VOBIS & IBM BIOS serial key or number

BIOS Master- and Setup-Passwords

Delete BIOS-Passwords on PC-Mainboards
Delete BIOS-Passwords on Notebooks
BIOS-Setup-Password via Software
BIOS Master-Passwords
Delete BIOS-Boot Password
Delete BIOS-Setup Password
Keystrokes to Enter the BIOS-Setup

Clear the CMOS of your PC-Mainboard if you want to reset the BIOS-Boot password or BIOS-Setup password:

CMOS-Reset instructions for PC-Mainboards and Notebooks
Delete BIOS-Boot Password
Delete BIOS-Setup Password

Don't clear the CMOS of your Notebook, because it will not reset any BIOS-Boot password or BIOS-Setup password! Notebooks have better theft protections like an additional (tiny, hidden) IC-integrated module that contains the password. Some manufacturers store the password on a hidden hard disk sector. So, the only solution is a direct contact to the manufacturer's support, where they proof that you are the legal owner of the notebook. Depending on the manufacturer, you have to send him the serial number of the notebook and you'll get (in many cases free of charge) an individual master password to unlock the notebook. Some other manufacturers even offer only the replacement of the notebook's mainboard - which will be really expensive!

You can download the free, small program ctbios15.zip from the german Computermagazine c't. Ctbios shows the password and some other interesting things about your BIOS. (great tip!)

Lost your BIOS-Setup password or BIOS-Boot password? You can try one of the following Master passwords:

If you have forgotten your BIOS Boot-Password, have a look into your mainboard manual, or after opening your PC, onto your mainboard. Many mainboards have a JUMPER or SWITCH to clear the CMOS. This Jumper is often named like: "RTC_CLEAR" , "CLEAR CMOS" , "CLRCMOS" , "CLRCMS". His position is often near by the mainboard battery.

Attention: All hardware settings (harddisk-, bootsequence,-...settings) will be deleted! At least, you have to re-insert them again.

See: CMOS-Reset instructions for PC-Mainboards and Notebooks

If you can't enter the Setup of your BIOS, you need a DOS-Bootdisk and one of the following MS-DOS Files:

Start the file an insert the sourcecode line by line.

Different keystrokes to enter the BIOS-Setup:

This page serves as a repository of default passwords for various devices and applications.

Hardware devices listed below include network devices such as routers, modems, and firewalls, along with various storage devices and computer systems. This is a substantial list, but it is not regularly updated. Revision numbers are therefore included where applicable in order to ensure accuracy.

If your device’s listed default password is incorrect or if you would like to submit a password for inclusion on this list, please send an email to help at datarecovery.com with this page’s URL (https://datarecovery.com/rd/default-passwords/) in the subject line.

All of these admin passwords are provided for research purposes and for legal, legitimate use.

Introduction to BIOS Passwords

The best method to reset a BIOS password depends on what BIOS the computer has. Common BIOS’s include AMI, Award, IBM and Phoenix. Numerous other BIOS’s do exist, but these are the most common.

Some BIOS’s allow you to require a password be entered before the system will boot. Some BIOS’s allow you to require a password to be entered before the BIOS setup may be accessed.

The general categories of solutions to reset a BIOS password are:

• Using a Backdoor BIOS Password
• Resetting the BIOS Password using Software
• Resetting the BIOS Password using Hardware
• Vendor Specific Solutions for resetting the BIOS Password

Using a Backdoor BIOS Password

Some BIOS manufacturers implement a backdoor password. The backdoor password is a BIOS password that works, no matter what the user sets the BIOS password to. These passwords are typically used for testing and maintenance. Manufacturers typically change the backdoor BIOS passwords from time to time.

AMI Backdoor BIOS Passwords

Reported AMI backdoor BIOS passwords include A.M.I., AAAMMMIII, AMI?SW , AMI_SW, BIOS, CONDO, HEWITT RAND, LKWPETER, MI, and PASSWORD.

Award Backdoor BIOS Passwords

One reported Award backdoor BIOS password is eight spaces. Other reported Award backdoor BIOS passwords include 01322222, 589589, 589721, 595595, 598598 , ALFAROME, ALLY, ALLy, aLLY, aLLy, aPAf, award, AWARD PW, AWARD SW, AWARD?SW, AWARD_PW, AWARD_SW, AWKWARD, awkward, BIOSTAR, CONCAT, CONDO, Condo, condo, d8on, djonet, HLT, J256, J262, j262, j322, j332, J64, KDD, LKWPETER, Lkwpeter, PINT, pint, SER, SKY_FOX, SYXZ, syxz, TTPTHA, ZAAAADA, ZAAADA, ZBAAACA, and ZJAAADC.

Phoenix Backdoor BIOS Passwords

Reported Phoenix BIOS backdoor passwords include BIOS, CMOS, phoenix, and PHOENIX.

Backdoor BIOS Passwords from Other Manufacturers

Reported BIOS backdoor passwords for other manufacturers include:

Manufacturer	BIOS Password
VOBIS & IBM	merlin
Dell	Dell
Biostar	Biostar
Compaq	Compaq
Enox	xo11nE
Epox	central
Freetech	Posterie
IWill	iwill
Jetway	spooml
Packard Bell	bell9
QDI	QDI
Siemens	SKY_FOX
SOYO	SY_MB
TMC	BIGO
Toshiba	Toshiba

Remember that what you see listed may not be the actual backdoor BIOS password, this BIOS password may simply have the same checksum as the real backdoor BIOS password. For Award BIOS, this checksum is stored at F000:EC60.

Resetting the BIOS Password using Software

Every system must store the BIOS password information somewhere. If you are able to access the machine after it has been booted successfully, you may be able to view the BIOS password. You must know the memory address where the BIOS password is stored, and the format in which the BIOS password is stored. Or, you must have a program that knows these things.

You can write your own program to read the BIOS password from the CMOS memory on a PC by writing the address of the byte of CMOS memory that you wish to read in port 0x370, and then reading the contents of port 0x371.

!BIOS will recover the BIOS password for most common BIOS versions, including IBM, American Megatrends Inc, Award and Phoenix.

CmosPwd will recover the BIOS password for the following BIOS versions:

• ACER/IBM BIOS
• AMI BIOS
• AMI WinBIOS 2.5
• Award 4.5x/4.6x/6.0
• Compaq (1992)
• Compaq (New version)
• IBM (PS/2, Activa, Thinkpad)
• Packard Bell
• Phoenix 1.00.09.AC0 (1994), a486 1.03, 1.04, 1.10 A03, 4.05 rev 1.02.943, 4.06 rev 1.13.1107
• Phoenix 4 release 6 (User)
• Gateway Solo – Phoenix 4.0 release 6
• Toshiba
• Zenith AMI

Resetting the BIOS Password using Hardware

If you cannot access the machine after if has been powered up, it is still possible to get past the BIOS password. The BIOS password is stored in CMOS memory that is maintained while the PC is powered off by a small battery, which is attached to the motherboard. If you remove this battery, all CMOS information (including the BIOS password) will be lost. You will need to re-enter the correct CMOS setup information to use the machine. The machines owner or user will most likely be alarmed when it is discovered that the BIOS password has been deleted.

On some motherboards, the battery is soldered to the motherboard, making it difficult to remove. If this is the case, you have another alternative. Somewhere on the motherboard you should find a jumper that will clear the BIOS password. If you have the motherboard documentation, you will know where that jumper is. If not, the jumper may be labeled on the motherboard. If you are not fortunate enough for either of these to be the case, you may be able to guess which jumper is the correct jumper. This jumper is usually standing alone near the battery. If you cannot locate this jumper, you might short both of the points where the battery connects to the motherboard.

If all else fails, you may have to clear the BIOS password by resetting the RTC (Real Time Clock) IC (Integrated Circuit) on your motherboard.

Many RTC’s require an external battery. If your RTC is one of this type, you can clear the BIOS password just by unsocketing the RTC and reseating it.

RTC’s which require external batteries include:

Most RTC chips with integrated batteries can be reset to clear the BIOS password by shorting two pins together for a few seconds.

You will see more than one option for some chips due to testing by various people in the field. Remember to remove power from the system before shorting these pins.

You should be able to discover how to reset the BIOS password stored in most RTC (Real Time Clock) chips by reading the manufacturers data sheet for that RTC. Some RTC’s, like the Dallas DS1287 and TI benchmarq bq3287mt cannot be cleared. The solution to resetting the BIOS password on systems with those RTC’s is to purchase a replacement RTC chip. How inconvenient!

Vendor Specific Solutions for Resetting the BIOS Password

Resetting a Dell BIOS Password

For information on how to recover a Dell BIOS password, please refer to How do I reset a Dell BIOS password?

Resetting a Toshiba BIOS Password

KeyDisk will reset the BIOS password on Toshiba laptops.

Older Toshiba laptops can be convinced to boot without their power-on BIOS password by attaching a dongle to the parallel port which crosses a number of the pins. The pin out is:

Pins
1-5-10
2-11
3-17
4-12
6-16
7-13
8-14
9-15

Some Toshiba’s can be convinced to bypass the startup BIOS password if you hold down the <LEFT-SHIFT> key while booting the system.

Resetting an IBM ThinkPad BIOS Password

For information on how to recover an IBM Thinkpad BIOS password, please refer to How do I reset an IBM ThinkPad BIOS password?

Resetting an IBM Aptiva BIOS Password

Some IBM Aptiva’s can be convinced to bypass the startup BIOS password if you press both mouse buttons repeatedly while booting the system.

Resetting an Acer BIOS Password

For information on how to recover an Acer BIOS password, please refer to How do I reset an Acer BIOS password?

Summary

The BIOS password can be reset on any system. Some systems are easy, others are more difficult. Any BIOS password can be reset with sufficient time, money and effort.

[via Tech-Faq]