Resetting BIOS Password - The Options Available - By: Musarrat Sheikh

Description : BIOS stands for Basic Input/Output System. It is a standard that is used to identify the interface of laptop or a PC. The main function of BIOS is determining, examining and stimulating devices connected to the computer system such as HDDs, floppy disks and video cards. BIOS also ensures that your system's hardware is functioning as it should. To handle problems related to motherboards, you need to learn how to reset BIOS. There are several options available when it comes to resetting BIOS passwords. BIOS contains different important components such as firmware chips for the functioning of the keyboard, HDD controllers, storage devices and USB human interfaces.
You could reset the BIOS password by using a software program. Information on BIOS is stored in a specific location of every system. This method of resetting BIOS passwords involves accessing the necessary BIOS information and its format in a memory address if the system is booted successfully. You could also install a program that is designed for this. One such software program is the!BIOS. This software proven is widely used in different computers, especially those by Award, Phoenix, IBM and American Megatrends Inc. You could also use CmosPwd software program which is used for different BIOS versions such as AMI WinBIOS 2.5, Award 4.5x/4.6x/6.0, Compaq (1992), Compaq (New version), IBM (PS/2, Activa, Thinkpad) and Packard Bell. Another option is writing a program to read the password from your PC's CMOS memory. All you have to do is write the address of the byte of the CMOS memory you want to read in port 0?370 and to then read the content in port 0?371.
You could reset the password by using backdoor BIOS passwords. These backdoor passwords are implemented by BIOS manufacturers and they are basically BIOS passwords that work no matter what you had set your password to. These include merlin for VOBIS & IBM, Dell for Dell Inc., Biostar for Biostar, spooml for Jetway, bell9 for Packard Bell, SKY_FOX for Siemens, and Toshiba for Toshiba. A backdoor password is usually used in maintenance and testing. Note that most manufacturers change their backdoor passwords with time.
Yet another option of resetting passwords is resetting using hardware. This option is particularly useful if you cannot get access to your machine after powering up. To do this, simply remove the CMOS battery which is a small battery which stores this password while the machine is off. However, note that some PCs and laptops have CMOS batteries soldered into place. If removing the CMOS battery does not work, reset the Real Time Clock on the motherboard. If this does not work, you will need to short the relevant pins for some time.
If you do are not able to reset the password, you will be forced to replace the keyboard, which is very expensive especially in laptops. You should consider enlisting the services of a professional if you are not able to reset the BIOS password yourself because professionals have the necessary theoretical knowhow and experience.

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Author Resource : This article touched the basics of the topic. I have 2 more resources related to the above. They are bios password and bios password. Do consider reading them.