Resetting BIOS P/word

[VKCOMMO]

Hey

Just wondering how do i reset the BIOS Password on an optima centoris v260?

I need to change boot settings and forgot the P/word

Thanks

[Reaper]

I'll have a stab. Try "Crackerjack".

Reaper

[VKCOMMO]

I'll have a stab. Try "Crackerjack".

Reaper

Swing and a miss reap..

thanks anyways

[greenfoam]

Either undo the battery, select the clear bios jumper or reflash the bios, one of those option will work

[vr94ss]

You might have to take it to their service agent.. I wrote a program years ago that saved cmos memory to a file on a floppy so if the soldered on battery went flat you could boot off the floppy and rewrite the settings back.

I have used that program on PCs to reset passwords by just putting junk in the saved setting file and write that to cmos and overwrite all the settings in cmos memory. The PC would then come up with all default settings and let you re-setup the bios settings.

I don't know how it'd go on a laptop but I suspect that's what the service agent will do. Basically trash what's stored so it goes back to default.

Don't know much about your laptop but check this:
http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/t...ily=1073768663


Edit: I don't think that what I wrote above will work if you can't boot. The passwords I reset were set to get into the bios, not to actually start the computer.

[vr94ss]

Either undo the battery, select the clear bios jumper or reflash the bios, one of those option will work

True.. Just depends if he can get to it and has a clear cmos jumper. The battery may also be soldered on being a laptop.

[vr94ss]

Done some googling, this may help:

How to Reset a BIOS Password

But it may not help as I have just read in another forum that some laptops store the password on another chip.. Dunno..
Here:
Toshiba Laptop BIOS Password Cracker

Here's my google search to look through other stuff:
toshiba bios password reset

[nathanVY]

is it a PC or a laptop? If its a PC, take the side case off (make sure you unplug power first, the kettle cord into the power supply AND the power supply to motherboard connector.

Now at anytime when you're touching your motherboard MAKE SURE YOU'RE EARTHED. Or you can and will fry you computers internals Put the back of your hand on the metal of the computer case and operate with the other hand (unless you have a static band).

Locate your bios battery (this will look like a watch battery) on your motherboard and take it out, be careful, should just need a tip up with a screwdriver to dislodge it. BE GENTLE. computers break easily.

leave the battery out for 5 or 10 minutes with all the power cables disconnected (if your power supply has anymore cables going to the motherboard disconnect them too)

then put it back it, fire it up and your BIOS should have reset.

BE WARNED: there are other settings in your BIOS other than the password, resetting the bios WILL wipe ALL data stored in it, your computer may not boot properly after resetting the BIOS. I am not responsible.

that is all

edit: with a laptop, same thing but more of a pain.

[VKCOMMO]

Thanks for all the help guys..

still working

Nathan, it is a laptop...

[nathanVY]

Thanks for all the help guys..

still working

Nathan, it is a laptop...

lol. what brand, model etc

[wraith]

How to Reset a BIOS Password

[VKCOMMO]

Just tried and failed with the MOBO battery removal trick.. still requested a P/word

[VKCOMMO]

lol. what brand, model etc

Read first post

[vr94ss]

Is your laptop the same as your dads? If so you could swap your vista hdd out put his in and install xp on it and swap back.

[azkwazere]

Some BIOS/CMOS passwords cannot be reset.

You can try the jumper trick along with the battery one however, there are some units which CANNOT be reset without a return to vendor. In my last job, we had a whole series of laptops which couldnt be reset and the CMOS chipset needed to be replaced.

Be very careful when stuffing around with it, the newer stuff isn't as simple as the older stuff.

aZk.

[ari666]

meh i posted a suggestion in the other thread.

[SMURFTEC.]

im pretty adamant that clearing the cmos by removing the jumpers or the battery for 10minutes should work.

[VKCOMMO]

Is your laptop the same as your dads? If so you could swap your vista hdd out put his in and install xp on it and swap back.

nope.. mine is a HP 2133

Some BIOS/CMOS passwords cannot be reset.

You can try the jumper trick along with the battery one however, there are some units which CANNOT be reset without a return to vendor. In my last job, we had a whole series of laptops which couldnt be reset and the CMOS chipset needed to be replaced.

Be very careful when stuffing around with it, the newer stuff isn't as simple as the older stuff.

aZk.

it didnt stuff it luckly

i might have to leave it to the pro's at GetToDaChopa's place.

[ari666]

well your only option now then is to flash the bios.

that will get rid of the password for sure. and a lot of time flashing gets rid of factory fitted bugs, so its good to check for an updated bios anyway.

just had a quick hunt for the bios... wtf brand is optima anyway?

[VKCOMMO]

well your only option now then is to flash the bios.

that will get rid of the password for sure. and a lot of time flashing gets rid of factory fitted bugs, so its good to check for an updated bios anyway.

just had a quick hunt for the bios... wtf brand is optima anyway?

How do i do that..

The bios is Phoenix

Optima is actually an OK brand, mainly used by government and military and alot of public schools

[GetToDaChopa]

I heard my name....

So why can't you reset it? i've read through but can't quite understand. What have you tried so far.

[ari666]

*luckily i copied this the second the server crashed*

flashing the bios is usually a matter of downloading a new RAM BIOS to floppy drive, yes, floppy drive. it doesnt work with anything else. lol, funny story i went into about 4 PC shops around my work asking for a floppy disc. got the same dumb look from everyone... "you want a .... 1.44mb floppy??????"

lol, anyway, you down load it with amibios flash utility which usually fits on one disc with the bios. its basically a seperate boot device so it goes in your A drive, runs through POST then pops up with an option "do you want to run flash" you say yes itll ask to enter the bios file, and usually its just a matter of hitting enter, you may need to select where its saved.

flashing can be quite dangerous though. you want to make sure your battery is full and the power source is secure. any interruptions half way through could kill your mobo. but i have done it loads of times and never had a dead mobo.

but what itll do is reset your bios completely and install a few updates (usually onboard device drivers) so itll kill any user entered password.

god knows where you will find the RAM bios file though. if it was a HP or dell itd be easy but i have nfi where driver support for that model is.

[VKCOMMO]

I heard my name....

So why can't you reset it? i've read through but can't quite understand. What have you tried so far.

Hey

I am trying to reinstall XP Home SP2 now and i need to get in the BIOS to make the CD drive boot first.

I need to reset the BIOS P/word to do that

@ARI, it doesnt have a floppy... (that is bound to see a sig)

[vr94ss]

*luckily i copied this the second the server crashed*

flashing the bios is usually a matter of downloading a new RAM BIOS to floppy drive, yes, floppy drive. it doesnt work with anything else. lol, funny story i went into about 4 PC shops around my work asking for a floppy disc. got the same dumb look from everyone... "you want a .... 1.44mb floppy??????"

lol, anyway, you down load it with amibios flash utility which usually fits on one disc with the bios. its basically a seperate boot device so it goes in your A drive, runs through POST then pops up with an option "do you want to run flash" you say yes itll ask to enter the bios file, and usually its just a matter of hitting enter, you may need to select where its saved.

flashing can be quite dangerous though. you want to make sure your battery is full and the power source is secure. any interruptions half way through could kill your mobo. but i have done it loads of times and never had a dead mobo.

but what itll do is reset your bios completely and install a few updates (usually onboard device drivers) so itll kill any user entered password.

god knows where you will find the RAM bios file though. if it was a HP or dell itd be easy but i have nfi where driver support for that model is.

You don't need a floppy on newer pc's. I've used a USB stick to flash mine and the motherboard is about 3 years old. I don't even own a floppy drive anymore.

[ari666]

I don't even own a floppy drive anymore.

lol, i had to actually install the drive! i had it hanging out the side of my pc just so i could use the god damn A drive.... and i told a lie. it was for installing the RAID drivers, not for flashing. soz. but fairly similar principle.