Bios Lockout

[Peenyuh]

Just got hold of a used laptop. There's a password to access the hdd, then it boots up. I have that password. When I try to go into the bios to disable that pw, it asks for a different one. I don't have that one. I can boot the comp and use it, but I would like to unlock this thing.

Is there a default pass for this? Can I load a different bios that will replace the old?

[Doombrain]

you could try flashing the bios, if you can find the right one. that might work if the manufacture did a shitty job at making the first bios.

also, default password. no.

[Peenyuh]

Thank you. I'll let you know how this goes.

[bam!]

pull the cmos battery

[Peenyuh]

I thought I read something about that in a previous thread... I'll try that first.

[AmIdYfReAk]

Pull the batt, leave it unplugged, and pull the cmos batt.

Leave the laptop sit overnight, and plug everything back in, wham!

[Foo]

The one you're looking for will probably be called 'RTC battery'. Chances are it's under the keyboard.

The procedure is usually just to pull the main laptop battery, pull the RTC battery, then replace all of it and boot.

[Peenyuh]

I flashed the bios. The laptop isn't high quality, so I decided what the heck. After reading about how to do it, It was just a matter of getting the proper download. Piece of cake. Thank you gentlemen.