Extra BIOS Reseting Tricks

Replacing the chip


If nothing works, you could replace the existing BIOS chip with a new one you can buy from your specialized electronic shop or your computer supplier. It's a quick operation if the chip is inserted on a base and not soldered to the motherboard, otherwise you'll have to unsolder it and then put the new one. In this case would be more convenient to solder a base on which you'll then plug the new chip, in the eventuality that you'll have to change it again. If you can't find the BIOS chip specifically made for your motherboard, you should buy one of the same type (probably one of the ones shown above) and look in your motherboard manufacturer's website to see if there's the BIOS image to download. Then you should copy that image on the chip you bought with an EPROM programmer.


Important

Whether is the method you use, when you flash the BIOS not only the password, but also all the other configuration data will be reset to the factory defaults, so when you are booting for the first time after a BIOS flash, you should enter the CMOS configuration menu (as explained before) and fix up some things.
Also, when you boot Windows, it may happen that it finds some new device, because of the new configuration of the BIOS, in this case you'll probably need the Windows installation CD because Windows may ask you for some external files. If Windows doesn't see the CD-ROM try to eject and re-insert the CD-ROM again. If Windows can't find the CD-ROM drive and you set it properly from the BIOS config, just reboot with the reset key, and in the next run Windows should find it. However most files needed by the system while installing new hardware could also be found in C:WINDOWS, C:WINDOWSSYSTEM, or C:WINDOWSINF .



Key Disk for Toshiba laptops


Some Toshiba notebooks allow to bypass BIOS by inserting a "key-disk" in the floppy disk drive while booting. To create a Toshiba Keydisk, take a 720Kb or 1.44Mb floppy disk, format it (if it's not formatted yet), then use a hex editor such as Hex Workshop to change the first five bytes of the second sector (the one after the boot sector) and set them to 4B 45 59 00 00 (note that the first three bytes are the ASCII for "KEY" followed by two zeroes). Once you have created the key disk put it into the notebook's drive and turn it on, then push the reset button and when asked for password, press Enter. You will be asked to Set Password again. Press Y and Enter. You'll enter the BIOS configuration where you can set a new password.


Key protected cases


A final note about those old computers (up to 486 and early Pentiums) protected with a key that prevented the use of the mouse and the keyboard or the power button. All you have to do with them is to follow the wires connected to the key hole, locate the jumper to which they are connected and unplug it.

That's all.

Clear Cmos, jumper.That is the way how I solve problem when customer forgets password.


More

There are a few different ways to reset the cmos, here's a few:

1. there are many default common passwords,
such as:

At boot-up note the BIOS provider (Award, AMI, Phoenix, IBM, etc.)

For Award BIOS' try these backdoor passwords:

AWARD_SW
j262
HLT
SER
SKY_FOX
BIOSTAR
ALFAROME
Lkwpeter
j256
AWARD?SW
LKWPETER
syxz
ALLy
589589
589721
awkward
CONCAT
d8on
CONDO
j64
szyx

For AMI BIOS' try these backdoor passwords:

AMI
BIOS
PASSWORD
HEWITT RAND
AMI?SW
AMI_SW
LKWPETER
A.M.I.
CONDO


For PHOENIX BIOS' try this backdoor password:

phoenix

there are too many to count here's a list
http://www.phenoelit.de/dpl/dpl.html
(search for PC BIOS)


2. On some older PC's pressing the insert key upon startup will clear
the CMOS, make sure you hold it down till it's done booting.

3. Another way which we pretty much already covered, was to pull the
metallic nickel looking battery that supplies power to the CMOS.

4. Some times there is a small three pin jumper used to reset the bios,
just move the black little pin cover to the opposite two pins.
(Make sure to read the motherboards manual before this)

5. If the battery is soldered in you can take a soldering iron to it but
I don't recommend it unless you are a professional.

6. there are a few programs out on the net which are made to crack
certain types of bios passwords, I have one for award BIOS's here's a
couple:

http://www.11a.nu/ibios.htm

http://natan.zejn.si/rempass.html

Good reading:
http://www.astalavista.com/library/...ios_hacking.txt


http://www.virtualplastic.net/html/misc_bios.html


Tools:
http://www.red-demon.com/pwrecovery.html