Bios asking for password

[vallynmar]

I have reformatted a hard drive using win 98 setup disk. I am trying to load winnt then upgrade with win 2k pro. The cd is not going to set up. I tried running set up from the emergency repair disk it tells me that setup needs to run in a windows setting. So I've looked at other threads and tried to switch drive boot order but bios is asking for a password. It seems to be a single digit or character password. I have no manufacturer literature. Any way around this or do I just need to go through every letter in the alphabet and every number to see which is the correct one?

 

[shrubble]

I had a job a few years back where the machines were setup to look for a BIOS level password; it's a setting in most BIOS config screens that people don't use too often (heck- I think we did it to keep the guys that worked nights in the warehouse from coming in and mucking with our machines).

As far as getting around it without the password, the only thing I can think to do is maybe call the manufacturer and see if there's an easy way to re-flash the BIOS and erase the password stuff. You cna try going into the BIOS settings and getting rid of it, but you may need the password to do that(!).

"I would rather have a free bottle in front of me, than a pre-frontal lobotomy..."

-Shrubble

http://www.ishrubble.com

 

[karlisi]

Most of motherboards have 'clear cmos' jumpers and most of them clears BIOS passwords too. You should search mobo manufacturer site for more info.

===
Karlis
ECDL; MCP

 

[vallynmar]

Thank you. How do I find out manufacturer without any literature?
Val

 

[Salem]

> How do I find out manufacturer without any literature?
Examine the motherboard carefully looking for what seem like identifying strings.

Then try searching for those on either google or

http://motherboards.org/

--

 

[vallynmar]

Great thank you!
V

 

[zenrat]

Shade tree mechanic way - pull the battery. I did this on a PC that was left at the warehouse due to a forgotten bios password. Sometimes needs to be left out 24 hours to let the capacitors discharge, but it resets the CMOS and clears the password (not supposed to work on laptops, though).

 

[wolluf]

vallynmar - hopefully either the clear cmos or pulling the battery will clear this password (should do).

I'm just wondering why you're going round the houses to install 2k? (you don't need anything but the 2k install CD - or if you need to start the install from floppy drive, the 4 boot floppies (

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

if you need them) and the install CD. The install process has its own partitioning/formatting tools. If you've got an upgrade install CD, you don't need to install NT first - just show the NT install disk to the 2k installation when asked)

 

[vallynmar]

Yes I have the upgrade version so thank you that is a helpful tip. I'll try the boot floppies first if that doesn't work I'll try the battery or jumpers. Thank you everyone who replied!
V

 

[CharlieJax]

Not to point out the obivous here, but this thread has been open for 2 days, if the password is only 1 character then there are only 34 possibilities (if only letters and numbers)... that combination should take you about 40 minutes to get around (although pulling the cmos jumper(s) is faster that isn't a bad time to hack a password...

CJ

Don't drink and post, save that for driving home!

 

[vallynmar]

True but it only gives me three tries so I would have to keep rebooting. Wanted to avoid that pain in the *** if I could. I'm saving that as a last resort.
V

 

[nrosalin]

Vally,
Howd this go? Pulling the battery will definitely solve your problem.

 

[vallynmar]

I've come to the conclusion that this computer is not compatible with 2k pro. I did the boot discs last night and it gave me a stop error on the fourth disc. Twice. Since this computer was given to me and it is about 8 years old I think I am going to give up.
V

Oh yeah I tried the password thing last night also and I was wrong it is not a single character or digit.

 

[Hainley]

Sorry to hear you're giving up on it. Normally the clear CMOS jumper will be near the CMOS battery itself. It's 3 pins (1, 2, and 3). To clear the CMOS and password, move the jumper to the other end (i.e. from 2/3 to 1/2)...that should take care of your issue.

J

 

[karlisi]

If you can boot your PC from win98 floppy, you can format HDD as bootable disc, copy win2000 setup files (i386 directory) from CD to HDD, boot from HDD and run setup.

===
Karlis
ECDL; MCP