Bios password

angryman · 30-07-2008, 17:29

Been asked to upgrade a pc for someone and a password is set on the bios. They don't know the password and leaving the battery out for a few hours hasn't cleared it either. It's a Packard Bell i machine

Is there a get around?

chip · 30-07-2008, 17:30

normally there is a jumper you can short out
just be greatfull its not a thinkpad!

MarkyG · 30-07-2008, 18:04

there should be a jumper its usually labelled CMOS_CLEAR, you move the jumper from pin 1-2 to 2-3 and it'll clear it. If its just 2 pins and no jumper, short it with something steel.

angryman · 30-07-2008, 18:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkyG

there should be a jumper its usually labelled CMOS_CLEAR, you move the jumper from pin 1-2 to 2-3 and it'll clear it. If its just 2 pins and no jumper, short it with something steel.

Found the pins..do I leave power off and battery in then move the jumper?

Dom · 30-07-2008, 18:40

Leave battery in when you're clearing the CMOS.

angryman · 30-07-2008, 20:00

Nuffink worked .............seems it's an embedded password ie set by the bios supplier

Megatrends Ami bios

Dom · 30-07-2008, 20:05

Try bell9

jaye944 · 31-07-2008, 14:51

shouldnt be.

whats your MOBO ?

generally, this is what I do and try

1> remove the mains lead / remove battery.

or

2> remove the mains lead / short out 2 pins

THAT MUST WORK.

on my MOBO there is also ajumper which if it is in, it wont give you access or allow you to change MOBO settings.

If you tell us what MOBO we can look it up
if your not sure take a picture and post it up

if you CANT get into your BIOS could be that its screwed.

oh some BIOS use different buttons to access it, its usually the DELETE key

Quote:

Originally Posted by angryman

Nuffink worked .............seems it's an embedded password ie set by the bios supplier

Megatrends Ami bios

jaye944 · 31-07-2008, 14:52

Some BIOS manufacturers implement a backdoor password. The backdoor password is a BIOS password that works, no matter what the user sets the BIOS password to. These passwords are typically used for testing and maintenance. Manufacturers typically change the backdoor BIOS passwords from time to time.

AMI Backdoor BIOS Passwords

Reported AMI backdoor BIOS passwords include A.M.I., AAAMMMIII, AMI?SW , AMI_SW, BIOS, CONDO, HEWITT RAND, LKWPETER, MI, and PASSWORD.

jaye944 · 31-07-2008, 14:55

The most common way to reset or clear the BIOS password is to physically remove the power from the computer by disconnecting the power plug and then removing a battery for 30 minutes from the motherboard. Another way is to reset the clear CMOS jumper on the motherboard itself. Both of the 2 methods mentioned works because most motherboards use a battery to sustain the BIOS/CMOS settings for the motherboards PROM chip. So by cutting off the battery power, the BIOS/CMOS settings will be erased.

If for some reason you’re unable to reset the computer’s BIOS or CMOS security password by removing the battery or clearing the CMOS jumper (using a laptop), here are few tools which you can try to use it to clear the BIOS password.

AMI Backdoor or Default BIOS Passwords
A.M.I.
AAMMMIII
AMI
AMI SW
AMI?SW
AMI_SW
BIOS
CONDO
HEWITT RAND
LKWPETER
MI
Oder
PASSWORD

!Bios by eleventh alliance
!Bios is a tool originally developed for a brute, blunt removal of passwords from BIOSes. Through its development it has been severely extended. !Bios can decrypt the passwords used in some most common BIOS (including various bioses/versions by IBM, American Megatrends Inc, Award and Phoenix). !Bios can do crude, brutal attacks (blasters) which removes password from a lot of Bioses. A bit dangerous though, can give unexpected and unwanted results.

PC CMOS Cleaner
PC CMOS Cleaner is an easy-to-use tool to recover, delete, decode and display the superior passwords stored in BIOS whatever the brand is. Most types of BIOS such as AWARD, AMI, Compaq, Phoenix, Samsung, IBM, Compaq, DTK, Thinkpad, Sony, Toshiba are supported. It’s an bootable CD that runs on x86 and x86_64 computers. It can display the superior passwords of the BIOS, remove BIOS password(will set the BIOS to default status, need reset date).

Trevor · 31-07-2008, 21:27

Bootable CD? My laptop won't do anything until the BIOS password is entered, so you can not boot anything.

Xen0phobiak · 02-08-2008, 23:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevor

Bootable CD? My laptop won't do anything until the BIOS password is entered, so you can not boot anything.

Laptops are a different kettle of fish as far as security is concerned. There are lots of bios password tools out there.

try http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/CmosPwd

If the machine boots from hdd before optical, remove the hdd

.