had a very odd set of initials that very few people in the world have. JS I mean how many Jon John Smith's are there like 2. One in England and one in Virginia.

Sure ) you were lucky.
Jon-John's are less common than Billy-Bob's (and Billie-Bobs) wink
http//www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-c-miller/town-where-everyone-is-na_b_694206.html

jaclaz