How to enter Compaq bios setup ??

[drtom]

I am working on this dog of a Compaq Evo 400c laptop and cannot enter the bios becasue of the setup password. The owner didn't set a password and I have removed the RTC Battery for about 30 minutes and it still askes for the bleeping password.
Regardless of the key combination I enter it won't let me in.
Sincerely,
Stumped by a Compaq

p.s. any insight would be appreciated

 

[BadBigBen]

see:

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000451.htm

Also found this on a website...

Standard BIOS backdoor passwords

The first, less invasive, attempt to bypass a BIOS password is to try on of these standard manufacturer's backdoor passwords:

AWARD BIOS
AWARD SW, AWARD_SW, Award SW, AWARD PW, _award, awkward, J64, j256, j262, j332, j322, 01322222, 589589, 589721, 595595, 598598, HLT, SER, SKY_FOX, aLLy, aLLY, Condo, CONCAT, TTPTHA, aPAf, HLT, KDD, ZBAAACA, ZAAADA, ZJAAADC, djonet, %øåñòü ïpîáåëîâ%, %äåâÿòü ïpîáåëîâ%

AMI BIOS
AMI, A.M.I., AMI SW, AMI_SW, BIOS, PASSWORD, HEWITT RAND, Oder

Other passwords you may try (for AMI/AWARD or other BIOSes)
LKWPETER, lkwpeter, BIOSTAR, biostar, BIOSSTAR, biosstar, ALFAROME, Syxz, Wodj

Note that the key associated to "_" in the US keyboard corresponds to "?" in some European keyboards (such as Italian and German ones), so -- for example -- you should type AWARD?SW when using those keyboards. Also remember that passwords are Case Sensitive. The last two passwords in the AWARD BIOS list are in Russian.

But with a laptop, though you may be out of luck...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[drtom]

The machine won't accept anything I type with the exception of the enter key. After three enters the machine won't do anything, I have to restart it...

I think your tag line is the answer... Never had this sort of trouble with any of my IBM's

 

[rvnguy]

This is a security measure taken specifically for laptops.

If you get all the mdl info, ser# etc, you can contact HP/Compaq for the workaround.

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[drtom]

Security? Hmmm... who are they trying to protect?

Thanks for that