Forgot BIOS Password

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pokey
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Pokey

Hi everyone. I am trying to help out a coworker with their laptop. I am
unable to access the BIOS when it first boots up. I tried the available
function keys but keep getting bounced back to the screen where I must enter
the password. I have heard that I can remove the CMOS battery to wipe the
password off but since it is not mine and a laptop I really do not want
possibly to do any harm to the machine. Is there any other way around this?
How can I reset or remove the password? It does not matter if I lose any data
on the hard drive or have to reformat it. I tried going through HP but they
said that I needed to ship it to them. The laptop is a HP Pavilion dv1000.
Thank you in advance for any of your help, I appreciate it.
 
Pokey said:
Hi everyone. I am trying to help out a coworker with their laptop. I am
unable to access the BIOS when it first boots up. I tried the available
function keys but keep getting bounced back to the screen where I must enter
the password. I have heard that I can remove the CMOS battery to wipe the
password off but since it is not mine and a laptop I really do not want
possibly to do any harm to the machine. Is there any other way around this?
How can I reset or remove the password? It does not matter if I lose any data
on the hard drive or have to reformat it. I tried going through HP but they
said that I needed to ship it to them. The laptop is a HP Pavilion dv1000.
Thank you in advance for any of your help, I appreciate it.
Click to expand...

Have your co-worker contact the laptop mftr. That is really the best way
with a laptop if the OEM (HP in this case) says that's what has to
happen. They probably have to reprogram the EPROM chip on the motherboard.


Malke
 
Remove the laptop's battery (not the CMOS battery) and make sure the
computer is unplugged from the shore power. Leave the battery out for at
least 24 hours. Some, and I repeat some, systems will drain the onboard
battery and allow you to enter the bios. If this doesn't work, you will
have to return the system to HP as they suggested. I have been successful
in about half the systems I have tried to clear the bios in using this
method but none have been HPs so YMMV.
 
Pokey said:
Hi everyone. I am trying to help out a coworker with their laptop. I am
unable to access the BIOS when it first boots up. I tried the available
function keys but keep getting bounced back to the screen where I must enter
the password. I have heard that I can remove the CMOS battery to wipe the
password off but since it is not mine and a laptop I really do not want
possibly to do any harm to the machine. Is there any other way around this?
How can I reset or remove the password?
Click to expand...


Each make/model laptop will be different. Some makes even have to be
returned to the factory or an authorized service center for this
purpose. Contact the manufacturer for specific instructions.




--

Bruce Chambers

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safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
I cant speak for anyone else, but I have "fixed" a few laptops that had the
same thing, a password to even go anywhere! and I did remove theCMOS battery
and left it out for like a minute or so, and when I put it back in, there
wasnt any password. then be sure to go into BIOS and set it so there isnt
passwords required.
I did this on a couple of compaqs, a sony, and hp. it worked for me great!!
 
Pokey said:
Hi everyone. I am trying to help out a coworker with
their laptop. I am unable to access the BIOS when it
first boots up. I tried the available function keys
but
keep getting bounced back to the screen where I must
enter the password. I have heard that I can remove
the
CMOS battery to wipe the password off but since it is
not
mine and a laptop I really do not want possibly to do
any
harm to the machine. Is there any other way around
this?
How can I reset or remove the password? It does not
matter if I lose any data on the hard drive or have
to
reformat it. I tried going through HP but they said
that
I needed to ship it to them. The laptop is a HP
Pavilion
dv1000. Thank you in advance for any of your help, I
appreciate it.
Click to expand...

Most laptops include in its paperwork instructions for
changing the CMOS battery and it's simply a screw to
remove and a cover to take off. Do NOT disassemble the
keyboard etc. to get at it. Try Googling for a user
manual for your model if you don't have the original
papers anymore.
And that is the battery you need to remove to kill
the password. Not knowing HP, it might even be hidden
somewhere like behind the drive bay or ???

Returning to HP for a battery change, which has to be
done periodically, is BS and preposterous but
unfortunately not that unusual.

HTH

Pop`
 
Thank you all very much for your feedback, I really appreciate it. I took
most of your advice and located the repair manual from HP's site. It took a
little time but I just followed the directions step by step to take apart the
laptop and access the CMOS battery. Had to take the whole pc apart pretty
much: hard drive, battery, display, cdrom and a few cover plates. I took the
battery out and to be on the safe side I let it sit overnight to clear the
memory. I booted it up and do have a few issues, such as the one one of you
mentioned about the time reset. Thank you, I will try that. There are a few
small bugs like not installing certain drivers but I am hoping that has
something to do with that. Windows update won't let me access it because of
the clock either. I will try that first and see how it goes. Thank you all
again.
 
Check ALL of your CMOS settings. Be sure it sees the
right amount of RAM, drive sizes, etc. etc. Check each
entry to see if it needs to be changed. There's also a
backup feature in most if you get a setting that almost
but not quite works and you want to hang on to it. And
back it up once more of course when you're done.

Pop`
 
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