Forgotten BIOS Password

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Solution
you already confirmed that the laptop belongs to someone else. so cracking/resetting/bypassing the password by anyone else would be illegal. the best you can do is contact dells customer support with proof of ownership. discussing bypassing password protection is not allowed on tom's hardware. read the rules here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/57950-35-read-first
@Hella-D: please don't go around telling people how to reset password protection. there is no way to make sure the OP or whoever he says (according to OP, a 10 yr old grandma. ever heard of those?) the owner is as the legitimate owner of the laptop.

myhart01

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Jun 24, 2011
4
0
18,510
I took it appart and removed the CMOS battery for 10 minutes and it did not work.
When I put it back together still required a BIOS power up password. This Notebook belongs to a 10 yr old grandma brought to me for help at the senior center. I am a volunteer there. Switch or jumper might be it but no manual specifies where.
 
you already confirmed that the laptop belongs to someone else. so cracking/resetting/bypassing the password by anyone else would be illegal. the best you can do is contact dells customer support with proof of ownership. discussing bypassing password protection is not allowed on tom's hardware. read the rules here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/57950-35-read-first
@Hella-D: please don't go around telling people how to reset password protection. there is no way to make sure the OP or whoever he says (according to OP, a 10 yr old grandma. ever heard of those?) the owner is as the legitimate owner of the laptop.
 
Solution


The old remove the CMOS battery trick does not work anymore.

Nowadays, the password is stored in Flash memory which does not need electricity to retain data. You can remove the battery for 10 years and the data will still be stored in Flash memory, unless of the memory itself deteriorates.

The best way to reset the BIOS password is to have the original owner call the laptop brand's tech support for instructions. They'll need basic info to confirm that person is indeed the actual owner.
 
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