What ways exist to Password protect whole laptop, from to be stolen and it's data use

[leonidassavvides]

What ways exist to Password protect whole laptop, from to be stolen and it's data used by unauthorized people ?

MS-WINDOWS XP SP2

[leonidassavvides]

Also tell me how to password protect a USB FLASH DRIVE and a SONY MEMORY STICK from reading data ?

[leonidassavvides]

I mean if somebody stole my usb flash memory drive NOT can view contents, but when I insert it prompt me for password prior read/write to memory ?

[djr33]

Buy a secured system.
Secured flash drives exist, and are theoretically not possible to break into. Laptops are similar, with fingerprint recognition technology, etc.
https://www.ironkey.com/
For the laptop, there may be ways to make it more secure, but the easiest way would be to use a laptop with that kind of technology built in.
Here's a google search, with plenty of info:
http://www.google.com/search?q=secure+laptop
If you do not buy a special system, it may be much harder to really make anything secure. You can make it harder, though.

[leonidassavvides]

What about protect from viruses ? may read only or write only without transmitting viruses between laptop and flash drive or cdrw disk ?

[djr33]

Use virus protection. writing means you can copy a virus.

[Dave_Dave]

You can purchase a USB flash drive with built-in password protection and store all the sensitive files there. Another way is to install Password Protect USB on the USB drive or memory stick and lock private folders with it. (http://www.password-protect-software.com/protect-folders.html) The program is $39.95 but free upgrades are included with the purchase.

[PcTestCard.com]

Here I got you a web site to download free trial version Password applicaton to keep external drive data secured:

http://www.exlade.com/downloads/

hope this helps!
Bill