[Renegade313]

I have an old Laptop at my house <any year from 1995-98> and it has a password on it that my family doesn't know anymore. I forgot what the password was called but i know it prompts you before it even starts up. Its on like, a black screen. <i think it was called Dos password, something like that.> I need to know how to format this hard drive to start over from scratch.

[brendandonhu]

Its probably a BIOS password, and formatting the hard drive won't get rid of it. Being a laptop, the easiest way is probably with a program called KillCMOS.

[Renegade313]

Originally Posted by brendandonhu

Its probably a BIOS password, and formatting the hard drive won't get rid of it. Being a laptop, the easiest way is probably with a program called KillCMOS.

Yeah!...BIOS password is what it was called. How exactly does the KillCMOS program work? Would i have to kill the password from another system or something? because if i can't get on the comp to put the program on there how can i do it?? thanx

[kiwiguy]

Kill CMOS will not work, as you have already noted.
With a laptop BIOS password, you cannot even get to boot from a disk.

The news could be bad, as often laptops require a return to the agents for this operation. There is usually a method of attaching a specially wired device to the printer port or similar to allow it to boot, but it varies widely between laptops and only the agents would probably know.

Its secure to make it difficult to use stolen laptops. Agents usually need proof of ownership as well.

[Renegade313]

darn! I really wanted to justr format it and reset evertything and delete everything to just get somethinjg going that would be a little more convenient, but i guess it calls for more work than that. I was gonna use it to carry around my music because i'm a music producer. It woulld have been very convenient. But anyway, i'll read more into this situation to see what i could possibly do. <also, if anyone has a laptop they don't want maybe we could talk and set up a deal, just e-mail me at gerald_parks@sbcglobaL.net, and give me the specs : GB's, RAM, pentium, which windows version, etc.>

[Renegade313]

also, would replacing the hard drive all together help out at all?

[DaveBurnett]

No replacing the drive would not. The make and model may help as on some you can remove the CMOS battery and get round it.

[Renegade313]

so i'm guessing that if i remove the CMOS battery all the settings will eventually be gone because the battery is no longer there to power the memory? if this is correct, i might need further instructions on how to take the battery out. I think i just found my ticket to more convenient computer usage. thanx Dave.

[Elvandil]

Taking out the battery may work. The time varies from one machine to another--a few seconds to days before all the capacitors discharge. Overnight will do it 99% of the time.

What make/model? Maybe we can find out where the battery is.

[Renegade313]

cool. well, its an IBM thinkpad and its about 4 or more years old.

[Elvandil]

There are a few different Thinkpad models. here's a couple manuals for you to look through. They are pdf's, so if you want to download them instead of just viewing them in your browser, right-click the links and "Save Target As...".

http://www.acs.nmu.edu/docs/r40hmm.pdf
ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs...es/600tech.pdf

[Renegade313]

thanks. I'll try this out and report back to you guys.

[Renegade313]

okay. Comes to find out. the computer is not that old, and it has windows XP on it. And the password may not be a BIOS pass, because this is Novel client prompting me to enter the pass. and from the looks of it, it does boot up before the pass is asked for because the windows XP load bar comes up,m but before it comes to the desktop screen the novel client appears and asks for the pass and user name. But there is one problem, there is no cd drive, and my mother is thinking of buyting one for it. any suggestions? <I'm so sorry that I've given wrong ifno, but i JUST got the laptop in my grasp and its far different from my guesses.>

[Renegade313]

I still think the battery removing would work, because the settings would go<taking novel with it>. so if I can locate the battery on this thing, it'll be set. thanx

[Arky]

Do a Yahoo search on "CMOS password". There you will find a host of methods. Pick one.