Ways around a boot up password

[guitarman]

I've been given an old(ish) Compaq laptop. Unfortunately when it's switched on it's asking for a password. I've tried F10/del etc. to try and get into "setup" but nothing works. I'm guessing that it's probably a matter of switching it on and holding down a key or combination of keys to get into the "setup" mode.

The bloke who passed it to me can't remember the password btw

Any ideas?

Cheers

Dick

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

If it's a bios password your probably fecked :-(

You could try taking the motherboard battery out for half an hour or so if you can access it.

 

[Clive]

You may have some luck by removal of the CMOS battery.

Search the web for documentation of the specific model - sometimes they can be reset by "shorting" jumpers.

 

[cookie]

windows passwords, in the old days you used to just press "escape". don't think xp is like that

best have a shufty on google.

http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm

http://lastbit.com/windowspassword.asp

just read threads above. if it's BIOS password you need & you know what company made it, Award say, there are sites on the net that have lists of passwords used. search in conjunction with compaq.

flashing motherboard with a new BIOS may also be possible.

you might have some luck here make sure your anti virus is in good order though

 

[guitarman]

windows passwords, in the old days you used to just press "escape". don't think xp is like that

best have a shufty on google.

http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm

http://lastbit.com/windowspassword.asp

just read threads above. if it's BIOS password you need & you know what company made it, Award say, there are sites on the net that have lists of passwords used. search in conjunction with compaq.

flashing motherboard with a new BIOS may also be possible.

you might have some luck here make sure your anti virus is in good order though

Already found stuff about bios, cmos, removing batteries, jumpers etc. with no luck but I'll try your links Cookie.

Cheers guys.

Dick

 

[cookie]

is it the BIOS password you need or windows administrator? looks like BIOS from your post.

my links are for windows.

you could try putting BIOS password into astalavista search box. only time i had to do it, i found a working password with google.

 

[guitarman]

is it the BIOS password you need or windows administrator? looks like BIOS from your post.

my links are for windows.

Dunno, I would guess it's the BIOS one as it comes up immediately with no option to "press del for setup".

I'll have another look later and get the actual wording.

 

[Noel]

A long shot, if it's got a removable BIOS chip, you could find a mother board with the same socket type and flash it if you can find a bios down load for it.

 

[cookie]

Dunno, I would guess it's the BIOS one as it comes up immediately with no option to "press del for setup".

I'll have another look later and get the actual wording.

sounds like i've got hold of the wrong end of the stick. it's a BIOS password entered by the previous owner i think. dunno how you get round that unless clearing the CMOS works.

can't flash since i suspect it won't boot from floppy.

CMOS chip swap has to be done with pc in windows IIRC. not without risk assuming you can find another pc with the same motherboard.

what CPU is it? some amd motherboards available for less than 30 quid

 

[Steve]

Older Compaqs had a jumper or dip switch which controlled whether or not the BIOS password was enabled.

If there is one, it will either be in a compartment on the bottom of the laptop (easy to get at) or under the keyboard (not so easy to get at).

The dipswitch/jumper may be labelled CLEAR, CLEAR CMOS, CLR, CLRPWD, PASSWD or PASSWORD.

Many older laptops/PCs also used to have a backdoor password, and for Compaqs it was "Compaq" (case-sensitive) - really secure!!

 

[guitarman]

sounds like i've got hold of the wrong end of the stick. it's a BIOS password entered by the previous owner i think. dunno how you get round that unless clearing the CMOS works.

can't flash since i suspect it won't boot from floppy.

CMOS chip swap has to be done with pc in windows IIRC. not without risk assuming you can find another pc with the same motherboard.

what CPU is it? some amd motherboards available for less than 30 quid

Thanks, I'll need to check out what the spec is. According to the Compaq website the serial number should help.

Cheers

Dick

 

[cookie]

what CPU is it? some amd motherboards available for less than 30 quid

uh oh. just noticed *laptop*

ignore above pricing. sorry.

 

[Snooky]

SOme of the laptops have the option to disable the BIOS password as well, but that depends on the model, what is it? and no they are not very easy to take apart, well not true, easy to come apart not easy to get back together