Lost BIOS admin password (can anyone do me a new mobo?)

[JMB]

Anyway - this laptop has an admin password set in the BIOS that nobody knows. It's a Lenovo G550. I've tried taking it apart to do the whole CMOS business, but frankly I couldn't find it! So really what I'm asking is - are there any suppliers reading this that can replace the mobo for me? Similarly I'll welcome any other ideas that don't basically involve chucking it away! Thanks!

[plexer]

Even if you found the cmos battery it probably wouldn't help most laptops store it in an eeprom anyway that isn't affected by removing the power.

 

Ben

[plexer]

Have a look to see if it's covered on this blog:

 

Dogbert's Blog

 

That's your best chance.

 

Ben

[localzuk]

Your other option would be to contact Lenovo - they should be able to do it I believe, and it would normally cost less than replacing an entire motherboard from my experience.

[difinity]

I think this is a more direct link for the Dogbert post. Dogbert's Blog: BIOS Password Backdoors in Laptops

I can confirm that the methods contained do work, i've not done a Lenovo but a few others

[JMB]

Thanks for the link, brilliant website and some great password recoverer(erer)s. Sadly, there's no recovererer for Lenovo, and although it has a Phoenix board in it, the script doesn't work because the laptop doesn't generate the 5 character the script needs to generate the password. So...looks like I'm ringing Lenovo!

[sonofsanta]

Is there not an old fashioned jumper switch to reset it?

[localzuk]

Is there not an old fashioned jumper switch to reset it?

 

On a laptop? There never have been in my experience.

[Geoff]

Did you read the user manual? Check out p34.

 

http://consumersupport.lenovo.com/ot/en/Guides/Guide_list.aspx?CategoryID=600154

[plexer]

Nothing on page 34 or anything in the latest manual about bios password.

 

I found the same link.

 

Ben

[JMB]

Yep, basically it's a new motherboard or bust. Spoke to a lovely lady at Lenovo - new mobo plus installation etc. - £250! So. New laptop it is!

[has]

Hi,

I had the same problem with Toshiba netbooks, where i had accidentally set startup (system) password instead of the bios. What i did was to install the toshiba system management software. Once installed, i went into the control panel and there was an icon to control the bios settings. I was able to remove the password from there.

 

You may be able to do this with Lenovo.

[JMB]

The problem I had was that it had a user BIOS password that I set. I'd tried to install Windows on it, but it needed SATA drivers or something (can't quite remember now) you know how Windows can be sometimes. So, I went into the BIOS to poke around, put the user password in - then had the brilliant idea of removing it. After which, it now asks for the BIOS admin password. And nobody knows what that is. I've tried all of my admin passwords - and I only have a small pool of them. None of them work. Which is puzzling. But ultimately, that laptop didn't cost £250 when we bought it new, so I'm sure as heck not paying that to repair it!

[alemanyorks]

Hi,

I had the same problem with Toshiba netbooks, where i had accidentally set startup (system) password instead of the bios. What i did was to install the toshiba system management software. Once installed, i went into the control panel and there was an icon to control the bios settings. I was able to remove the password from there.

 

You may be able to do this with Lenovo.

 

We have this issue with some Tosh Tecras, first one I've sent back to them, no other way I thought of sorting it, (£115+vat) to fix. How did you install the management software if you can access the device at all? Any help appreciated.

[ICTLTD]

I am a bit surprised on this thread, that's a bit of a con by those manufacturers. From our experience Dell can supply (with a bit of persuasion) master reset password, I am a bit shocked other manufacturers don't have them. (or they probably do but like charging)