Bios Problem please help!!!!!!

[cptsmith1990]

I was recently given a dell latitude 1600 to repair, however the customer that had given me the laptop to work on does not know the bios password. I've read some forums on other websites and the only solution i have found is to short the ROM chip, but the customer doesn't want me to risk frying the motherboard. Is there another way around this? If so how do i go about doing this?

Thanks in advanced,
cptsmith1990

 

[oldskool]

Don't know about laptops, but in desktops you remove the CMOS jumper and change it to another position and it clears the CMOS settings, (this clears the password as well) and returns the computer to default settings. I would guess to say it is similar for a laptop, but only a guess. I don't deal with laptops much.

 

[eyeCpc]

Clearing the cmos won't fry any board whether laptop or desktop. The method for laptops however is not a jumper but a dipswitch.

"Under the keyboard or bottom of laptop - If you are working on a laptop computer the location of the dipswitch (almost never a jumper) can be under the keyboard or on the bottom of the laptop in a compartment such as the memory compartment." How to clear an unknown BIOS password.

 

[cptsmith1990]

I've tried resetting the bios by dissconnecting the battery and touching the contacts together to remove any charge in the bios system. That was what i was told to do by the Dell Tech. on the phone. However that didn't work either, Because the ROM chip has a backup power supply built in. Is there a bios password gen. i could use to crack the password with, or am i out of luck.

 

[eyeCpc]

You probably didn't fully discharge the cap that maintains the cmos while batteries are being swapped out. That usually takes a good 30 seconds or so.

As far as password recovery tools you are on your own there. Any software would likely fail anyways since this is in the bios itself.

 

[simzz]

I've tried resetting the bios by dissconnecting the battery and touching the contacts together to remove any charge in the bios system. That was what i was told to do by the Dell Tech. on the phone. However that didn't work either, Because the ROM chip has a backup power supply built in. Is there a bios password gen. i could use to crack the password with, or am i out of luck.

I think this is the only known way to me and it should work.. try it again properly... touch the contacts togeather with a screw driver...

 

[eyeCpc]

When popping the battery out on most desktop boards you have to wait those extra seconds even if a jumper is moved back and forth between pins #1+#2 to #2+#3 and then back to the default position. If you simply tapped that real quick the cap will still hold a good deal of the charge.

 

[cptsmith1990]

thank you i will give that a these suggestions a try.