Most personal computers do not have BIOS passwords because this feature must be manually enabled. However, many corporate computers have BIOS passwords set for security reasons, and if you read this post, you probably realized that it is not easy to crack a BIOS password.
The ability to boot the operating system depends on how many security settings have been enabled. In most modern BIOS systems, you can set a supervisor password, which simply restricts access to the BIOS utility itself, but allows Windows to boot. The second setting, usually called “Boot Password” or something similar, must be enabled for you to see the message before the operating system boots.
It’s also worth noting that you might have to open your computer to try to bypass the BIOS password, and if you have a desktop this is usually much easier. Not only is it easier to open the desktop, but it is much easier to find the component to remove. In this article, I will go over various ways to bypass BIOS password and hopefully it works.
Method 1 – BIOS Password Backdoor
The easiest way to bypass the BIOS password is to use a backdoor password. If this triggers any thoughts from Edward Snowden, you are on the right track. Fortunately and unfortunately, BIOS passwords are not very well protected, and this is done on purpose so that technicians and others can help people get into their computers.
This is good because it will probably help you gain access to your computer, but bad because anyone who thinks that the BIOS password made their computer super secure is deeply mistaken.
Thus, most BIOS manufacturers have a crash protection device that will show the so-called password checksum if you enter the wrong password more than 3 times. For example, I have an Acer laptop at home, and I set a BIOS password and then entered the wrong password three times.
After the third time, I got a message stating that the system is down, but I also got the number displayed right below that message.
All you have to do now is go to a site called BIOS-PW.org and just enter that number! It will return you a set of passwords for different BIOS manufacturers that match this checksum.
I tried entering the Generic Phoenix password on my laptop and it worked! What’s surprising is that the password I entered into the BIOS didn’t even match the password listed on the website, but it still worked. Without getting into technical details, the reason it worked is because the password generated by the website and my password generate the same checksum.
Also, don’t bother with the system shutdown message because it’s just a scare tactic. All you have to do is turn off your computer and turn it on again, and you can enter your BIOS password again without any problems. I was shocked at how easy this worked, so this is the first thing you should try before hacking into your computer.
The second method – CMOS battery
Most computers have a small battery on the motherboard called a CMOS battery. This small battery is used for timing and storing BIOS settings even when the computer is turned off. If you decide to change the boot order, unplug your USB device, or even set a BIOS password, it’s all pointless if the settings disappear when you turn off your computer and unplug it.
In older computers, the CMOS battery was responsible for this, but in newer computers the BIOS and settings are stored in nonvolatile memory such as flash memory or EEPROM. This type of storage does not require power and therefore has no limitations such as a CMOS battery. Mainly CMOS is used to keep the real time clock on the computer.
Basically, the chances of it working on a modern computer are pretty low, but it’s worth trying because the other options are more complicated. You will have to open your desktop case or laptop panels and find a round silver battery. Fortunately, it is easy to spot for its size and shape.
Make sure you completely shut down your computer, unplug all cables, and unplug the power before doing this. Use something like a butter knife or flat-blade screwdriver to remove the battery. Wait at least 30 minutes before reinserting the battery and plugging everything back in.
Unfortunately, on some laptops and newer desktops, you may not even see the CMOS battery. In this case, go to the next method.
Third method – change jumper settings
The third option would probably be the best chance to get rid of the BIOS password on modern desktops and laptops if the first method didn’t work. If you have a laptop, you may need to call a technician because you will need full access to the motherboard, which means you may have to disassemble the whole thing.
When you have access to the motherboard, you need to look for a specific jumper. A jumper is basically a few pins sticking out of the motherboard with a small piece of plastic covering some of the pins. When you move this piece of plastic to cover another set of pins, it changes the settings on the motherboard.
On most motherboards, even newer ones, you should see a jumper with a label next to it to clear the CMOS or reset your password. The label can now be any of the following: CLR_CMOS, CLEAR CMOS, CLEAR, CLEAR RTC, JCMOS1, PWD, PSWD, PASSWORD, PASSWD, CLEARPWD, and CLR.
There are many jumpers on the motherboard, so you’ll have to look for a suitable one. It is best to look around the edges of the motherboard. If not, take a closer look at the CMOS battery itself. Typically, a jumper has three contacts with two contacts closed. You just need to remove the jumper and close the two opposite pins.
For example, if pins 1 and 2 are covered, you will need to remove it and close pins 2 and 3. If there are only two pins for the jumper, simply remove the cover completely. On a laptop, you can see not jumpers, but switches. All you have to do is move the switch up or down.
After you change the jumper setting, turn on the computer, make sure the password is removed, and then turn it off again. Then you can return the jumper to its original position.
Fourth method – default BIOS passwords
If all else fails, you can always try using generic passwords or the default passwords set by the manufacturers. Instead of listing them all here, take a look at this page for a list of all the default passwords.
Fifth method – CMOSPwd
If you are lucky and the password is only protected by the BIOS utility and is not required to start Windows, you can try a third-party program that will try to decrypt the password.
http: //vvv.kgsecurity.org/wiki/SMOSPVD
The software works with all major brands like Phoenix, IMB, ACER, AMI BIOS, Compaq, Toshiba, etc.
For now, your only option is to use a professional BIOS password cracking service. They have special tools with which they can actually remove the BIOS chip from the motherboard and reprogram it with the new BIOS, thus removing the password, etc. It will probably cost you between $ 100 and $ 500 depending on the company. Enjoy!
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