BIOS locked itself

[pentium]

So the CR2032 CMOS battery in my CF-25 (MK III) toughbook died and this causes the machine to not POST. After I replaced it I went into the BIOS and discovered the supervisor password was set. I could adjust power management and enable/disable the trackpad but everything else is locked out.
I reset the CMOS twice by shorting the CR2032 and it's still there. I never set passwords in the CMOS. I have no clue what the hell the password could even be. I have the laptop pulled apart again with the battery removed and the terminals shorted but I have no clue if this is the "proper" way to reset on a toughbook.

[stj]

Re: BIOS locked itself

you need a service manual.
most lap's have a dipswitch or pair of pads you can short to clear the cmos.
ibm's dont count btw - those bastards have a special eeprom with internal security (anti-glitch) feature and wireless (NFC) access.
i hate those - you have to dump them wih a homemade interface!

just to add, shorting the battery holder wont work - there is a diode after it and the ram will also have a cap across it.
shorting the holder for a day or 2 may work - but maybe not.

[pentium]

Re: BIOS locked itself

I have no clue where at this point I could find the service manual for the CF-25.

[goontron]

Re: BIOS locked itself

apt-get remove bios-passwd?
on a serious note: there are laptop BIOS password cracking disks around the 'net.

[pentium]

Re: BIOS locked itself

Well I guess I can look around and see if there is anything. There's a lot of shady apps out there.

[goontron]

Re: BIOS locked itself

who makes the BIOS?

award BIOS backdoor passwords:

ALFAROME BIOSTAR KDD ZAAADA
ALLy CONCAT Lkwpeter ZBAAACA
aLLy CONDO LKWPETER ZJAAADC
aLLY Condo PINT 01322222
ALLY d8on pint 589589
aPAf djonet SER 589721
_award HLT SKY_FOX 595595
AWARD_SW J64 SYXZ 598598
AWARD?SW J256 syxz
AWARD SW J262 shift + syxz
AWARD PW j332 TTPTHA
AWKWARD j322
awkward

AMI BIOS Backdoor Passwords:

AMI BIOS PASSWORD HEWITT RAND
AMI?SW AMI_SW LKWPETER CONDO

Phoenix BIOS Backdoor Passwords:

phoenix PHOENIX CMOS BIOS

Misc. Common Passwords

ALFAROME BIOSTAR biostar biosstar
CMOS cmos LKWPETER lkwpeter
setup SETUP Syxz Wodj


Other BIOS Passwords by Manufacturer

1. VOBIS & IBM = merlin
2. Dell = Dell
3. Biostar = Biostar
4. Compaq = Compaq
5. Enox = xo11nE
6. Epox = central
7. Freetech = Posterie
8. IWill = iwill
9. Jetway = spooml
10. Packard Bell = bell9
11. QDI = QDI
12. Siemens = SKY_FOX
13. TMC = BIGO
14. Toshiba = Toshiba (some will reset BIOS if the left shift key is held down during boot)

on an interesting note: this is what inspired the IBM password http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/ex...rage_3330.html

[Mad_Professor]

Re: BIOS locked itself

try killcmos, seems to be a common thing for these toughbooks.

[stj]

Re: BIOS locked itself

what prof said - just seen this:
http://www.computing.net/answers/har...ord/63362.html

[stj]

Re: BIOS locked itself

http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/killcmos.html

and incase you need it.
http://www.freedos.org/

[pentium]

Re: BIOS locked itself

The POST has an IBM copyright so I assume it uses a licensed BIOS. Unfortunately the backdoor password did not work.

Anyways, killcmos.com did clear out both the CMOS settings and that nasty supervisor password so all is well again. Thank you.
Setting the supervisor password with a CMOS change. What a peculiar bug....or security feature?

[goontron]

Re: BIOS locked itself

wow. Killcmos did indeed work.

Setting the supervisor password with a cmos change. What a peculiar bug....or security feature?

bug.

[stj]

Re: BIOS locked itself

btw, when i saw your post title i thought you had an HP NC6200.series
that would have been a bitch - best leave that for another day!

[pentium]

Re: BIOS locked itself

I've seen my share of laptops with various passwords set.

[stj]

Re: BIOS locked itself

yea, but the 6200's have a design fault that sets them and a TPM chip to keep them held!!

[Agent24]

Re: BIOS locked itself

I think my MSI 790GX-G65 has a BIOS bug that causes a password to be set; if at POST I press F11 to enter the boot device menu and after that press Delete to enter the BIOS, it will ask for a password until I clear the BIOS settings.