"Forget a bios password "

sulekha · 07-04-2012, 02:15 AM

Hi all ,

I was seeing this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCLgdlUMVfI , titled (In troduction to data recovery by eli atherton).

in this video it is mentioned that "Forget a bios password for a laptop computer - you would probably need to buy a new laptop"

to what extent this is true ???

cascade9 · 07-04-2012, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sulekha

in this video it is mentioned that "Forget a bios password for a laptop computer - you would probably need to buy a new laptop" to what extent this is true ???

Possibly its true on occasion. Mostly its wrong.

jefro · 07-04-2012, 11:27 AM

Many of the laptops sold today have more than a few security features. Some more complex than the next. If you loose the bios or hard drive password you may have to send it in to the company for a nice $130 repair.

This is to help prevent the thefts of these devices. Too many crooks and industrial spys taking these. Even government workers should all be using the devices with extra protection for their data. They tend to have the kind of data crooks really like.

NyteOwl · 07-04-2012, 12:39 PM

Some BIOS passwords, the simplest ones, used to be by-passable by removing power to the BIOS CMOS settings. Then the BIOS and Hard drive passwords started being stored in non-volatile RAM. Depending on the manufacturer and the model, these can sometimes be recovered in the field by a technician with the right equipment. In other cases, as indicated, recovery may mean a trip to the manufacturer's service centre. In the extreme case you are out of luck and the motherbaord or hdd would need to be replaced.

jefro · 07-04-2012, 02:55 PM

I have seen some that claim that you have to replace the hard drive. Some hackers figured out a way to bypass that. You didn't get the data back but you could use the system.

I am not sure I have heard of one that was totally useless even if sent to the OEM. There may be one or two out there.

I am too forgetful. I write down may passwords. A very old gizmo helps me. It is a 3x5 card and a card case. It never needs to be rebooted.

SaintDanBert · 07-04-2012, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NyteOwl

...
Obsolescence is just a lack of imagination.

If I turn an old CRT TV or monitor into a tank for tropical fish, is the CRT no longer obsolete
or do I get an extremely modern fish bowl? (grin)

~~~ 0;-Dan

jefro · 07-04-2012, 07:08 PM

I hope you don't attempt to make a fish bowl out of a CRT.

Pretty sure that is just a phrase of sort.

SaintDanBert · 07-05-2012, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jefro

I hope you don't attempt to make a fish bowl out of a CRT.

Pretty sure that is just a phrase of sort.

Nope! Years ago when PC's started to replace "terminals" connected to "mainframes." Converting terminals into fish tanks and other odd items was a huge bit of foolishness found all over the computer world.

For your entertainment:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Turn...to-A-Fish-Tan/

Yep! We don't make this stuff up...
~~~ 8d;-Dan

segmentation_fault · 07-11-2012, 06:13 AM

If the passwords are stored on CMOS (as on Desktops with "normal" BIOS), removing the laptop's mobo battery resets them, right?

jefro · 07-12-2012, 06:24 PM

Laptops may or may not store it in such a way that it can be removed. Testing or prior data would be needed to know for sure.

Arcosanti · 07-12-2012, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by segmentation_fault

If the passwords are stored on CMOS (as on Desktops with "normal" BIOS), removing the laptop's mobo battery resets them, right?

Disregard, I misread your statement.

For that to work, you'd have to pull the cmos battery backup as well, which is a separate battery inside of the laptop.

cascade9 · 07-13-2012, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by segmentation_fault

If the passwords are stored on CMOS (as on Desktops with "normal" BIOS), removing the laptop's mobo battery resets them, right?

Yes. But.

There are BIOSes around with hardset password protection, there is always a BIOS password of 'XXXX'. If the BIOS password is changed, that is stored in the CMOS. If the CMOS is reset the password resets to the original 'XXXX'.

In theory you could mod normal BIOSes to have the same feature.

SaintDanBert · 07-13-2012, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cascade9

...
There are BIOSes around with hardset password protection, there is always a BIOS password of 'XXXX'. If the BIOS password is changed, that is stored in the CMOS. If the CMOS is reset the password resets to the original 'XXXX'.
...

The whole "secure boot" movement will make all of this more complicated and difficult to benefit some by making everyone dance.

Every BIOS that I'm aware of has a "reset to factory defaults" option -- some how some where. If the default is "password set to 1234" or similar, then you just gotta know "1234". Many times you can download the BIOS book as PDF from the publisher.

honeybadger · 07-13-2012, 12:54 PM

Can you reset the mobo to defaults without the password?
I think in this option reflasing the bios is the only solution AFAIK.

guyonearth · 07-13-2012, 07:23 PM

Modern laptops have several levels of security. My IBMs have the ability to set both hard drive and bios passwords. The bios password is stored in a separate chip, to defeat it, you'd have to remove and replace or reset that tiny surface-mount eprom, not a trivial task. The hard drive password prevents the hard drive from being read if it's removed. I usually have that one set. The days when you could pull a cmos battery out and reset a password are long gone.