I work for a reseller and we recently purchased 324 Dell Latitude xpi-cd s. 19 of them have boot passwords (not BIOS passwords).

Removing the CMOS battery has no effect on the password. It just resets configuration data. The password seams to be programed into EEPROM.

After 35 minutes on hold to Dell technical support finnally got me through only to be told that they couldn't release info on removing the password as I wasn't the registered owner.

My company bought it via a brokerage deal from a company that also bought it that way and no doubt countless other parties are involved also as the machines were originally purchased from Dell in 1997.

Technical support told me I would have to speak to 'Customer Support'. Customer support told me I would have to register online!. Online registering is only for machines with warranties. AAAARGH!

Any ideas please. I really don't think I can spend another half day on the phone to Dell all for nothing.

We have $6000 worth of un-usable laptops and "I have to sort it" my boss tells me. <IMG SRC="smilies/confused.gif" border="0">