laptop has password for Bios, how disable it?

[Bruce Chambers]

HP laptop, won't boot, corrupted system file, etc.
Hitting F2 goes to bios, but the password screen launches.
The owner does not recall setting a password and the
one she uses for all her other things, doesn't work.
So, how do you turn that off in a laptop so you can
get to the bios?
In a pc I know you can clear the bios with a jumper
pin, but I have no idea how to proceed with a laptop.

TIA

mike

Contact HP. Many laptops have to be returned to the factory to have a
BIOS password reset.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

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

 

[Mike Hollywood]

HP laptop, won't boot, corrupted system file, etc.
Hitting F2 goes to bios, but the password screen launches.
The owner does not recall setting a password and the
one she uses for all her other things, doesn't work.
So, how do you turn that off in a laptop so you can
get to the bios?
In a pc I know you can clear the bios with a jumper
pin, but I have no idea how to proceed with a laptop.

TIA

mike

 

[scruffy]

HP laptop, won't boot, corrupted system file, etc.
Hitting F2 goes to bios, but the password screen launches.
The owner does not recall setting a password and the
one she uses for all her other things, doesn't work.
So, how do you turn that off in a laptop so you can
get to the bios?
In a pc I know you can clear the bios with a jumper
pin, but I have no idea how to proceed with a laptop.

TIA

mike

Try removing all batteries over night. This works on desktops, no
overly sure about laptops

 

[NoConsequence]

HP laptop, won't boot, corrupted system file, etc.
Hitting F2 goes to bios, but the password screen launches.
The owner does not recall setting a password and the
one she uses for all her other things, doesn't work.
So, how do you turn that off in a laptop so you can
get to the bios?
In a pc I know you can clear the bios with a jumper
pin, but I have no idea how to proceed with a laptop.

TIA

mike

What does this have to do with the OS?

Ask elsewhere.

 

[Mike Hollywood]

I was going to see if the bios saw the hard drive or not, and see about
enabeling booting from a usb key if that was supported by the mobo.

 

[JohnO]

I was going to see if the bios saw the hard drive or not, and see about

enabeling booting from a usb key if that was supported by the mobo.

(no consequence is a troll/netcop wannabe...pay no attention to his
ramblings)

The BIOS password in a laptop is a major security feature that prevents
stolen laptops from being used by others. How sure are you that this machine
is NOT stolen? If you're certain, you could try calling HP support, but
you're going to need the name of the original owner and the approximate date
it was purchased. Maybe they'll help you.

If the client's story sounds fishy or you don't believe it for any reason,
give the machine back and tell them to call HP.

-John O

 

[NoConsequence]

(no consequence is a troll/netcop wannabe...pay no attention to his
ramblings)

The BIOS password in a laptop is a major security feature that prevents
stolen laptops from being used by others. How sure are you that this machine
is NOT stolen? If you're certain, you could try calling HP support, but
you're going to need the name of the original owner and the approximate date
it was purchased. Maybe they'll help you.

If the client's story sounds fishy or you don't believe it for any reason,
give the machine back and tell them to call HP.

-John O

Regardless, Johnny Boy, this question has absolutely NOTHING to do
with the OS and it's h/w interaction. The BIOS p/w comes up before
the OS even starts to boot. As such, it has no business being
discussed in a group that has to do with the OS and it's interactions
with h/w. Even YOU can't dispute this fact.

 

[~Mike Hollywood]

The laptop is owned by the person who bought it in the first place, so that
is not a problem.
All documentaion is readily at hand. I'll have her call if I really need to
get in there. For all I know it doesn't support booting from usb devices
anyway. I've determined it sees the hard drive by running the repair
console. It seems dumb to me that hp would sell a laptop and then password
protect the bios and not tell the person who bought it what the password is.
I'm due to buy a new one myself, and I never thought to check this feature.
It would be a deal breaker for me.
How is password protecting the bios related to security of a laptop anyway?
All it is, is I/O info. and the date.

MIke

 

[JohnO]

As such, it has no business being

discussed in a group that has to do with the OS and it's interactions
with h/w. Even YOU can't dispute this fact.

..hardware

 

[JohnO]

How is password protecting the bios related to security of a laptop

anyway? All it is, is I/O info. and the date.

There are two levels of BIOS password, one is a pwd that prevents the system
from launching the OS, the other is what you have. I apparently didn't catch
that you have the latter. This one is really a sysadmin tool to prevent
users from fooling around. It does seem odd that HP would do this, but it
also seems like they'd cough up that kind of password pretty quickly.
(Assuming they agree that they did it...)

Sometimes a BIOS update will clear that kind of password....

-John O

 

[Bruce Chambers]

.... It seems dumb to me that hp would sell a laptop and then password
protect the bios and not tell the person who bought it what the password is.

They wouldn't. Either your client, or someone else who has had
physical access to that computer, set the BIOS password.

I'm due to buy a new one myself, and I never thought to check this feature.
It would be a deal breaker for me.
How is password protecting the bios related to security of a laptop anyway?
All it is, is I/O info. and the date.

If one can't boot the computer, it becomes somewhat hard to access the
data on the hard drive, doesn't it? Of course, anyone who stole the
laptop for the sake of the data would be prepared to remove the hard
drive and install it in another computer to access its contents. But a
BIOS password will thwart the thieving crack-head looking for a quick
buck, and said individual's inability to use "his own" computer would be
a dead give-away to any pawn shop owner.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

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

 

[~Mike Hollywood]

yeah, that all makes sence. In the meantime, I just reinstalled windows the
regular way and got it activated with no problems.

The owner didn't even know there was a bios in the computer so it's a
mystery how one got set.