Did you forget your BIOS password? In most cases you would have to format your drive and re-load your XP OS. But that would take so much time to get your computer back to your liking.
There’s an easier way to avoid reloading and installing all your programs! There’s no software required to remove the BIOS password.
On to the Procedure:
- Power off the computer and unplug it from the wall outlet.
- Open your computer case. You can find instructions by searching online for your model or go to the manufactures website for help.
- Look for a silver circular object located on your motherboard. This is the CMOS battery.
- Remove the battery from the socket (You may need a small screwdriver, but be careful doing this).
- Keep the battery out for at least a couple of minutes so that the CMOS memory will flush itself thus removing the password.
- Place the battery back into the slot you removed it from and close up your computer case.
- Plug in your computer and power it up. You will get a prompt that the CMOS configuration could not be found. At this point restore to default settings and you should be good to go.
Your BIOS password has been removed and now you can boot without it. If you want to set a password go into your BIOS configuration and set a new User Password in the Supervisor Password controls access to the BIOS.
Remember to write your password down and store it somewhere in case you forget it again.
Where was this information about four years ago, when my former boss freaked out because he couldn’t get into his pc because he’d forgotten his BIOS password? :)
~ Kristi
We always find out things after the fact, this is just one of those.
Kikolani thank you for the comment :)
There is typically also a BIOS reset switch/jumper on the motherboard that serves the same purpose.
I was covering all MOBOS in the event that option was not included. Thank you!
Some dell laptops have a chip that holds the CMOS password even after the CMOS battery has been removed. It can be very problematic.
This is for desktops and should have stated such. Thank you.
yes, I already new that way to reset BIOS pass. Anyways , thanks for writing quality posts.
David
Thank you Dave. Glad we could share.
The UBCD4Win bootdisk I have, includes a utility that found and displayed, the user & admin passwords on my gateway solo laptop.