User Guides How to bypass BIOS passwords

DISCLAIMER​

Please use the methods and software given below at your own risk. Plz be aware that some/most of these methods require(esp hardware ones) a little knowledge of your hardware and may require opening up the cabinet.

How to Bypass BIOS Passwords
If you have a habit of setting bios passwords and then forgetting them then help is at hand. Although there may not be a sure shot way but more often than not you may be able to bypass a password via a software way itself. Otherwise the hardware way is ofcourse there.

Well the best method ofcourse is to keep a backup of password in your head :) or maybe in a secure place. But if like me you didn't do that then ...

Backdoor passwords


Many BIOS manufacturers have provided backdoor passwords that can be used to access the BIOS setup in the event you have lost your password. These passwords are case sensitive, so you may wish to try a variety of combinations. Keep in mind that the key associated to "_" in the US keyboard corresponds to "?" in some European keyboards. Laptops typically have better BIOS security than desktop systems, and we are not aware of any backdoor passwords that will work with name brand laptops.

WARNING: Some BIOS configurations will lock you out of the system completely if you type in an incorrect password more than 3 times. Read your manufacturers documentation for the BIOS setting before you begin typing in passwords

Award BIOS backdoor passwords:

ALFAROME ALLy aLLy aLLY ALLY aPAf _award AWARD_SW AWARD?SW AWARD SW AWARD PW AWKWARD awkward BIOSTAR CONCAT CONDO Condo d8on djonet HLT J64 J256 J262 j332 j322 KDD Lkwpeter LKWPETER PINT pint SER SKY_FOX SYXZ syxz shift + syxz TTPTHA ZAAADA ZBAAACA ZJAAADC 01322222
589589 589721 595595 598598

AMI BIOS backdoor passwords:

AMI AAAMMMIII BIOS PASSWORD HEWITT RAND AMI?SW AMI_SW LKWPETER A.M.I. CONDO

PHOENIX BIOS backdoor passwords:

phoenix, PHOENIX, CMOS, BIOS

MISC. COMMON PASSWORDS

ALFAROME BIOSTAR biostar biosstar CMOS cmos LKWPETER lkwpeter setup SETUP Syxz Wodj

OTHER BIOS PASSWORDS BY MANUFACTURER

Manufacturer 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
TMC BIGO
Toshiba Toshiba

TOSHIBA BIOS

Most Toshiba laptops and some desktop systems will bypass the BIOS password if the left shift key is held down during boot

IBM APTIVA BIOS

Press both mouse buttons repeatedly during the boot
Password cracking software
I have listed some of the best software ways available to crack. All these will require a floppy drive access.

# Cmos PWD <best bet>
CmosPwd is a cmos/bios password recovery tool. CmosPwd works and compiles under Dos-Win9x, Windows NT/W2K/XP/2003, Linux, FreeBSD and NetBSD.
[rank=www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Decrypting-Decoding/CmosPwd.shtml]More Info and download[/rank]

# UnAward
Hack any AWARD BIOS password in real time (6)
[rank=www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Decrypting-Decoding/UnAward.shtml]More Info and Download[/rank]

# RemPass
Program can:
- find and show BIOS password
- collapse BIOS password
- save BIOS settings
- restore BIOS settings
its just 5$ and btw free version will not reveal 3 characters.
[rank=natan.zejn.si/rempass.html]More Info and Download[/rank]

# KillCMOS
If you have forgotten your CMOS password--there's no longer a need to worry! As long as you are able to boot from the floppy KILLCMOS will remove the password.
Btw this is detected as trojan by antivirus software. However multiple sources on net say that this is untrue. Use it at your own discretion
[rank=www.utilitygeek.com/details.php?fileid=82]More Info and Download[/rank]
Cmos password recovery tools 3.1


Using the Motherboard "Clear CMOS" Jumper or Dipswitch settings


Many motherboards feature a set of jumpers or dipswitches that will clear the CMOS and wipe all of the custom settings including BIOS passwords. The locations of these jumpers / dipswitches will vary depending on the motherboard manufacturer and ideally you should always refer to the motherboard or computer manufacturers documentation. If the documentation is unavailable, the jumpers/dipswitches can sometimes be found along the edge of the motherboard, next to the CMOS battery, or near the processor. Some manufacturers may label the jumper / dipswitch CLEAR - CLEAR CMOS - CLR - CLRPWD - PASSWD - PASSWORD - PWD. On laptop computers, the dipswitches are usually found under the keyboard or within a compartment at the bottom of the laptop.
Please remember to unplug your PC and use a grounding strip before reaching into your PC and touching the motherboard. Once you locate and rest the jumper switches, turn the computer on and check if the password has been cleared. If it has, turn the computer off and return the jumpers or dipswitches to its original position.
Removing the CMOS Battery

The CMOS settings on most systems are buffered by a small battery that is attached to the motherboard. (It looks like a small watch battery). If you unplug the PC and remove the battery for 10-15 minutes, the CMOS may reset itself and the password should be blank. (Along with any other machine specific settings, so be sure you are familiar with manually reconfiguring the BIOS settings before you do this.) Some manufacturers backup the power to the CMOS chipset by using a capacitor, so if your first attempt fails, leave the battery out (with the system unplugged) for at least 24 hours. Some batteries are actually soldered onto the motherboard making this task more difficult. Unsoldering the battery incorrectly may damage your motherboard and other components, so please don't attempt this if you are inexperienced. Another option may be to remove the CMOS chip from the motherboard for a period of time.
Note: Removing the battery to reset the CMOS will not work for all PC's, and almost all of the newer laptops store their BIOS passwords in a manner which does not require continuous power, so removing the CMOS battery may not work at all. IBM Thinkpad laptops lock the hard drive as well as the BIOS when the supervisor password is set. If you reset the BIOS password, but cannot reset the hard drive password, you may not be able to access the drive and it will remain locked, even if you place it in a new laptop. IBM Thinkpads have special jumper switches on the motherboard, and these should be used to reset the system.

Overloading the KeyBoard Buffer


On some older computer systems, you can force the CMOS to enter its setup screen on boot by overloading the keyboard buffer. This can be done by booting with the keyboard or mouse unattached to the systems, or on some systems by hitting the ESC key over 100 times in rapid succession.

Jumping the Solder Beads on the CMOS

It is also possible to reset the CMOS by connecting or "jumping" specific solder beads on the chipset. There are too many chipsets to do a breakdown of which points to jump on individual chipsets, and the location of these solder beads can vary by manufacturer, so please check your computer and motherboard documentation for details. This technique is not recommended for the inexperienced and should be only be used as a "last ditch" effort.
Sources:
[RANK="labmice.techtarget.com/"]techtarget[/RANK]
[RANK="techrepublic.com"]techrepublic[/RANK]
[RANK="www.wimsbios.com/"]wimsbios[/RANK]
 
A. By Using the Motherboard Jumper:

In most motherboards CMOS battery is soldered, which makes it difficult to remove the battery. In this case we use another method.

Almost all motherboards contain a jumper that can clear all CMOS settings along with the BIOS password. The location of this jumper varies depending upon the motherboard brand. You should read your motherboard manual to check its location. If you don't have the manual then look for the jumpers near the CMOS battery. Most of the manufacturer label the jumper as CLR, CLEAR, CLEAR CMOS, etc.

When you find the jumper, look carefully. There will be 3 pins and the jumper will be joining the center pin to either left or right pin. What you need to do, is remove the jumper and join the center pin to the opposite pin. e.g. if the jumper joins center pin to left pin, then remove it and join center pin to right pin. Now wait for a few seconds and then again remove the jumper and join the center pin to left pin.

Make sure to turn the PC off before opening the cabinet and resetting the jumper.

B. By Using Software:
I have found that BIOS/CMOS Password Recovery Tool is the most effective.:
BIOS/CMOS Password Recovery Tool is a program that works instantly to remove any lost or forgotten BIOS/CMOS password. Simply boot your PC to DOS and execute the program, and get access to forgotten BIOS/CMOS passwords in just seconds

BIOS/CMOS Password Recovery Tool Service: BIOS Password Recovery - BIOS Password Recovery Tool - Remove or Clear BIOS Password
 
I was also going to say about Jumper Resetting Method. It's really very easy, but still it can be performed by those only who knows How to locate and Reset the Jumper :)

I recommend everyone must read his/her BIOS Manual in order to get more info. about Jumper :)
 
ViKiD said:
hmmm...does any of this actually work?

Yes ViKiD, all of these work. Guess ur not one of the adventurous types.

BTW nobody pointed out that u have to reset CMOS through jumper/battery remove method when ur OC is unstable & machine wont POST. Always a good idea to go through ur MB manual:)
 
Back
Top