# computer question
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/199437
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 4, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/199437 "2003-09-04T01:02:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/199437/1 "2003-09-04T01:02:14Z")
Some Relatives of mine in Ireland picked up a Dell latitude cp , laptop computer at an estate auction , but the laptop seems to have come with a bios password for security purposes, so they cant even tell us what O/S is loaded.
IT people , this has probably happened before , is there a utility that will crack a bios password ?
Other than that , we can get no help from the dell folks ,as they are assuming that the laptop was obtained through nefarious means.
Any replies would be appreciated
Declan
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### Author:  [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/199437/2 "2003-09-04T01:28:43Z")
Check out [newsgroups](http://groups.google.com/groups?q=Dell+laptop++BIOS+password&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&selm=39D7929C.A525F26C%40cistron.nl&rnum=5). Lots of solutions to this, involving removing the battery or using a loopback connector on the parallel port. I’m assuming what you’re doing is legit and the laptop didn’t “fall off the back of a lorry”.
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### Author:  [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2003, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/199437/3 "2003-09-04T01:31:17Z")
Apologies, [this](http://groups.google.com/groups?q=Dell+laptop++BIOS+password&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search) link should work better.
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### Author:  [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/199437/4 "2003-09-04T01:32:45Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by DarrenS \*
> \*\*Check out [newsgroups](http://groups.google.com/groups?q=Dell+laptop++BIOS+password&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&selm=39D7929C.A525F26C%40cistron.nl&rnum=5). Lots of solutions to this, involving removing the battery or using a loopback connector on the parallel port. I’m assuming what you’re doing is legit and the laptop didn’t “fall off the back of a lorry”. \*\*
At the moment , I am going by what the relatives say , so who knows , they never lie do they 🙂
But so far groups.google actually does not have anything on this , I got more information out of ebay with some dell tech selling knowledge stuff under the table.
Thanks anyways
Declan
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### Author:  [@biqu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biqu)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2003, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/199437/5 "2003-09-04T01:33:33Z")
[List of Master Passwords for various BIOS types](http://archives.neohapsis.com/archives/vuln-dev/2000-q3/att-0028/01-biosdefaults.txt)
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### Author:  [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/199437/6 "2003-09-04T01:38:55Z")
According to [this](http://www.eaglecomputing.com/faqs.htm#001), you’re screwed:
> [@](#):
>
> The ONLY way to reset a forgotten password on a Dell Portable computer is to call Dell’s Mobile Computing Hotline at 1.800.247.9252 (have your System Service Tag Number handy). After a Dell Tech verifies that you really are the owner of the machine you will be given the master password, which is unique for every Portable computer that Dell manufactures. There is absolutely no other way to do this as there are no jumpers on the mainboard like a desktop system has.
I did find some sites which claim to sell replacement security chips, which I will not link to. You can find them on your own with Google, like I did. No guarantees that would work, though.
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### Author:  [@jdc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdc)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/199437/7 "2003-09-04T01:45:31Z")
I was researching laptop security and I asked Dell how an owner gets into a machine with a forgotten bios pw. Calling support with the tag number and info to indicate you are the owner will get you an override pw you can use.
I asked if each of these override passwords is unique per machine. Answer from tech support was no, and they implied that anyone with one legit dell laptop could call and get the override and thereby be able to defeat the password on all dell laptops. Possible they’ve improved this since I spoke with them a couple of years ago.
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### Author:  [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2003, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/199437/8 "2003-09-04T02:01:37Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by amore ac studio \*
> \*\*[List of Master Passwords for various BIOS types](http://archives.neohapsis.com/archives/vuln-dev/2000-q3/att-0028/01-biosdefaults.txt) \*\*
The Dell one is too easy , lol
Anyways , thanks all for the replies , thank god its not my comp, I just have my mom raggin me cause “your good with computers”
sheesh , who uses a bios password anyways
Declan
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### Author:  [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/199437/9 "2003-09-04T02:06:47Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Declan \*
> \*\*sheesh , who uses a bios password anyways? \*\*
I do. But it’s a desktop and has a jumper reset procedure should I forget it, which is unlikely. I like the security.
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### Author:  [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/199437/10 "2003-09-04T02:58:49Z")
At work we have a BIOS password on all the lab PCs. Students can touch them.
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/199437/11 "2003-09-04T14:45:42Z")
Dell has a forum too, you could ask there. I’m sure it’s been asked before on their forum.