Repairing XP on a bios locked laptop

[baccart]

What are my options?

Acer aspire one will not boot into windows/safe mode.

1. BIOS password can not be obtained.
2. It can not be reset due to it not providing a system disabled error # which would allow a password to be generated.
3. Flashed the BIOS, but Pwd is still there.
4. Can not boot from cd/usb, as it does not look for those first, but hdd.(can not go into bios to change it, as it has pwd).

Is there a way to do this by removing hdd, plugging and running repair on it from another system?

 

[Shark]

Can you get a boot menu on boot-up with F12 or another key?

Yes! You should be able to attach the failing system drive to your bench machine and do whatever repairs on it you need. Most of us prefer this method.

 

[Beatus]

4. Can not boot from cd/usb, as it does not look for those first, but hdd.(can not go into bios to change it, as it has pwd).

I have managed to get around this sort of problem in the past by being a bit creative.....

- Boot up the machine with the CD and HDD in so the bios detects them.
- Before the machine reads the MBR on the HDD to boot off of it, unplug it.
- Not finding the HDD MBR it will go to its secondary which should be the DVD Rom.
- Once it starts to read the DVD Drive (Noticeable by the DVD light going off) replug the HDD quickly so when the DVD goes to read the HDD, it will be there.

In the past I have done this with a 2.5" Sata Laptop drive to get it reloaded when I had a locked bios.

 

[OldSchoolPC]

What are my options?

Acer aspire one will not boot into windows/safe mode.

1. BIOS password can not be obtained.
2. It can not be reset due to it not providing a system disabled error # which would allow a password to be generated.
3. Flashed the BIOS, but Pwd is still there.
4. Can not boot from cd/usb, as it does not look for those first, but hdd.(can not go into bios to change it, as it has pwd).

Is there a way to do this by removing hdd, plugging and running repair on it from another system?

Solution 1. What about good-old-fashioned removing the CMOS battery for 30 seconds? It only works a small percentage of the time these days but worth a shot.

Solution 2. Use a different HDD with windows installed. Then, once in windows use UBCD (from within the HDD version of windows). You will of course have the client's HDD as a secondary HDD either internally or in an enclosure or docking station.

P.S. There is a bios pw clear app in UBCD, although I haven't used it.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

Years ago I had this problem, before I knew how to clear cmos....I setup a new windows OS on the drive and just before the last reboot when it would interrogation the system to install the HAL put it back into the laptop. All the files are loaded on it so it boots up and does that final load drivers portion of windows. Then you can access the usb/dvd or what have you.

 

[atlanticjim]

First look for the CMOS battery, then look for a pair of traces on the motherboard either next to the battery or on the reverse side of the pcb where the battery sits marked RST or Reset or CMOSRS or something like that. With the battery in place bridge these with a wire. That is your hidden password reset.

If that does not work, get CmosPwd burned on a disk. Pull the HDD and boot. By default it should go to the cd/dvd drive after failing boot with HDD. I seem to remember that the /k switch will work on ACER models and kill the cmos. Next boot it will take a little longer as it rebuilds the cmos data from its own backup. Or it will brick the laptop. No warranties, just some suggestions.

Third, pay ACER $100 to reset it.

 

[PcTestCard.com]

I have seens some major Bios manufacturers master passwords that help the laptop owners with the Bios PW removal. I have not got a chance to try that though.

hope this helps!
Bill
Tech Manager