Dell Latitude L400 BIOS HDD password...

[butchrecon]

We terminated an employee and returned to inventory a Dell Latitude L400 Laptop. The issue is we cannot reissue it out to anyone else because the ex-employee password protected the Hard Drive via the BIOS. Does any one know of a way to clear the BIOS on this laptop?

James Collins
Systems Analyst
A+, MCP, MCSA, Network+

 

[franklin97355]

I think Dell will give you a onetime password if you can prove the computer is yours.

 

[butchrecon]

I unfortunately don't need a one time password. the password was set by the user. We cant bypass it. We have a service agreement with dell, they have offered to reset it, but we have to send it in, that can take a month before we get it back.

James Collins
Systems Analyst
A+, MCP, MCSA, Network+

 

[Walter349]

You won't be able to do it, without a major engineering intervention, which would take as long and is quite risky, involving replacing the NVRAM on the M/B.

I had a lockout on a DELL laptop and contacted DELL who asked for a copy of the purchase invoice and other details, they then emailed me a BIOS Override password that allowed me into the BIOS and clear the problem.

However, if the HDD has been secured, without an Administrator access to the HDD, just a User password. you may not be able to recover any data on the HDD.

IBM Thinkpads have a similar sort of set up

 

[butchrecon]

I can get itno the BIOS fine. The user set a boot HDD pasword in the BIOS. Oh well. Quess it is time to give it to Dell.

James Collins
Systems Analyst
A+, MCP, MCSA, Network+