BIOS reset?

[dirkpitt]

I need to reset a bios password?

any ideas on how to do this?

thanks to all

[NooNoo]

If it's a desktop then removing the cmos battery or using the reset cmos jumper will do it.

If it's a laptop, there are several ways

If it's an older motherboard with dipswitches you will have to look up the user guide.

[dirkpitt]

I need a software solution, I knew there is a debug command for this, but I forgot what?

[kato2274]

quick search turned up the following. Is this what you are looking for

You can reset the BIOS to its default values using the MS-DOS tool DEBUG
(type DEBUG at the command prompt. You'd better do it in pure MS-DOS mode,
not from a MS-DOS shell window in Windows). Once you are in the debug
environment enter the following commands:
AMI/AWARD BIOS

O 70 17
O 71 17
Q


PHOENIX BIOS
O 70 FF
O 71 17
Q


GENERIC
Invalidates CMOS RAM.
Should work on all AT motherboards
(XT motherboards don't have CMOS)
O 70 2E
O 71 FF
Q

Note that the first letter is a "O" not the number "0". The numbers which
follow are two bytes in hex format

[dirkpitt]

That exactly it!!

thanks kato and noonoo !

[Crazy02]

Killcmos works great
have used it a few times 100% :-)

[confus-ed]

Okay - not to say that debug script won't work, it should almost always, but there are bios variations besides its 'maker' if you use debug incorrectly you may 'munch' the existing bios, so I'd be going with the 'Killcmos' tool which checks? (I think it does anyways) what bios type you have and executes the appropriate fix.

Just as an asside what's wrong with re-flashing the bios ? Doesn't this have the effect of resetting any 'user' inputs in bios (so clearing any password set?) and being even more picky....

(XT motherboards don't have CMOS)

& why not CMOS is complementary metal oxide semiconductor and just describes a particular type of 'chip' which has low power consumption (so you can use a watch battery) - so what used to hold the time and date info on XTs, I don't remember having to run around setting the time & date every morning on all my machines .....

[Platypus]

Originally posted by confus-ed
so what used to hold the time and date info on XTs, I don't remember having to run around setting the time & date every morning on all my machines .....

The Real Time Clock. This is fabricated in CMOS for low power consumption as you observe, but the statement about an XT not having CMOS could be more precise in refering to the lack of CMOS RAM for BIOS parameters. This is what is being referred to in the quote because the generic code for invalidating CMOS RAM, tags the RAM contents as invalid so the BIOS will then load default parameters. A true XT doesn't have this facility at all. So the general statement is correct.

That said, some more advanced XT clones (for example you may recall XT 286's) did have CMOS parameter RAM, but I guess it would need more research than it's worth to confirm if the Debug script will or won't clear that.

It is also true to say there are cases where the script won't work. For example older motherboards may have a Dallas DS1287 RTC/CMOS chip which doesn't support clearing the CMOS, and could need to be updated to an "A" revision.

[L15ard]

Here's a list of BIOS back door password and stuff

Note:The procedures described below do not necessarily work for all known systems. BIOS chips are produced by many different companies (sometimes BIOS chips have the name of company A, when they are actually produced by company B). BIOS chips models change constantly, and therefore the described procedures may or may not work on your specific hardware model.

The following is a list of known factory-set passwords for different BIOS manufactures:
AWARD BIOS:
AW
AWARD
AWARD_PS
AWARD_PW
AWARD_HW
AWARD SW
AWARD_SW
Award SW
AWARD PW
_award
awkward
alfaromeo
J64
j256
j262
j322
01322222
589589
589721
HLT
SER
SKY_FOX
Syxz
aLLy
CONCAT
TTPTHA
aPAf
HLT
KDD
ZBAAACA
ZAAADA
ZJAAADC
djonet

AMI BIOS:
AMI
ami
bios
setup
cmos
AMIDECODE
A.M.I.
AMI SW
AMI_SW
BIOS
PASSWORD
HEWITT RAND
Oder
A.M.I.
AMI!SW
AMI?SW
HEWITT RAND
alfarome
efmukl

Phoenix:
phoenix

Compaq:
compaq

Tinys:
Tiny

Other known defaults:
LKWPETER
lkwpeter
BIOSTAR
biostar
BIOSSTAR
biosstar
ALFAROME
Syxz
Wodj
PASS
PASSOFF
CONDO
J64
BIOS
SETUP
CMOS
admin
system

Entering BIOS setup
If you can't work out what to press during boot in order to access the BIOS setup, try this handy list:
AMI, Award: Del during boot.
Toshiba: Esc during boot.
Toshiba; Phoenix; Late model PS/1 Value Point and 330s: F1 during boot.
NEC: F2 during boot.
Compaq: F10 when square in top RH corner of screen.
IBM PS/2s w/ Reference Partition: Ins during boot.
Dell: Reset twice following by Alt Enter.
Some PS/2s: Alt ?
Some PS/2s when pointer at top right of screen: Ctrl Ins.
AST Advantage, Award, Tandon: Ctrl Alt Esc.
Phoenix: Ctrl Alt S or Ctrl S.
Zenith, Phoenix: Ctrl Alt Ins.
Tandon 386: Ctrl Shift Esc.
Olivetti PC Pro: Shift Ctrl Alt + Num Pad Del.
Others: Ctrl-Esc, Ctrl Alt +

If you can boot the computer and just want to reset the BIOS password so you can set it yourself, type the following (note: this is a risky procedure, and can be harmful to your BIOS if it isn't compatible. Use the mentioned procedure only if you know what you are doing).
Run the DOS program 'debug'
Type:
o 70 17
o 71 17
q

BIOS password revealing software
The following site has a large list of BIOS password revealing applications:
http://home.t-online.de/home/Guys-Un...es/frcrack.htm

Toshiba ACPI BIOS version 7.30
It is possible to log into the bios settings without knowing the system password.
When system is already started, it is possible to launch the DEBUG command (only in
DOS MODE) and type the following commands:

- Launch DEBUG.EXE
- At the prompt type:
a [enter]
jmp F000:710 [enter]
[enter]
g [enter]

The "g" command calls the routine that executes the bios setting manager.