Why did old PCs have key locks? [LGR Retrospective]

Is there a reason that this gives me an error?

Robert Butler

I cant se eit

Untrustedlife

Why is the video private?

Untrustedlife

This was really cool 😀 I still have the key and the keyboard from my childhood Packard Bell Legend.

Retail Archaeology

When a child becomes of age, their parents shall gift them the key to the computer.

SammyToesis

lol I have a case with a lock on it though I've lost the key to it.

Ben Sanders

Haha. I have a modern case with a couple of those on the hard drive slots.

Nice, informative video! I'm working on a similar one covering an even sillier topic: floppy locks! These were add-on items you could purchase to lock your floppy drive. I thought they were an amusing oddity that one random company made, but it turns out there's at least 4 different designs of them from different companies. Crazy!

Foone Turing

Surprised he kept track of the keys for that long! By the time we gave away our 1992 Packard Bell in 1997, the keys were long gone.

LGR

Nice. The same issue of PC Mag I mention in this video actually talks about how they expected the keylock keys to become a fashion statement in the '80s, haha. Wonder if that was ever the case.

LGR

Yep, it's all about deterring rather than preventing 100%.

LGR

Aye, that's why I said they're gone "for most home users." The next version of the video will mention servers specifically though, thanks!

LGR

I didn't get the chance to deal with computer key locks - by the time I built my first PC in September 1994 most computer cases didn't have them anymore, and the few that did were too expensive for my wallet anyway. I did get to see a key lock in a relative's Packard Bell Legend from 1991 but was never used, he stored the keys in a dresser drawer and didn't take them out again until 1997 when it was donated to a local church. Truth be told I probably would have done the same.

I remember my sister carrying a key for her desktop at work way way back in the late 80s. Otherwise I've never seen these actually in use.

DGDW (Derek G. Weber)

Great video, one note though, Computers are still built with keylocks. Server equipment tend to still have them (especially when still in a tower form-factor). A server I recently bought came with a locking front panel that blocks access to the power button and also keeps the chassis from being opened. The idea of connecting the lock to the actual circuitry of the motherboard, however, is not something I've seen recently

I have a Kensington lock that I bought off Amazon for $30. A number of years ago, I was sitting on the patio of my local Starbucks when some crackhead grabbed my laptop by the screen (while I was using it), and ran away. I never did get it back. When I got a new laptop, I bought a Kensington lock to chain it to the table. People ask about it all the time. Many people have mentioned that they could cut it with bolt cutters. And sure, they could. But I figure any thieves will go for the laptops that aren't locked down first.

Steve Lovelace

Interesting! The computer I show at about a minute and a half into the video has a similar hard disk lock.

LGR

Haha, yeah I love that keylock option box just because it's so bulky and absurd. I'd still love a key to start my main PC these days.

LGR

Yeah they were much more "important" in professional and educational situations, but even then they only did so much :)

LGR

You're quite welcome!

LGR

Comments are disabled because this is only an early iteration of the video and will be deleted/replaced later on :)

LGR

I'll include an example of that in the next iteration of the video, thanks!

LGR

Thank you, sir! And yeah, it seems these barely more than a basic deterrent and I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did in a way.

LGR

Great video! I remember those, but never used them, as you guessed. I always thought it was pointless since it was so easily bypassed in most cases. Even the BIOS password is easily bypassed with a jumper. But I guess the thought of moving a jumper or unplugging a wire might be daunting for those less computer savvy.

The 8-Bit Guy

Up until recently a lot of Lenovo/IBM workstations still had a key-loop on the back so you could prevent people from opening the case. Also Lenovo laptop docks have a key lock on the side so you can lock your laptop to your docking station.

Dan Milner

I always amused me that every computer I ever used had the same type of key. Only ever needed one and it was never used anyway. Noticed comments disabled on YouTube. Is that to prevent the 'how did you comment days before it was made live' comments? If so, you should enable it to bring their awareness to your Patreon account.

Gary Leigh

Back when I used to work for the local school district in the early 2ks, we had something very similar we used to install on windows 98 and some 2000 computers. It was a lock device that attached to either the FDD or IDE port, it would prevent any permanent changes to the HDD while locked. They were a pain. We had to go an manually unlock them constantly to install updates or make any changes. What's worse is if you forgot to unlock it or didn't notice that a particular machine had one. Eventually software came around that did the same thing and was slightly better since you didn't have to remember to bring the keys.

Kadah

So many fancy locks - have to admit, I do like that unpractical box which went over the power switch… that kind of makes the act of powering up the PC a little more exciting than a simple button press (or switch flick). Still, it's another of those physical signs that we've kind of lost over the years - I'll admit, I'd love to have a machine I had to start with a key… better than accidentally booting it up with a rogue key press or something ;)

Rob Caporetto

Whenever I've seen these in my younger days (mid 90's), they've always been on school or business computers, so I always just assumed that the locks were part of an optional set designed for "professional use" (as opposed to personal) computers and that they didn't really exist for the home PC. Never thought about them too much, but thanks for the cool video.

Vlaphor

Whoa! Didn't know that!!! Thanks Clint for the history lesson!!! :D

floverSaeu09

How I didn't think to use that adjective in the video is beyond me. I'm losing my touch.

LGR

Tubular!

Zabe