[quote author=“Maria”]Hello! I’ll be going away to the Philippines soon and I’ll be bringing my laptop with me. I have the TR3A and I keep it in the PCGA-CCTR/J case but I’ll be carrying it in my backpack (my carry-on). My question is when I go through the security check point and have my bag pass through the x-rays for screening, do I have to take out my laptop and put it in a separate bin? And, do I have to do this every time I reach a check point? Or, can I just leave it in my backpack? Also, do I have to leave my computer
on in case security ask to inspect it? I’m bringing my laptop for picture storage. I have the Sony Cybershot DSC-T1 and I’ll be taking tons of pics and short videos. Thanks :!:
FWIW, I very frequently travel around the world with my laptop in a backpack (now a TR3AP1). In the USA, several smaller airports frequently “swab” the laptop looking for chemical residues. Larger airports also swab the laptop… but as posted by someone else, it is a random occurance.
Hint—> Before your trip, do NOT clean the case of your laptop with amonium-based products such as “Windex”. It risks triggering a “false-positive” (been there, done that 
US—> Laptop must be removed from the case and placed in a separate bin. The battery always stayed inside.
Asia—> Did not have to remove the laptop except for certain flights to the US.
Europe (France)—> Had to remove the laptop for flights to the US. While going elsewhere, such as to Africa, this was not necessary.
Africa—> Laptop stays in the case.
South America—> Laptop stays in the case unles it’s on a US bound flight.
Hint—> I always set my laptop to sleep mode when I close the cover. This way, it can start it quickly on the rare occasions when I am asked to turn it on. This also lets me shut-it down quickly by simply closing the cover.
Note—> This new TR3AP1 and my previous Micron travelled through many X-ray machines and I never lost anything nor did I damage the computers. Thus, based on my experience, I do not worry about passing my laptop through these devices. However, do keep your eyes on your computer, especially in foreign countries as they might “disappear” if you are searched while your laptop pops-up on the other side. There are people who look for this to steal your stuff.
Like it or not, this is the way it is these days. Thus, as posted earlier, be patient and adapt accordingly. They are doing their job trying to make air travel a bit more safer.
