Reinstalling Windows 98 on old IBM ThinkPad 380XD

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

>The problem is, nobody knows the password to enter into the BIOs.
>Is there another way I can reinstall Windows 98 on this machine?

Brendan,

You will need the PowerOn Password and Win98 Product Key Number.

Here are a few helpful sites:

http://tinyurl.com/gli5
http://tinyurl.com/2yn3m
http://www.bootdisk.com

Regards ... John

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

AFAIK, the BIOS password can be removed by taking out the CMOS battery, then
reinserting it after waiting for about 10 minutes.

Here is a quote from one website on the subject:

"Most motherboards manufactured over the last decade or more use a battery
to sustain the dynamic Bios/CMOS settings for the motherboards PROM chip.
These dynamic settings are those manually set by either the computers
manufacturer or you, the user. There are two ways to erase these dynamic
settings, by either resetting a jumper on the motherboard itself (referred
to as a "clear CMOS" jumper), or by physically remove the power from the
computer (disconnecting the power plug) and then removing a battery (used to
maintain power to the PROM chip that contains the Bios/CMOS information)
from the motherboard."

"Some, but not all, motherboard manufacturers provide a set of three
jumpers on their motherboards that provide you with the ability to clear the
Bios/CMOS settings, thereby allowing them to be reset. For the most part
this is used when the Bios/CMOS data becomes scrambled and you need to clear
the Bios/CMOS in order to return the computer to a functional state. This
same procedure, however, can be used to CLEAR PASSWORDS from the Bios/CMOS
setup. Typically a jumper will be found across pins #1 and #2 as the default
position, and by shutting the computer down, unplugging the power cord and
then moving the jumper so that it is across pins #2 and #3 will clear the
Bios/CMOS settings."

Hope this helps.

"Brendan" <brendan@email.it> wrote in message
news:986dc005.0406010340.50a3f638@posting.google.com...
> Situation:
>
> At someone's suggestion a friend of mine installs Windows XP on their
> 7 year old IBM ThinkPad. Now, it is so so slow. So, this person asks
> me to reinstall Windows 98. I acquire the Win 98 CD and I try to enter
> into the BIOs to make it boot from the CD, but, at this point it asks
> me for a password (to enter into the BIOs). The problem is, nobody
> knows the password to enter into the BIOs. Is there another way I can
> reinstall Windows 98 on this machine?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Brendan