IBM TP 600/E

**rscos** · March 6th, 2002, 08:38 AM

help! our department has about 20 IBM thinkpad 600 and 600E laptops that we are about to give away because nobody knows the power on password!
Is there anyway to get round this? I've had a quick search of the archives but have a horrible sinking feling that only IBM reps can do it.

**PJPilate** · March 6th, 2002, 08:45 AM

Open the laptops, take out the cmos battery (every machine will have one, typically under the KB) leave them for a few days (make sure that the main battery is out too) and turn them back on, sans cmos and main battery. Should prompt you for bad cmos checksum, and should be able to disable them in setup.

If not, you may have to call IBM and get them to reset the passwords... You STILL have the invoices, right????

**rscos** · March 6th, 2002, 11:07 AM

thanks - I'll give it a try. and we do have the invoices, but they've run out

**Ya_know** · March 6th, 2002, 12:07 PM

I don't think it can be done

let me provide you with my shipping address if you are looking for a place to dispose of them.

Just kidding, I think PJPilate has you on the right track. IBM is taking the high road per their website, an invoice is supposed to be required, and you are also supposed to use an authorized servicer. But there should be a way around it, removing the CMOS battery is a way, I don't know if all day is required however, maybe just a handful of minutes...

Check out the "note" at the begining of this article.
<a href="http://www-1.ibm.com/support/manager.wss?rs=0&rt=0&org=psg&doc=YAST-3JZNDP" target="_blank">TP General - How to remove/add/change a power on password</a>

**Ahcoraj** · March 6th, 2002, 12:42 PM

look too on the motherboard for a cmos jumper (near the battery). if i remember right, theres one there. My 600 is signed out right now but if it comes back in soon I'll check it and re-post......

**rscos** · March 6th, 2002, 03:58 PM

thanks guys - much appreciated. I managed to dismantle one of them this afternoon, but couldn't see the battery - although there were a few nooks and crannies I didn't check under. any help would be much appreciated.
I would gladly donate the laptops, but the company won't allow it - not even to schools because of the sue-ability if there's an electrical problem. stupid but true.

**Ya_know** · March 6th, 2002, 08:00 PM

[quote]Originally posted by rscos:
I would gladly donate the laptops, but the company won't allow it - not even to schools because of the sue-ability if there's an electrical problem. stupid but true.<hr></blockquote>

I promise, I won't sue, I will even sign a waiver!

**rscos** · March 7th, 2002, 06:24 AM

I'll bet!

the other reason is that the company that disposes of them have an agreement whereby they do like a 7 or 9 pass overwrite of the hard disk to magneticaly 'shred' all the info on there so it can't be retrived. I work for one of the UKs biggest financial companies, and if a laptop with financial info got let out into the open we'd be breaking all kinds of laws. So they have to be disposed of through an approved company.

sorry dude!

**GHSTECH** · March 7th, 2002, 10:13 AM

Most IBM systems store the password in flash memory, so removing the battery will not work. You could try a utility like killcmos. But it most likely won't work either. The only sure way is to consult an IBM repair center that knows IBM's in house pw recovery method.

btw I'm guessing you have tried some basic passwords like, "password", "ibm", "pw", "admin",
"administrator", etc.

**rscos** · March 7th, 2002, 11:19 AM

thanks - that's pretty much what I suspected. I have tried all the basic ones, but trouble is that we use a random password generator - and I've gone through all the passwords linked to that particular serial number and none of them work. Boy would I like to kill the user that changed it......

**Scuba Steve** · March 9th, 2002, 04:08 AM

If you get to the point where you want to dispose of some or all, I'd be happy to take some off your hands even if you were to keep the hard drives.

(Can't blame a guy for trying...)

**Ya_know** · March 9th, 2002, 08:29 AM

[quote]Originally posted by Scuba Steve:
If you get to the point where you want to dispose of some or all, I'd be happy to take some off your hands even if you were to keep the hard drives.

(Can't blame a guy for trying...)<hr></blockquote>

Hey, I asked first!

**rscos** · March 9th, 2002, 08:44 AM

I've already asked the boss and he's said no unfortunately. If by some miracle I can get him to change his mind, then they'll probably be going up on ebay (minus hdds) for our xmas fund!

**freddy** · March 9th, 2002, 04:39 PM

[quote]Originally posted by rscos:
I've already asked the boss and he's said no unfortunately. If by some miracle I can get him to change his mind, then they'll probably be going up on ebay (minus hdds) for our xmas fund!<hr></blockquote>

have you read the other posting on laptops re: h/hrive passwords <a href="http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum3/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=32&t=000381" target="_blank">http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum3/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=32&t=000381</a>

interesting?

PS: just up the road (preston lancs) , so will drive down in the morning , if that,s ok ,,,,,can encrypt your h/d(s) take your h/d (s) out in your presence ,cost yer boss £150 each ,,**** ,,he can give me a couple of old IBM laptops (without drives) for my time.

j/k

freddy

**rscos** · March 9th, 2002, 07:19 PM

as I said before - I would like to help anyone out with free stuff, but as soon as one of those laptops leaves the building, then I'll be sat in a cop shop with a P45 to boot. However, I do have one last trump card to play - a contact who works for IBM. I'll let you guys know the result.

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