Dell BIOS Admin Password

Forums › Laptops and mobile computers › Dell BIOS Admin Password

kiwis

837 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 12

#289852 3-Oct-2021 20:18

It's an old laptop, ex corperate model. Maybe 15 years old.

Goes okay but very slow given it's age. Looking to install Linux Mint or similar on it. Can't change the Bios boot order as I don't have the admin password.

Any suggestions?

ANglEAUT

altered-ego
2436 posts

Uber Geek
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Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2788781 3-Oct-2021 21:50

Unplug the CMOS battery on the motherboard for 30min?

Try

Link to original thread starting you down this path: Best Lightweight Operating System

Edit: Added links

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andrewnzer

25 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 3

#2793037 11-Oct-2021 10:52

Did you try https://bios-pw.org it's free and instant and worked for me in the past on older computers.

I locked myself out of a new computer about 2 years ago and found a bunch of sites advertising that they would send a password if you send them them the code that pops up after the third wrong password. It seems like a no brainer that this is a very bad idea, and absolutely never send a credit card number to someone like this in any shape or form. But after seeing what seemed like real human beings claiming it's legit I made a burner paypal account and tried it, it worked, 1st try and I received the code in like 1 hour.

Oblivian

7345 posts

Uber Geek
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#2793055 11-Oct-2021 11:11

Using internal technician-only tools for profit then :)

That was one method for HP and Lenovo back in the day, a keypress or number of tries would generate an alternate unlock hash for the tool to use. But that becomes harder with TPM (and difficulty to prove ownership through official channels)

andrewnzer

25 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 3

#2793091 11-Oct-2021 12:24

Oblivian:

Using internal technician-only tools for profit then :)

That was one method for HP and Lenovo back in the day, a keypress or number of tries would generate an alternate unlock hash for the tool to use. But that becomes harder with TPM (and difficulty to prove ownership through official channels)

Yeah it's interesting, bios-pw.org works the same way (entering a code and getting one back.) In regards to the paid way, unlocking newer computer, would that person need access to the Acer/Dell (etc) network, like private web pages to get that unlock code? Or they somehow got an offline application that lets them do that?

In regards to the free automated way they would have to reverse engineer I assume?