Bios Password problem.

[Trash Man]

A friend of mine has just bought her self a PC through a local paper. The trouble is the PC has a bios password on it. Now that should not be a problem I hear you say, just ask the person the PC came from for the password, but the owner of the PC before her can't remember the password because he has not used the PC for such a long time.

I asked her why did she a PC that she had not even seen running from a stranger, and she said because it was cheap .

So I am asking if there is anyway you can get around the bios password? Either to change it, or to even get rid of it?

[Shogun]

Take the cmos battery out and leave it for a while, all settings should be reset and the password should be gone,
There are also lists of bios master passwords floating around on the net.

[Agent]

Reset is easiest, but if you dont want to loose the settings there are loads of utils about to recover it.

[Kumagoro]

Like above take out the battery or use the reset jumpers... make sure the machine is turned off so there is no power to the mobo. Also leave the lead in so the charge still stored in the board can get to ground otherwise you can be waiting around for like 20 minutes

[Zak33]

learn something new everyday /\

I always take the lead OUT....and that must be why it takes so long for my BIOS to reset.

SOmetimes it takes SO LONG I have to send it to Agent to fix it for me

Seriously tho....reset CMOS.

[Agent]

Also leave the lead in so the charge still stored in the board can get to ground otherwise you can be waiting around for like 20 minutes

Hitting the power on button while its got no source will also help discharge anything thats left in the board.

[Trash Man]

Cheers for the tips guys I'll let her know what to do now, and I'll let you know how its goes.

[Zak33]

Hitting the power on button while its got no source will also help discharge anything thats left in the board.

even BETTER

(knew he'd know...hes my hero)

[PMM]

That's switch PC at the wall some PSU's don't have an off switch and will under the
ATX spec still suplly power.

But best way is pop the battery out / Change the jumper to Cmos Drains
and.... short the terminals on the battery holder to cause a drain of the
residule power store in and caps etc.

The shorting of the Battery terminals was a new one on me but having seen it
done in person and seen a dead board fire back up even though we did the
drain the standard way I do recommend it.