Om my new notebook should I get disc encryption on a 7200rpm disc or Vista Biz Ultimate with Bitlocker.?

Question

I am going to get a thinkpad T400 with these specs. T9400(2.53 GHz1066MHz 6MBL2), Vista Business, 14.1 WXGA+ with LED Screen, ATI Mobility Radeon 3640 with 256MB, 3GB SDRAM, 160GB Hard DIsc 7200 RPM, DVD Recordable Ultrabay. I am an Ordinary Joe who will be using it for Ordinary Joe stuff and writing stories and novels etc. You could call me a Dilettante (dabbler) as well. I am thinking of changing my order to Vista Business Ultimate because it has Bitblocker and/or get the 200 GB 7200 RPM drive with disc encryption. Any help. Also I know I need to temper my desire for secrecy and protection with the realty that I am a total computer know nothing who may mess things up with the encryption stuff. Why am I buying a Thinkpad? I like the matte screen and it's looks in general. Why so complex a system for such an Ordinary Joe? Just the way I'm wired. You should see what I spent on my bicycle.

Answer 1

Get the one that needs a password just to access the hard drive at startup. I think it's the disk encryption then?

You can always get open-source software like TrueCrypt.

Answer 2

Unless you are seriously worried about someone stealing your hard drive and stealing all of the information from it, I wouldn't do it.

However, if you're under constant attack from pirate ninjas who want to steal your stories, definitely get it.