How to
Bypass BIOS Passwords
BIOS
passwords can add an extra layer of security for desktop and laptop computers.
They are used to either prevent a user from changing the BIOS settings or to
prevent the PC from booting without a password. Unfortunately, BIOS passwords
can also be a liability if a user forgets their password, or changes the
password to intentionally lock out the corporate IT department. Sending the
unit back to the manufacturer to have the BIOS reset can be expensive and is
usually not covered in the warranty. Never fear, all is not lost. There are a
few known backdoors and other tricks of the trade that can be used to bypass or
reset the BIOS
DISCLAIMER
This
article is intended for IT Professionals and systems administrators with experience
servicing computer hardware. It is not intended for home users, hackers, or
computer thieves attempting to crack the password on a stolen PC. Please do not
attempt any of these procedures if you are unfamiliar with computer hardware,
and please use this information responsibly. LabMice.net is not responsible for
the use or misuse of this material, including loss of data, damage to hardware,
or personal injury.
Before
attempting to bypass the BIOS password on a computer, please take a minute to
contact the hardware manufacturer support staff directly and ask for their
recommended methods of bypassing the BIOS security. In the event the
manufacturer cannot (or will not) help you, there are a number of methods that
can be used to bypass or reset the BIOS password yourself. They include:
Using a
manufacturers backdoor password to access the BIOS
Use
password cracking software
Reset
the CMOS using the jumpers or solder beads.
Removing
the CMOS battery for at least 10 minutes
Overloading
the keyboard buffer
Using a
professional service
Please
remember that most BIOS passwords do not protect the hard drive, so if you need
to recover the data, simply remove the hard drive and install it in an
identical system, or configure it as a slave drive in an existing system. The
exception to this are laptops, especially IBM Thinkpads, which silently lock
the hard drive if the supervisor password is enabled. If the supervisor
password is reset without resetting the and hard drive as well, you will be
unable to access the data on the drive.
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Backdoor
passwords
Many
BIOS manufacturers have provided backdoor passwords that can be used to access
the BIOS setup in the event you have lost your password. These passwords are
case sensitive, so you may wish to try a variety of combinations. Keep in mind
that the key associated to "_" in the US keyboard corresponds to
"?" in some European keyboards. Laptops typically have better BIOS
security than desktop systems, and we are not aware of any backdoor passwords
that will work with name brand laptops.
WARNING:
Some BIOS configurations will lock you out of the system completely if you type
in an incorrect password more than 3 times. Read your manufacturers
documentation for the BIOS setting before you begin typing in passwords
Award
BIOS backdoor passwords:
ALFAROME
ALLy aLLy aLLY ALLY aPAf _award AWARD_SW AWARD?SW AWARD SW AWARD PW AWKWARD
awkward BIOSTAR CONCAT CONDO Condo d8on djonet HLT J64 J256 J262 j332 j322 KDD
Lkwpeter LKWPETER PINT pint SER SKY_FOX SYXZ syxz shift + syxz TTPTHA ZAAADA
ZBAAACA ZJAAADC 01322222
589589
589721 595595 598598
AMI BIOS
backdoor passwords:
AMI
AAAMMMIII BIOS PASSWORD HEWITT RAND AMI?SW AMI_SW LKWPETER A.M.I. 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
Manufacturer
Password
VOBIS
& IBM merlin
Dell
Dell
Biostar
Biostar
Compaq
Compaq
Enox
xo11nE
Epox
central
Freetech
Posterie
IWill
iwill
Jetway
spooml
Packard
Bell bell9
QDI QDI
Siemens
SKY_FOX
TMC BIGO
Toshiba
Toshiba
TOSHIBA
BIOS
Most
Toshiba laptops and some desktop systems will bypass the BIOS password if the
left shift key is held down during boot
IBM
APTIVA BIOS
Press
both mouse buttons repeatedly during the boot
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Password
cracking software
The
following software can be used to either crack or reset the BIOS on many
chipsets. If your PC is locked with a BIOS administrator password that will not
allow access to the floppy drive, these utilities may not work. Also, since
these utilities do not come from the manufacturer, use them cautiously and at
your own risk.
Cmos
password recovery tools 3.1
!BIOS
(get the how-to article)
RemPass
KILLCMOS
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Using
the Motherboard "Clear CMOS" Jumper or Dipswitch settings
Many
motherboards feature a set of jumpers or dipswitches that will clear the CMOS
and wipe all of the custom settings including BIOS passwords. The locations of
these jumpers / dipswitches will vary depending on the motherboard manufacturer
and ideally you should always refer to the motherboard or computer
manufacturers documentation. If the documentation is unavailable, the
jumpers/dipswitches can sometimes be found along the edge of the motherboard,
next to the CMOS battery, or near the processor. Some manufacturers may label
the jumper / dipswitch CLEAR - CLEAR CMOS - CLR - CLRPWD - PASSWD - PASSWORD -
PWD. On laptop computers, the dipswitches are usually found under the keyboard
or within a compartment at the bottom of the laptop.
Please
remember to unplug your PC and use a grounding strip before reaching into your
PC and touching the motherboard. Once you locate and rest the jumper switches,
turn the computer on and check if the password has been cleared. If it has,
turn the computer off and return the jumpers or dipswitches to its original
position.
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Removing
the CMOS Battery
The CMOS
settings on most systems are buffered by a small battery that is attached to
the motherboard. (It looks like a small watch battery). If you unplug the PC
and remove the battery for 10-15 minutes, the CMOS may reset itself and the
password should be blank. (Along with any other machine specific settings, so
be sure you are familiar with manually reconfiguring the BIOS settings before
you do this.) Some manufacturers backup the power to the CMOS chipset by using
a capacitor, so if your first attempt fails, leave the battery out (with the
system unplugged) for at least 24 hours. Some batteries are actually soldered
onto the motherboard making this task more difficult. Unsoldering the battery
incorrectly may damage your motherboard and other components, so please don't
attempt this if you are inexperienced. Another option may be to remove the CMOS
chip from the motherboard for a period of time.
Note:
Removing the battery to reset the CMOS will not work for all PC's, and almost
all of the newer laptops store their BIOS passwords in a manner which does not
require continuous power, so removing the CMOS battery may not work at all. IBM
Thinkpad laptops lock the hard drive as well as the BIOS when the supervisor
password is set. If you reset the BIOS password, but cannot reset the hard
drive password, you may not be able to access the drive and it will remain
locked, even if you place it in a new laptop. IBM Thinkpads have special jumper
switches on the motherboard, and these should be used to reset the system.
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Overloading
the KeyBoard Buffer
On some
older computer systems, you can force the CMOS to enter its setup screen on
boot by overloading the keyboard buffer. This can be done by booting with the
keyboard or mouse unattached to the systems, or on some systems by hitting the
ESC key over 100 times in rapid succession.
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Jumping
the Solder Beads on the CMOS
It is
also possible to reset the CMOS by connecting or "jumping" specific
solder beads on the chipset. There are too many chipsets to do a breakdown of
which points to jump on individual chipsets, and the location of these solder
beads can vary by manufacturer, so please check your computer and motherboard
documentation for details. This technique is not recommended for the
inexperienced and should be only be used as a "last ditch" effort.
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Using a
professional service
If the
manufacturer of the laptop or desktop PC can't or won't reset the BIOS
password, you still have the option of using a professional service. Password
Crackers, Inc., offers a variety of services for desktop and laptop computers
for between $100 and $400. For most of these services, you'll need to provide
some type of legitimate proof of ownership. This may be difficult if you've
acquired the computer second hand or from an online auction.
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